The news=record. [volume] (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon) 1907-1910, 1909-02-13
CHAPTER XII.
In Which Frederic Larsan Explains
How the Murderer Was Able to
Get Out Of the Yellow Room.

Ia gal documents, memoirs and
HN extracts from newspapers
0 which l have collected relat-
ing to the mystery Of the yellow room
there is one very interesting piece. 1t
Is detail of the famous examination
which took place that afternoon in the
laboratory Of Professor Stangerson be-
fore the chief of police. This narra-
tive is from the pen of NJ. Maleine, the
registrar, who, like the examining
magistrate, had spent some of his
leisure time in the pursuit of litera-
ture
THE REGISTRARS NARRATIVE.
The examining magistrate and l,
says NJ Maleine, found ourselves in
the yellow room in the company Of the
builder who had constructed the pavil-
ion after Professor Stangerson's de-
signs. He had a workman with him.
NJ. de Marquet had had the walls laid
entirely bare-that is to say. he had
had them stripped Of the paper which
had decorated them. Blows with
pick here and there satisfied us Of the
nonexistence of any sort of opening.
The floor and the ceiling were thor
oughly sounded We found nothing.
There was nothing to be found. NJ. de
Marquet appeared to be delighted and
never ceased repeating:
"What a case! What case! We
shall never know, you'll see, how the
murderer was able to get out Of this
room!"
Then suddenly. with a radiant face,
he called to the officer in charge Of the
gendarmes.
"Go to the chateau" he said, "and
request M. Stangerson and NJ. Robert
Darzac TO come to me in the labora-
tory, also Daddy Jacques. and let your
men bring here the two concierges."
Five minutes later all were assem-
bled in the laboratory. The chief Of
police, who had arrived at the Clan
dier, Joined us at that moment. / was
seated at M. Stangerson's desk ready
for work when NJ. de Marquet made us
the following little speech. as original
as It was unexpected:
"Wtth your permission, gentlemen.
as examinations lead to nothing. we
will for once abandon the old system
of Interrogation. will not have you
brought before me one by one, but we
will all remain here as we are-M.
Stangerson, NJ. Robert Darzac, Daddy
Jacques and the two concierges. the
chief Of police. the registrar and my
self. We shall all be on the same foot
fng. The concierges may for the mo-
ment forget that they have been ar
rested. We are going to confer togeth-
er We are on the spot where the crime
was committed. We have nothing else
to discuss but the crime. So let us dis
cuss it freely, intelligently or other
wise, so long as we speak just what Is
I'm our minds. There need be no formal
aty or method, since this won't help us
In any way"
Then. passing before me, he said in
low voice:
What do You think of that, eh!
What a scene! Could you have thought
of that? I'll make a little piece out
of II for the vaudeville" And he rub
bee his hands with glee.
I turned my eyes on NJ. Stangerson
The hope he had received from the
doctors latest reports. who had stated
that Mile Stangefson might recover
from her wounds, had not been able
70 efface from his noble features the
marks of the great sorrow that was
upon him. He had believed his daugh
ter to be dead. and he was still bro
ken by that belief. His clear, soft blue
eyes expressed infinite sorrow.
'Now, NJ Stangerson." said Nj. dc
Maruuet, with somewSlat OF an impor
tapt air, "place yourself exactly where
you were when Mile. Stangerson left
you to go to her chamber"
NJ. Stangerson rose and, standing a.
certain distance from the door of the
yellow room. said in an even voice anc
without the least trace of emphasis,
voice which can only describe as 6
dead voice:
II was here. About IL o'clock. aftei
I had made q brief chemical expert
ment at the furnaces of the labora
tory, needing all the space behind me
j Qdu my ueSh iuoSSu hViS ~ DNNs
Jacques, who spent the evening IL
cleaning some of my apparatus. NJ.
daughter had been working at th'
same desk with me. When 1t was he
time to leave she rose, kissed nae ant
bade Daddy Jacques good night Sh'
had to pass behind my desk and th'
door to enter her chamber. and sh'
could do this only with some difficul
ty-that is to say, was very near th'
place where the crime occurred later.
"And the desk2" asked. obeying. IL
thus mixing myself in the conversa
tion. the express orders OF my CHIEF
"As soon as you heard the cry OF 'MuI
der- followed by the revolver shots
what became Of the deskT'
Daddy Jacques answered.
1--WE pushed 1t back against the wal
here. close to where it is at the presen
moment. so as to be able to get at tn
door Mt once"
followed up my reasoning. I
which, however. ] attached but littl