The Detroit times., 1910-06-09
THE SALT SHAKER.
Nv Harold Carter,


Sometimes" said Jepson In tile
smoking room. "a simple and appar-
emily trivial fact will solve a mystery
that appeared insurmountable. | have
been thinking or case In Indiana,
which II was my lot to investigate on
behalf OF the X. l.. Insurance Co.
In this case there were two chief
suspects said Jepson, putting at his
pipe-"the wife and the son. But
Perhaps | had better go back TO the
beginning. A wealthy farmer. Her
iuan New. had married young wife
In his old age His life was insured
in favor OF his estate for 100000. He
died very suddenly one evening after
dinner, In the presence OF his wife,
his son by former marriage. and his
two old bachelor brothers, who lived
with him. The doctor, struck by the
dead mans appearance, telephoned
for the police chief. and the room was
sealed up. AT the autopsy mercury in
huge quantities was found in News
stomach.
Il was sent for TO investigate the
matter Which was the criminal?
The wife affirmed the son and the two
old men-Eph and Pete, with empha-
sis. Her motive? MY, she had
married him for his money and wanted
him out OF the way Besides, the old
man. who was very secretiye, had inti-
mated to her that he had left the wife
sole heir TO his property. and what
was more natural than that she had
killed him before he could make an
other will?
Il suspected the son. The old man
had played off one against the other.
He had told the son that he had left
him all his money. and the son might
have wanted him out OF the way be.
fore the wife persuaded him to change
his mind. AS matter OF fact. no will
existed.
"On entering the room which had
been sealed | was struck by the ap-
rearance OF one OF the salt shakers,
which was bright and clean. whereas
the others had their tops incrusted
with verdigris. | secreted this shaker,
and taking one of the rusted ones,
polished 1t carefully until the two
could not have been told apart. Then
ordered the wife TO prepare dinner.
even made out the menu; 1t consist
ed in part OF boiled Ash and boiled
potatoes, and | insisted that no par
ticle OF salt should be used I'm the
cooking. Her ready assent convinced
Ele that she was not the guilty per.
son.
when the meal was ready, we all
sat down together. At the first taste
however. the absence of salt was
- nt.lx 40 10 La
one shaker on the table, the one
had polished. and | kept this at my
right hand and waited. There we all
sat. the son and uncles scowling al
the wife. and all eating the unsea'
soned food with some disrelish. Pres
emily the wife reached out her hand
took the shaker. and sprinkled her
food literally. and my heart gave a
little leap, for | was now positive OF
her innocence. But when the son
snatched the shaker from her and
shook out salt over his own plate.
was amazed He passed the shaker
to his uDcles.
"Eph half rose from HIS seat, an
expression of the utmost horror upon
his face. Then he sat down again and
began TO tremble. Pete helped him.
self and handed the shaker to him.
But Eph had bowed his face upon his
hands; and when they lifted his
head, it collapsed. and he slid TO the
ground. When | got round the table
he was dead. The fear OF discovery
had induced an apoplectic stroke.
The motive? He was afraid that
the wife would put him off the farm.
and. knew that. with her and the old
man out of the way, he would be Sc
cure.
Il mentioned the peculiarly bright
appearance OF the salt shaker
knew that bichloride of mercury, one
of the deadliest polsons known, re-
sembled salt so closely that it would
he the easiest thing TO conceal II In
shaker and thus battle the police.
But ! knew that II coagulates less read
lily with the moisture in the at
mosphere: in consequence the top
remained dry and no verdigris formed.
The murderer had been surprised by