Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-17

Extraordinary Offer of Queer Old
Man.

Extraordinary Offer of a Queer Old
Every man is the architect of his own
fortunes was SO carefully impressed
upon my youthful mind, that manhood
was reached before l came TO understand
that a literal acceptance of that saying is
a mistake. 1t was my connection with
the Somhers mystery that completed my
conversion 10 belief in cause and ef-
feet. and made me rcspecter of.the po-
tency of circumstance.
had known MIR. Peter Somhers from
my childhood. IL was natural, therefore.
when the old gentleman was mysteriously
murdered. that | should seek the assign
ment to visit the scene Of the crime and
do the special for the Sphere. that
great New York daily on which ] had
won my spurs as star reporter. But
my chief had other plans for me, and be-
fore the man who was detailed to that
case reached the New England village
where the murder was done j was well
out past Sandy Hook on my way to
Paris on a commission to which | had
long looked forward.
My interest in the Somhers case was
not. however. weakened by my sudden
good fortune. and i spent the greater
part of the first day out in reading ac-
counts of the crime as given by the vari-
Gus papers that had taken aboard. and
in an endeavor to put into logical form
the contradictory evidence presented.
From the first the responsibility for the
deed pointed to Harrison Milbrath. a
young nephew of the victim. whose home
had been with Mr. Somhers. and l was
not surprised upon landing to learn that
he had been arrested. charged with the
crime. To my mind the case against
him weakened steadily as details came to
hand and I was not only astonished. but
mystified, that his trial could end as II
did in verdict of guilty. The case
was appealed. and although, as before,
the sentiment of the press was against
the lad, he was acquitted by the second
jury.
had never known Milbrath. and | felt
no more interest i'm him than | should
have felt for any person i'm his position.
but ! must say that his case touched a
chord Of sympathy. or something akin to
it, i'm my breast / was glad of his ac-
quittal, for I believed in his innocence.
l returned to America in time to take
in the last day of the second trial, and l
went back to town with far deeper
feeling for the young man than l had any
desire to possess. His haunted eyes and
sensitive lips touched even my SENSIBLE
tiles, hardened as they were through
years of newspaper training.
To my report of the conclusion of the
trial. therefore. l appended brief analy-
sis of the case, which tended logically to
Milbrath's advantage, and added an ur-
gent plea for a more friendly attitude to-
ward him. who. though acquitted by
twelve men, was not fully exonerated
until public sentiment extended the right
hand Of good-fellowship. This sympa-
thetic monograph was freely blue-penciled
by my chief. but enough of IL remained
to attract the attention of at least one
person and, as consequence, 10 after
the trend of my whole career.
One day about six months later. as
sat at my table running out some copy,
the door to our chiefs sanctum opened
and there emerged with him an odd-look-
ing, bent-shouldered elderly man. Fol-
lowing the chiefs indication, he started
toward me with quick, nervous strides,
but as / turned he stopped short. waver-
ed an instant as IL he would turn back.
then continued to come forward, but
slowly, with dragging steps.
Mr.. Bliss?' he asked. and his eyes
searched mine until l could believe That
he read my thoughts.
/ answered affirmatively. and impressed
by his sudden feebleness offered him my
chair; but he declined it with an irri-
tated motion of his whole body.
Your editor tells me that you wrote
analysis of the Somhers mystery, land
/ want you to undertake an investigation
for me-reopen the case, as it were, pri-
vately.'
with a view to detecting the murderer
of Mr.. SomherS?
ITO be sure
Il fear that such an effort on my part
would be wasted time. Two years is
good while. and every chance of getting
at the right clue may be lost by now.
fcr off q
stranger cried. sharply. putting his fore
finger on that part of the article-which
still held-in which i developed by de-
duction the theory that the crime lad
been committed by an elderly or infirm
man, instead Of by one young and ath-
letic like Harrison Milbrath.
NO" | answered. Il can stand by
that: but my theory ends there. and as
now / can have none of the advantages
that come with being upon the spot I'M
after crime to help me In my
work, | think l should be unwise to UNI
dertake such an investigation. Besides.
/ believe that Mr.. Milbrath already has
had some of the best detective skill in
the country at work upon the case.
DO you know that
Il had ii on excellent authority.
The old man appeared to mediate, and
as l looked at him i could not doubt that
the alternate clutch and release of his
fingers on the side of my desk and the
swift twitching of the muscles of his
face indicated a fierce mental conflict OF
some knd-an effort to control anger, II
seemed to me.
BAH" he roared presently. his voice
vibrant. And what will they do? Take
his money, encourage him with false
soluble, a closed book, as is every case
where the story has once been told.
Bahr'
'.Then how can you hope that ! could
succeed? /, who have only journal
st's experience to measure against the
Of
There you are,' the old man interrupt
ed stamping his foot There you are.
Like all young fools. Never to know
your best gifts and so to slight them
Talk about your experience measured
against that of a professional detective.
Bah, How many detectives concern them
selves about the hairine of accuracy?
How many professional detectives ana
lyZe? How many are capable or ueduc-
ing a proposition without forestalling
conclusion. as you have done in that
clipping? Now can you understand why
il is you that / want for the work."
| thought that he had made the matter
fairly clear. l did not. however, feel dis
posed to consider his offer.
Il am very well satisfied with my pres
ent position l ventured.
Bah. And what will il lead you to?
An editors chair some time. perhaps,
and a lifes work for an amount or money
that / will give YOU in year-or I'm
month, if you succeed. Now will you
Iisten?'
| glanced at my watch.
Il am pressed for time at this hour,
| said Us il agreeable to you to appoint
a later time when can discuss the
matter more at our leisureg
.At your leisure, you mean, ne cried,
rudely mo. it must be now or not at
all You pressed for time. lie OF
lime is before you. while 1 Ban. 1,
90 am messed for time. / have come