The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-11-22
CHAPTER yI--contInuedl

Of emotion which would Indicate whether
or not one OF his secret and unsupported
crimes might be the killing OF a fellow
being. for already he had grown so In
terested In this criminal that the dis
covery OF one OF his unlawful acts would
seem OF more consequence than the un-
ravefng OF the Mora murder Now he
found that the man was so deeply I'm ear
nest I'm his theories OF crime that he could
not be surprised into showing any emo
tious which would inculpate himself.
Nevertheless he still thought that the
conversation could he continued to ad-
vantage along the lines which he Was
following and so proceeded;
'Of course | have no wish 10 induce
you to betray either of your friends or
yourself and II Is scarcely possible that
you have any connection with the Mora
murder. which is the case In which am
Interested
"Ah. yes, You mean the rich man.
who was killed with one OF his own
weapons? have not the slightest OBJ
lection 10 giving you my views on that
subject Ask me what You please
~ hardly know where 10 begin. II
Just occurred to me thar IL is crime the
details OF which had been sk.llfully man
aged and that as you are not only a crimi-
nal. for which assertion have only your
own authority. but also student or
criminoiogy. your opinion would be IN
teres'ing TO me. Therefore I ventured
TO ask for n. You might tell me. TO 9e-
gin with. whether you would look for the
murderer among the so called criminal
class or elsewhere?"
IAN. but you forget that. even though
the man who has done this has never
before been detected In crime this act
places him at once among what you term
the criminal class. You could not seek
murderer elsewhere"
You seem to be evading my au-s-
tion." said Mr. Mitchell boldly. II wifi
put n more plainly. Would you look Tor
q man who has been guilty OF other
initial crime. the act Of n man who mas
never sinned before,''
''unquestionably the guilty man was
far from innocent OF other crimes. IT
was deliberately planned and studiousiy
executed. Only a murder committed IN
the heat OF passion could be first or
fense. A premeditated killing proves the
guilty party TO be a regular criminal.
though OF course n does not follow that
he has been previously recognized as
SUCH
Then you do not believe that the son
II guilty?" asked Mr.. Mitchell
What j believe on that score must
have little weight. because do not know
the accused. He is not known 10 he
criminal. Therefore the presumption ~
In his favor. II he has never committed
a crime before. would stake my life
on his ipnocence. But. II he has. then II
Is possible that he is sthe man. I only
gay n IL possible
There seem TO be many facts which
point TO his guilt For example. the
weapon used was part OF collection own
ed by the deceased. The son of course
knew where 10 obtain IT.
%l.,t AL ~
which to hang a man. What need had
the murderer TO know where the bludgeon
was usually kept. since the old man
had taken II to bed with him.
Mr.. Michel started at hearing this.
The words gave him a new and impor-
tant idea. He remembered Mr.. Barnes
argument that the murdered man mad
not taken the weapon from the cabnc,
hrsself. az the door was found open.
Preacher Jim advanced just the contrary
view. and Mr. Mitchell determined 10
probe deeper In order to learn his rea-
sons for his opinion.
'"Ah, of course.' said he, with no out
ward exhibition Of the increased interest
which he felt. IF Mn. Mora took the
weapon up stairs. any man might have
found and used H. But the old man was
very methodical. and I am assured that
II he had done as you suggest he would
again have locked the cabinet door,
which. on the contrary. was found open
in the morning, as though the weapon
had been abstracted hurriedly by some
one laboring under excitement Does not
this conflict with your idea7"
why. not at all. You are probably re-
peating TO me one OF the arguments OF
your friend Mr.. Barnes which,
shows how detectives always work 10
substantiate a theory. Instead OF allow
Ing an Investigation TO lead where IL
will. or course II In all guesswork about
the movements OF the man who was kill
ed. but my solution Of the mystery Is
that he expected trouble that night, and
in that case. anticipating the approach
OF an enemy he would have been sufh-
ciently disturbed 10 have forgotten 10
look the door OF the cabinet again"
II could readily agree with that iffI
could see any reason for thinking that he
was expecting disagreeable visitor.
What evidence have you Of that"
oh. very good think. In one OF the
newspaper accounts ] read that the
wstchman in his statement said that he
saw young Mora enter the house. be-
cause he had been warned by his master
20 be doubly watchfui. In fact. he had
asked permission to take the night for
himself sending a substitute IN his
place. but hie request was refused, and
then Il was that Te was cautioned TO be
That r. very significant and quite new
% me- wonder that Mr.. Barnes omitted
q from his report OF the facts"
oh, you can't expect a detective 10
think OF everything. you know
Here Preacher Jim laughed heartily.
while Mr.. Mitchell eyed him thoughtfully,
wondering at his apparent unconcern and
his seemingly genuine good humor The
mans manner did not agree with a half
idea which Mr.. Mitchell was
mentally considering. and therefore he
carefully selected his words in continu-
ing the conservation.
Then II this watchman was so wide
awake" said AFR. Mitchell. surely Il
muvt count against young Mora when he
swears that he saw him enter and leave
the house At about the time Of the mur-
derT'
"Oh. mo- The vatchman only swears
that q plaid suit OF clothes went In and
came cut again. From that he coacludes
that he saw young Mora. but he might
be mistaken
"oh. then you DO not accept Mora's
theory that the murderer put on the
plaid suit IN the house after committing
the crimsT"
"No. DO not None hut stupid officials
would have accepted that trnmped up
story. Why. how can you say that the
~ lehman waa corrsrf IN fdsnfffvfru 49,