Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-01-15

~ IHE cold llgnt OF tne morning
brought with 1t profound
F@I,N skepticism. Godfrey's theory
9E49 no longer seemed so convinc-
ing. In fact, 1t did not seem convincing
at ALL Many objections occurred to
me- I saw that the whole elaborate
structure was built upon Quicksand.
There was no proof that any Of the
clippings referred to Tremaine or
Thompson. There was no proof that
Thompson had gathered them with
elaborate care and of set purpose.
There was no proof
Yes. There was one point susceptible
Of proof. By 1t the whole structure
would stand or fall.
"Mr. Royce" I said to our junior, In
the course of the morning, II wonder II
1 could be spared this afternoon? I've
some business Of my own which I'd
very much like to attend to-"
"Why. certainly" he answered In
stantly. So when / left the Office at
noon, l took the elevated to the Grand
Central station and bought ticket to
Ossining. Once there, went direct to
the gray old prison and stated my er-
rand to Mr.. Jones, the subwarden,
whom found in charge.
"I've come up from New York."
began, after giving him my card, Ito
see If you can identify this man." and
L handed him the photograph Of
Thompson.
He looked at 1t long and searchingly,
seemingly for time in doubt, but at
last he shook his head.
"No, I don't believe can," he said.
"There's something familiar about the
face, but can't place It,"
"How long have you been connected
with the prison, Mr.. Jones?" asked.
81 began thirty years ago as guard.
But what made you think could iden-
tify this fellow?"
"We've rather imagined" answer
ed, that his real name was Johnson
and that he served term here for
robbery, beginning in 1885,"
He looked at the photograph again,
with sudden flush Of excitement in
his face.
81 believe you're right" he said.
| Lets look at Johnson's photo"
He consulted the index, then turned
to one Of the wall cases.
"Here he is." he said, opening CON-
partment and pointing to photograph.
| "Its the same man sure, only changed
a lot. It would be easy to prove it. !
suppose they took his Bertillon meas
urements at the morgue, and we've
only to compare them with ours.
They'd be the same, no matter how
much he'd changed"
And he had changed, indeed! The
Johnson Of the prison photograph was,
of course, smooth shaven; his face was
alert, intelligent; there was no scar
upon the temple, nor did the features
show that subtle bloating Of long con-
tinued dissipation. But it was the
same-undoubtedly it was the same.
There was no need to apply any finer
tests.
"I remember him now," said Jones,
looking from one photograph to the
other, Every well. He was a quiet,
we'll behaved chap; had been captain
of little tramp steamer, believe. He
had q perfect mania for cutting pieces
out of newspapers and pasting them
in scrapbook. He spent all his lei
sure time that way. Oh, yes; remem-
ber, too, he tried to escape, bat his
pal went back on him and left him lay
in out yonder by the wall. His pal
was a bad one, he was; he got away
and I've often wondered what become
Of him. Here he is."
He swung open another compart-
ment. and l found myself staring at
Tremaine!
Not until was quite near New York
did I recover sufficiently from the
effects of this discovery to heed the
cry Of the train boy as he went through
the coaches with the evening papers.
"All about tn Edgemere murder"
he was crying, and the name caught
my ear.
"Edgemere." l repeated to myself.
"Edgemere. I've heard that name
somewhere"
Then In flash remembered, and In
a moment more the whole story OF the
tragedy of the night before-the muir
der Of Graham and the theft Of Mrs.
Delroy's necklace-lay before me.
With what intensity Of interest ! read
1t can be easily imagined. was
shaken. nervous, horror stricken. That
there was some connection between
this second tragedy and the one IN
suit fourteen l did not doubt, and /
read and reread the details with the
greatest care, In the effort to find
where that connection lay.
But 1t was impossible to see how
Tremaine could be implicated in the
Edgemere mystery even in the least
degree-his alibi was perfect. On the
other hand, the evidence against young
Drysdale seemed complete In every
link. Certainly none Of the papers
doubted his guilt, and they handled his
past career and his family history with
a minuteness and freedom which must
have been most trying to his friends.
Coroner Heffelbower came In for the
lions share Of praise-svery one agreed
that he had conducted the case with
rare skill and acumen. OF course the
Record had his photograph. as well as
those of his wife and six children. and
as looked at his round face fancied
him strutting back and forth In his
saloon, inflated with pride and listening
apprOvingly to the constant ringing
of the cash register. It's an Ill wind
but certainly there was no denying
tnat he had handled the case adroitly.
Drysdale. 1t appeared, had been lodg-
ed in the jail at Babylon and stead
fastly refused to make any statement
or to explain his absence from the
house. No reporters had been admit
ted to Edgemere. though that fact did
not prevent two or three Of them from
writing minute descriptions Of the con-
dition of affairs there and publishing
interviews with the members Of the
family. Marvellous accounts were CIV
Ell of the exquisite beauty and I'M
mense value of the missing necklace.
and the Record published a drawing
of It from description by Tiffany"
We pulled into the station. and l
took q car down to my rooms, turning
this latest enigma over and over In
my mind, looking ut it from every an