The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-12-04
Secret of the
Hall Clock


Abe Crcnklt. found pl-nty 81 time for
reflection and investigation in his new
post a. butler ut Elson Manor which
Edward Elson hal arranged for him
Owing to the recent death Of Ralph Elson.
the founder Of the great factory. his
duties were light
There WA ~ UOurse no entertaining
AMI the family remained small. consist =
ing of IN" Young manager himself. Mrs
CroNSe. hrs widowed aunt, ~ho kept
house for him. and the daughter NJ her
late h .Shdnd nv former marriage. Nate
Crousa rhp IAN" number OF persons IN
fact a. had been there on the night az til"
mysterious robbery II IL needless 10
enunIrrl;s the servants They were
fixtures liz" IN" chime clock xhnse tall
ebony fran" hat been built into the
panrIl.d -Ide e he central hall always
excepting of course. old W-il.s. deposed
a. mentally rmsond II seemed certain
tn &, roukitr that II ~ hadn't been for the
terrific thunderstorm which broke just on
tn. arrival OF IN, train from the city
Edward El-on wo nd have driven to the
works with the money he had brought
for yaying III the hands "a had been his
c'Istom each wr". instead Of deciding
10 60 directly to tl-a house and keep the
money there over night Therefore II
tn" robbery hal been a long planned
affair Preparations for it must have been
made az the ONCE. or well. he would
not consider that alternative unless II
became necessary for him TO do 40.
" lid neco'n. necessary A visit 10 the
Office corroborat.d all that the detective
had been told ahou' tn. precautions with
which the vallahles kept there were
guarded The electric wiring had not
been tampered with No mine hal been
dug. no breach M the wall had been de
visssd and concealed
Even Concedin| dynamite and s.sili"d
tools any plaa Of robbing that safe
that nigh, would have been foolhRrdy
Hence the alternative. hence III" de
tectives = conclusion that the 'oh had been
an insid" JOB. not long delib@rated bur
carried through on the SOUR Of the moment
and tn" opportunity
This opportunity had hecn exceptional.
Edward Flson. relying ON the security Of
his home. had tossed the suit case on
the top shelf of tn" hall closet. locked the
closet door and gone directly 20 his own
rooin~ for the night. In the morning the
suit case was s.iii there but the bills
IL had contained To the amount of S'5.Us
were gone
El,on did not readily give mp his h-ory
that professionals had commit I'D the
crime -Of course th"v watched my
movements and hrok" into the house
he urged
-Of course they would have don" so
had .hey been her" planning tn crack
the Office safe returned CronkIts.
They may nav" followed me from IA"
bank
-Yes the might hav" don. so: IN:
vou cstns down on th.' express. which
stopped only a. a favor To vou NJ
other ps.ss.n gers ali gh,"d h.-. NJ DINER
pa.ss ang"rs aligh-ed within a hundred
mites
But there was tn. oyen library win
dow with the scratches showing thai thu
eaton had b-..n pushed back from the
outside with "a stout WIRE
Whoever II was ihhJ made tho-.'
scratches with a silver handled poCk-
knife forge; that IN. end VI such a knit
NAV Also max. BLACK marks Their. are
such black marks on the INSIDE OF III"
sash
Edward Elsou's pIl.. FAC. looked bag
gard: he hrchrd and SNIv,.d ~ he pa 'i
up and down the floor. Kate. he NUT
mur.d and then h- wen. On aloud
-Judg. NarC-ilus knows hO~ vitality
important IL il to me- ia "A business waN that
TINS robbery shoIid bc accepted without
the slightest suspicious OF 'onn'vhnr- or
h" said III" sem You down
a
of that You seem bound IA SInIrchng 1t.
on sinirChIng M.
i came in accordance with your -N-
press wish Declared GrDnkI;s -'srnIv
The Judges only interest lies in pro
teCttlg the estir" III your lat" uncle.
Ralph s.l-Dn. sinC- b" was named -
executor aud trustee IN the will which
has NOV Yet been found. II was y"u VII"
insisted thai | should Investigate thl-
robbery which has hs..ii kept secret from
NJ. landing gt1N fs.t.A tst N.ft
thas | might also H.. .-GT"htng Tor ID"
will a; -. same ii'n" That - what de
cided tteJudge
n know. I know interrupted EI-"n
feverishly 'hu' the Judge ought 2" f"".
you ought 80 see. how auv -rIch Statement
from yptI vii CuuprDinI-r ui" Her" !
am continuing my former powers ~
mana ger without real authority ~ law
for the good of all con, .rn.-d But should
the will vi Ralph i.l-nn. which th-. Judg.
hnnselt saws was made IartE III NV
favor never IL. found. should the ""uri'
hold that he must have destroyed u Why.
then II viii D." believed thar !. knowing
thi-, st"l.. th. SIS Wsi
Il don't 30" that at all IN case -
intestacv you wouId have the rame ono
half, dividing III" "-tate a. IN. son II
your dead father with Mrs. Crous.
Ralph Fl-nr never had brother.
Hil sister. MR. Grouse was his only legal ,
relative. Can't Won understand
I do see" said Cronkite with wi.
ion i don hlam" you for
being agitatad Your .I-ua'iofI from {
You will b.. relieved then To know hat ,
have telsphnn.d ne judy. To- come down
here as ne TOLD mo Z" do
"ynu moan Won have found the Will e
No bun think know how :" find - 80 e
-G"od' Then tn" robbery shall r"'nain {
an rnsolvpd mystery Tor ell - ruR