River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1908-12-03

been executed.
mo one. / am unofficial and am
going solely upon my own hook"
"Then you are sort of Sherlock
Holmes?" / ventured.
Sherlock Holmes is an impossible
ity With all due respect to his liter
airy progenitor, DR.. Doyle, / have very
little respect for his methods, al
though / admit I employ them at
! times. Crime is psychological and
must be approached psychologically
regarding both it's prevention and its
! detection. It must be combatted by
the study of men, not by the analysis
of cigar ashes. 1t may be prevented
| by improving the breed of human be-
ings rather than that of bloodhounds.
But I tire you, perhaps"
''No, no, go on; I beg of YOU"
There is scarcely time for further
discussion, for if am not mistaken we
are nearing Aurovia By the way, you
doubtless can procure me an interview
with DR.. Homer Smith in the Jail, as
| you have the backing of a big news
paper"
| But Dr. Smith has not been arrest.
ed, according to the papers. had the
very latest editions"
HE had not when we left Chicago,
but unless am greatly mistaken he is
now behind the bars and with pretty
black case against him."
you certainly have information on
the case which the newspapers have
not been able to obtain" | replied,
rather nettled
mo, 1 know no more about the case
than you. Perhaps 1 merely jump at
the conclusion as the finality of a
theory which my mind suggested. l
may be mistaken"
Further conversation was interrupt
ed by our arrival before the little arti-
fetal stone building which serves for
| a railway station at Aurora. The evil
| dent topic Of conversation on all sides
was the tragedy of the night before.
| scorned unofficial information until
| had exhausted the official. However,
/ could not resist turning to one of the
groups on the platform and asking:
What is the latest in the Williams
case?"
doc Smith gave himself up about
two hours ago." was the answer.
so my theory was correct" MUIR
INJURED my companion.
YES, and the mystery knocked out
of another good story. But let's see
what the police have to say"
When we reached police headquar-
tiers we found Chief Darling in his
office and at leisure. AS we entered
my companion slipped me his card
with an apology for having omitted
the formality on the train. The name
] read was "Mr. Carlton Clarke"
Chief Darling was willing to talk,
but protested that he had no knowl-
edge which was not already public
property in the city. He had arrested
DR.. Smith upon his own request and
after a conference with the states at
torney. The most damaging evidence
tails of the tragedy, was a powerful
motive. The prisoner had every reason
in the world to be the enemy Of the
| dead physician, although there had
never been an open rupture and they
met as friends in society and lodge
work When DR.. Williams came to
Aurora Dr. Smith had fourishing
practice Within the two years his
| practice had dwindled to practically
nothing, most of his wealthiest pa
tients having fallen under the spell of
Dr. Williams engaging personality.
But it was over an affair of the heart
that the most serious clash in their
| fortunes had occurred. DR.. Smith for
years had been keeping company
with pretty Lucille Burton. Everybody
in the city believed them to be tacitly
engaged. The society sensation there
| fore was sprung when the cards came
out about a year before announcing
| the marriage of DR.. Williams and Lu-
| Gle Burton.
| Has their married life been hap
py?" asked Carlton Clarke, the first
words he had spoken during the inter-
view.
Well yes. as far as anybody knows.
| DR.. Williams was a hard drinker at
times-what you might call a periodi-
cal drinker-but few people knew it,
as he always went home and locked
himself in the house for three or four
days and it was given out that he was
! sick. But my men have taken him
home many a time just before one of
those sick SPELLS
What is DR.. Smiths bearing?''
That's just what puzzles me- He
will make no confession and yet he
wanted to be locked up. 1 said to him,
Look here, Doc, you're not guilty of
this thing, are your and he said,
Technically 1 am and not another
word can l get out of him. But !
shouldn't be surprised if he makes a
full confession at the inquest to-mor.
row.
Now, Mr.. Darling" continued
Clarke, you have of course investi.
gated fully the history of the pow
der?'
THAT was the first move I made
and that's one thing That makes it look