The Utah County Democrat. [volume] (Provo City, Utah) 1898-1909, 1908-12-05

N
H. survives has one case
- which he gives the post
OF honor In memory. This
MkMn is the story OF the assign.
WeW ment I like best to remem-
UK66lN Der, not only because II re-
IlNZU suited In the solution OF
fr one OF the most mysteri
trz131 Gus cases that ever arose
ka1zi2z8 In Illinois, but rather for
the reason that II marked my first
meeting with Carlton Clarke
II was I'm the summer of 1896 that
the word came to the Office OF the Chi
cago morning paper with which was
then connected that the police OF the
little city of Aurora were struggling
with a case which seemed destined to
prove one Of the greatest mysteries OF
the day, AS had met with considera-
BILE success In criminal cases. the man
aging editor lost no time In hustling
me on by the FIRST train to the scene
Of action.
The brief account In the first paper
picked up. stripped OF its glaring
headlines was as follows:
Early this morning very mysterious
tragedy occurred In the hail Of the An
Client order OF Persian Knights a local
secret society. which resulted IN the al
most instant death of Or, Arthur w. VIII
Hams, a prominent physician OF this city.
The Initiation of DR. Williams was In
progress at the time. In one portion OF
the ceremony the candidate. having been
condemned TO death for invading the sa-
In Of lA.. aHuA A..
load an old fashioned dueiing pistol with
powder and ball which are furnished him.
lie u then placed against the wall and
the pistol IN fired point blank az him by
member OF the lodge holding the Of
ice OF royal cxecutioner. The powder
provided the candidate has always been
clever counterfeit made OF pulverized
anthracite coal. and the only climax 10
the thr'lling ceremony. heretofore. has
been the hzzle OF the percussion cap and
the shouts OF laughter OF the lodge mem
beers. DIR. Williams was an old hand at
lodge work As consequence, none OF
the efforts OF the Persian Knights to
break down his nerve or seif-posseasion
had been successful when he had load
ed the pistol he faced DIR. Homer Smith.
whose duty Il was TO Ore the shot. and
gazed into hie eyes without visible
trcmor Suddenly the members Of the
lodge, about 200 OF whom were present
were startled by n loud explosion. DIR.
Williams fell forward with blood gushing
from wound In his forehead. Among
the FIRST to reach tho stricken man was
DIR. Smith, who had fired the fatal shot.
He tried to stanch the blood but the bull
let had penetrated the brain and Or. Will
Iiams died In hla arms without speaking.
Chief OF Police Darling who IL n prom
inent member OF the order. holding the
Office OF royal astroioger. at once thought
to secure tho cup from which the pow
IN A (au
rnaincd. He tasted them II was unmis-
talkabiy black gunpowder. No arrests
have been made and no one seems willing
10 take the responsibility OF saying that
the tragedy was anything more than ac-
cidcnt due 10 the carcieasncas OF some
one IN getting the counterfeit powder
mixed with the real article
"Oh. those country correspondence"
fairly groaned There was 80 much
wanted TO know Who had handled
the supposed counterfeit POWDER
What was the customary source from
which the lodge procured III What
we're the relations of the two physi.
clans toward each otherG
ut all depends upon the history OF
the powder" said TO myself as
stufed the papers into my pocket
"You are right. sir II all depends
upon the history OF the powder"
turned around half In anger at
this unlooked-for interruption to my
train OF thought. Whatever emotion I
may have felt was instantly lost In
interest In the face before me. II was
face should have singled out among
thousand. Clean shaven, the firmly
moulded chin showed by its slight
tinge OF blue that the beard, had Il
been allowed TO grow. would have been
black The nose was aquillne and OF
perfect proportions The intelligent
eyes we're dark almost 20 blackness.
The complexion was swarthy. but suf.
fused With the glow OF health. The
hair was Of that distlngue combination
OF colors. black. shading almost to
white on the temples and over the
forehead. An American. evidently but
inheriting through several generations
OF New World ancestors the markings
OF southern Europe His height /
should have estimated at six feet
Carlton Clarke really lacks throe.cuar.
tiers OF an inch Of the mark.
You we're saying that II all depends
upon the history OF the powder and /
agreed that you had estimated the Gaze
correctly" repeated my neighbor
Il have no recollection OF saving
anything OF the kind. although | admit
was thinking H." | replied MAY /
ask how you defined my thoughts 30
readlIyY
"Oh. ! noticed that you were study
Ing the case from tho papers It took
no second sight TO see that You were
not satisfied with the information you
gained ! am going down on the case
myself and doubtless ! followed your
chain Of ldous which l am sure came
to the only logical conclusion trust
there Is nothing uncanuy about It. But
permit mo TO share your seat with YOU
II IS hard 10 converse over one OF
these high backs"
Whom do you represent at Auro-