The Elbert County tribune., 1908-10-15


which. patched together. convinced
Byrnes that McGloin was the person
who had murdered Hanier
By the time the people of busy New
York had forgotten all about the
tragedy of West Twenty-sixth street
or had consigned ii to the limbo of un-
discovered mysteries, Byrnes. on his
part, determined that the hour had
arrived to strike n decisive blow. He
sent his men out and arrested Nc
Gloin. Moran. Banfleld and Morrisey
Each one was apprehended on some
trivial charge and they were brought
to headquarters and placed in sepa-
rate cells. They protested vehement
ly, but all to no avail. Incidentally. it
might be remarked. they were taken
singiy, and no one of them knew of
the arrest of the other. Also. each
one insisted that the action of the
superintendent was an outrage and a
violation OF the constitution, which
guaranteed to every man the right to
life, liberty and the pursuit of happi
ness.
Byrnes smiled grimly and said moth
ing.
Day after day passed and the -four
men remained under lock and key.
Some of the subordinate officials. not
being aware of the plans of the in
spector, wanted to know what was to
be done with the prisoners. 1t seemed
childish, to them, to hold the men in
definitely on such trifiing charges. He
made no explanations, offered no ex-
cuses-simply said wait" He cared
nothing about Moran, Banfield and
Morrisey, but he cared a great deal
about McGloin. He wanted to make
him uncomfortable - and he sue
ceeded. In the meantime, he was
carefully preparing the stage for the
last big act in his little drama. He
would not be hurried; he would not be
cajoled. He bided his time.
1t came finally. and the scene was
pulled of" in way that made the
melodrama of the modern stage seem
stale and Improbable in comparison
One morning the inspector arrived
at his Office little earlier than usual,
and for time there was a great bus
tie and hustle incident to the re-
arrangement of the office furniture.
When it was concluded Byrnes leaned
back in his revolving chair with a
sigh of satisfaction. Then, after a
over and tapped bell on his desk.
A messenger responded. The inspec-
tor looked up sharply.
Send down to the cellroom and
bring Mike McGloin to me at once"
A glass case at headquarters con-
tanned the ropes and the black caps
which had been used in the execution
of famous murderers. The gruesome
relics were all plainly labeled and
were horrible enough to affect the
nerve of the most hardened criminal.
This case was rolled out into the cen
ter of the room SO that 1t would be
the first object to greet the eye of
a visitor. Inspector Byrnes was seated
with his back to large window over
looking a courtyard. Near his desk
was vacant chair which, when oc-
cupied, gave the person sitting there
a good view of the courtyard. All
about the room were mirrors which
enabled Byrnes to see all that trans
pired without moving from his chair.
Presently the door opened and Nc
Gloin entered. An officer who was
with him quietly withdrew. The
prisoner looked about him with a
surly air. He turned to the inspector.
"Whatta you want with me?"
"Oh, 1 just wanted to have little
chat" said Byrnes affably.
"a chat" he muttered. What
about?"
About the Hanier murder" said
Byrnes in low voice, sending out
the words, sharp and short, like pistol
shots.
McGloin looked at him languidly.
The shots had missed fire. The sea-
soned criminal was not to be stam-
peded.
"Whatta know about it?" he said
with the utmost uncopcern.
"Oh," said the inspector, matching
Indifference with Indifference. 81
thought you might have heard some
thing about it."
At that moment McGloin caught
sight OF the case filed with the black
caps and the murderous ropes. Brynes
was instantly all attention.
Quite interesting, these" he said.
and thereupon he began to tell the