The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-06-10
THE SALT SHAKER.
BY Harold Carter.

Sometimes" said Jepson In the
smoking room, "a simple and appar.
emily trivial fact will solve a mystery
that appeared insurmountable. have
been thinking OF a case In Indiana,
which II was my lot TO investigate or
behalf OF the X. l.. Insurance Co.
I'm this case there were two chief
suspects" said Jepson. pufing at his
pipe-"the wife and the son. But
Lerhaps I had better 30 back to the
beginning. wealthy farmer. Her
iuan New. had married a young wife
In his old age. His life was insured
in favor OF his estate for $4,000. 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
sis. Her motive? Why, she had
married him for his money and wanted
him out of the way. Besides, the old
man, who was very secretive, had init
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?
II 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 DE-
fore the wife persuaded him TO change
ibis mind AS a matter OF fact, no will
existed.
ION entering the room which had
been sealed | was struck by the ap
pearance 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 a dinner
| even made out the menu; il consist
ed In part OF boiled fish and boiled
potatoes, and I insisted that no par
licle of salt should be used In the
cooking Her ready assent convinc ed
me that she was not the guilty per
son.
When the meal was ready, we al
sat down together. At the first taste
however, the absence of salt was
clearly discernible. There was but
one shaker on the table, the one
had polished, and kept this at my
right hand and waited. There we al
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 hel
food literally. and my heart gave 4
little leap, for | was now positive o.
her innocence. But when the sor
snatched the shaker from her ant
shook out salt over his own plate,
was amazed. He passed the shake
10 his uncIes.
"Eph half rose from his seat, nj
expression OF the utmost horror upor
his face. Then he sat down again ant
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 hl'
head, it collapsed. and he slid to the
ground. When | got round the tabl,
he was dead. The fear of discovery
had induced an apoplectic stroke.
THE motive? He was afraid tha
the wife would put him off the farm
and knew that. with her and the ok
man out of the way, he would be sc
cure.
II mentioned the peculiarly bright
appearance of the salt shaker.
knew that bichloride OF mercury. one
of the deadliest poisons known, re
sembled salt so closely that It 'woult
be the easiest thing to conceal IL il
shaker and thus battle the police
But knew that II coagulates less read
lily with the moisture in the at
mosphere; in consequence the TOT
remained dry and no verdigris formed
The murderer had been surprised by