River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1909-05-27

81 YS1E8 about what had hap
pened to him and just
E9 where to find him
therefore he fastened at once to the
shady Hotel Northern on the fringes
Of the slums.
Ring, said he to the night clerk
q tough-looking individual of 40, with
a hard, flushed face, drink-sodden
gray eyes, fiashy cheap clothes, and a
tall, bony form, "how long ago was
It that Mr.. Banning was mere last?"
"A week ago tonight" Ring an.
sWered, quickly why? / hope there
amt nothing"
only missing, that's all We want
to find him for his family If he's
still here, and If you make it quiet
and easy for me, why, no questions
asked-that's it. All I want is him
see? And nobody else needn't know
nothing about it."
Here, come in here a minute" said
the clerk, hastily He hurried through
the dining-room into the kitchen, and
standing in the middle of the floor
pointed upward to where a door could
be seen, with three steps of a former
stairway depending from it. The stair
way was sawed short off, the lowest
step hanging ten feet up from the
kitchen floor.
e see them stairs?" said the clerk,
pointing. I'VE cut them down be-
cause we needed the room here more
than we did them. So help me, amt
telling word OF lie, but Mr. Banning
was lodging round up stairs Monday
night, and for some reason or other
ne opened that door that we always
keep locked, and tumbled down here.
lie thought there was stairs, suppose.
He wasn't hurted much. but he could
mt stand, and we would not send him
to his own home, letting on that is
was here he was putting in his time,
SO we calls the wagon and
sends him to the Relief sta
ton. Why, isn't he out yet at all?
We thought he'd be all right in the
morning, only trife shook up, and
mebbe the head on him from the lit
tie jamboree."
While he was speaking the limo.
cent eyes of the detective were search
Ing his face. The clerk wore a guilty
manner, but was 1t the flag of guilt
In this particular case, or was it the
general, all-round guilt which a man
OF his calling and stamp is likely to
show when in the presence of the
law? The detective could not say.
But the Relief station would answer
the question, or at least throw enough
light on the subject to start with. Mr..
Banning would be found injured, but
had the injury come innocently, from
walking through that doorway? The
main point was that the missing man
would be restored to his home and
the restorer would get the reward.
The manner of the injury was minor
matter, which, however, properly
looked into, might serve as a whip of
power to hold over the shady Hotel
Northern.
Therefore, after long look into the
clerks shifty eyes, he said abruptly:
I'll see you again about this, mebbe !"
and hurried to the hospital. To his
inquiries an attendant answered that
on Monday evening a man had been
brought in unconscious, suffering from
a fractured skull and bruises on the
legs and arms. Two friends who were
with him said his name was c. O.
Banning. They couldn't give his ad-
dress. In the morning, when they had
patched him up and he was able TO
leave the station, he denied that he
was Banning, though he refused to
give any other name, and went away
growing against somebody who had
thrown him down stairs.
WAS he a gentleman" asked Ru-
gersom.
If he was he was thoroughly dis
guised,' smiled the attendant. mo,
he was a rough fellow, faded and
dirty, weak-minded, sniveling. a type
we often see here"
The detective fastened back to the
hotel. The clerk Ring regarded him
anxiously.
Was he hurted bad after all?" he
asked. Twould give the house a bad
name
Ring" said Rugersom. looking him
In the eye, 1T wasn't Banning. How
could you make such a bull?"
Wasn't Banning" he exclaimed.
Then he laughed cynically. "Oh. no
of course not! Didn't / lift him up
from the floor myself? Don't I know
him better than do you? Is he there
yet? Or how is it? What are you hand
ing me-"
Ring" said the detective, slowly
and impressively, there's something
phony in this. Out with it or it will
be the worse for you"
"Jakey! Mike." called the clerk,
poking his head into the larger room.
Come here. want you"
Two seedy individuals shuff1ed into
sight. They were the types of young
fellows who always may be seen
around cheap barrooms doing chores
for their entertainment, bleary of eye,
trembling with the weakness of over
stimulation. When they saw the de-
tective they showed further signs of
discomfort, but brazened it out, though
doubtfully, as if ready for flight on the
first token of hostility on his part
Mike" said the clerk, "and you, too,
Jakey, where was it you seen Mr..
Banning Monday night-the first time,
l mean?"
"On the broad of his back on the
floor" answered Mike nointing. and