The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-09-23

All ODlcer! exclaimed 6OyO QUICKLY.
For what? And who are your"
I'm Joe Calvin, clerk for Hersey &
Co. You know Hersey, sir. There's a
dreadful thing happened in our office.
just found Ben Smith, Hersey's
bookkeeper and confidential clerk, dead
on the. office floor. He"
Waltz Boyd sharply interrupted.
Half a second
He quickly turned back, intending to
call a policeman in case he required
aid, but fortunately discovered Cole
man at that moment entering an OPP
pOsite building some distance away. A
single sharp whistle drew his attention
in BOyd's direction, and the latter de-
layed only to signal him to follow, then
dashed up the steps and rejoined the
waiting clerk.
The firm mentioned. Hersey & Co.,
was an old and conservative banking
and brokerage house, of excellent repu-
tation and recognized stability, though
then doing only a moderate business.
The firm originally had comprised Her
sey and his son-in-law; but the lat
ter having died, Hersey alone
had conducted the business for some
years. the daughter retaining her hus-
bands interest. That the firm name
appeared in the list of Boyd's clients, at
length had led the latter to seek Her
sey's office
Calvin your name?" he cried, as he
rejoined the clerk. when did you
make this alarming discovery"
only just now sir" replied Calvin
as the two men FASTENED through the
deep corridor, at the rear of which the
bankers Office was located. II had
been out on an errand for Mr.. Hersey,
and returned only TO find Smith dead
on the floor. At least, / supposed him
I a n N
officer"
when did you start out on the err
rand mentioned?"
Nearly an hour ago"
Was Hersey then in his Officer" de-
handed Boyd. noting that the time
stated was about that at which he had
received the telephone call
Yes, sir" replied Calvin. He was
in his private office with Mr.. Smith"
rs Hersey absent now?"
Yes. sir. He was there"
/ Enough for the present. Here we
are"
! They had reached the office door, and
/ Boyd quickly opened it and entered.
! 1t opened into a square, commodious
/ room. the main office, about half OF
which was given to an enclosure con-
! tanning three desks and large safe.
! together with the other appurtenances
ordinarily seen in such an office A
counter mounted with a tail brass lat
/ tice divided the enclosure from the
| open portion of the office. which was
! furnished with q table, several leather
| covered chars and small desk near
one of the walls.
AT the right Of the door by which
| Boyd had entered and barely four feet
| distant, was a door leading into n
/ smaller side room, which was Mr.. Her
sey's private office. The door stood
wide open, revealing a roll-top desk,
/ the cover Of which was raised, though
| the room was deserted.
Directly opposite the corridor door
was a telephone, attached to the wall,
| ana having no closet or enclosure:
while upon the floor nearly below ii
/ was stretched the body of q man of 80
| or Whereabouts. prone upon his back.
/ with arms widely extended and face
| upturned. the later as void of color as
| that of a dead man, save one livid
/ bruise extending across his brow and
/ into his hair.
! Boyd'S sweeping glances quickly took
in the details mentioned. Further in
dicating that his first deductions had
| been entirely correct, the telephone re-
/ ceiver still was hanging by it's cord as
when suddenly dropped. while upon
/ the floor near the PROSTATE man lay a
short but very effective leather blud-
geon. commonly termed a Sandbag.
! Surely, is fuCh evidence was worth
/ of any consideration, Smith had been
brutality assaulted While at the telc-
] phone, nor had the Office been entered
since the crime was committed, until
the clerk named Calvin appeared upon
the scene. Though Boyd had deferred
his investigation of the circumstances
| hardly a minute. as he was about tC
begin IL Coleman also entered the Of
fee.
"Ah." he calculated. You have To-
Gated the trouble"
Finally" said Boyd tersely. Close
the door. Jimmie"
Quickly crossing the room he dropped
to his knee upon the floor and felt OF
the hand and wrist of the PROSTATE
man. The effect upon Boyd was de-
cidcdly unexpected. For a moment
there was reflected i'm his forceful, clear
cut face a surprise almost beyond con-
tanning
"Ah thank heaven. this man is not
dead" he cried quickly He is badly
done up. that is ALL A drop of liquor
Will revive him. Hasten to the nearest
saloon. Calvin, end bring a flask OF
brandy. Lose not a moment"
The clerk, with look of relief men
tally noted by Boyd, at once hurried
from the office, and the latter rose to
/ his feet.
1T appears dead open and shut
doesn't it?" demanded Coleman, who
had been sizing up the case and max
ing hasty survey Of the two rooms.
Yes, plain enough replied Boyd
| This mans name is Smith, the one
who telephoned TO me. Done UP alone
here by some miscreant. and the place
probably robbed. A dastardly crime, Il
say the least. and a bold one
Where the deuce were the other
clerks at the time?"
Cant tell yet. We shall have to in
quire"
1T seems as IL some Of them should
have been here, or have returned be-
fore now. It is nearly an hour since
Smith called you over the wire
That's true. and he must have been
! lying here ever since" admitted Boyd
Wen get at the particulars a little
/ later"
While speaking he glanced at the
/ floor, then carelessly picked up a book
on the table, and quietly turned it over.
It was a large volume of Dun's refer
ences, quite as large as an ordinary
IL