, 1910-06-16
"Why Did You Come Here7"

a quarrel, and" Suddenly leaning
forward until his face almost touched
Towards, he Kissed rather han
spoke: you shot himi"
Howard gave an involuntary step
backward, as If he realized the trap
being laid for him.
No, mol" he cried.
Quickly following up his advantage,
Capt. Clinton shouted dramatically:
you lie! He was found on the
floor In this room-dead. You were
trying to get out of the house with.
out being seen. You hadn't even
hands. All you fellers make mistakes.
You relied on getting away unseen.
You never stopped to think that the
blood on your hands would betray
you" Grufhy he added: Now, come,
what's the use of wasting all this
time? 1t won't go so hard with you
If you own up. You killed Robert
Underwood"
The captain grinned broadly.
81 guess | do. Don't we, Maloney?"
Eyes, cap.," said Maloney, quietly.
The coroner turned to go.
well, there's nothing more for me
to do here. The man is dead. Let
justice take its course" Addressing
the undertaken, he said:
You a remove the body"
The men sci about the work i'm
mediately. Carrying the corpse into
the inner room, they commenced the
work of laying it out
II suppose" said the orone that
you'll take your prisoner Immediately
to the station house, and before the
magistrate tomorrow morning."
mot Just yet" grinned the captain.
"I want to put few questions to him
first"
The coroner smiled.
you're going to put him through
the third degree ehT Every ones
heard of your star-chamber ordeals.
Are they really so dreadful"
NONSENSE" laughed the captain.
1--WE wouldn't harm a baby, would we,
Maloney2"
The sergeant quickly Endorsed his
chiefs opinion.
mo, cap"
Turning to go. the coroner said:
"Well, goodnight, captain"
Goodnight, MIR. Coroner"
Howard listened to all this like one
transtixed. They seemed to be talk.
ing about him. They were discussing
some frightful ordeal of which he was
to be a victim. What was this third
degree they were talking about? Now
ne remembered. He had heard OF in.
nocent men being bullied, maltreated,
deprived of food and sleep for days,
In order to force them to tell what
the police were anxious to find out.
He a heard of secret assaults, of
midnight c%lubbings, of prisoners being
choked and brutally kicked by a gang
OF rufianly policemen, in order to
force them into some damaging ad-
mission. A chill ran down his spine
as he realized his utter helplessness.
II he could only get word to a lawyer.
Just as the coroner was disappearing
through the door, he darted forward
and laid a hand on his arm.
Mr.. Coroner, won't you listen to
me?" he exclaimed.
The coroner startled, drew back.
81 cannot interfere" he said coldly.
"Mr. Underwood was a friend Of
NINE" explained Howard. 81 came
here to borrow money. l fell asleep
on that sofa. When I woke up he
was dead. l was frightened. | tried
to get away. That's the truth, SO
help me God!"
The coroner looked at him sternly
and made no reply. No one could
eve reproach him with sympathizing
with criminals. Waving his hand at
Capt, Clinton, he said:
Goodnight, captain"
Goodnight, Mr.. Coroner"
The door slammed and Capt. Gin
ton, with a twist OF his powerful arm,
yanked his prisoner back into his
seat. Howard protested.
You've got no right to treat me
like this. You exceed your powers.
] demand to be taken before a magis-
trate at once"
The captain grinned. and pointed to
the clock.
Is? T~wo-thirty a. m. Our good mag
istrateb are all comfy In their vlrtu-
u beds. Well have 10 wait till
morning"
But what's the good of sitting here
In this death house?" protested How
ard. Take me to the station If 1
must go. It's intolerable to sit any
longer here"
The captain beckoned to Maloney.
Not so fast, young man. Before
we go to the station we want to ask
you a few questions. Don't we, Ma.
loney2"
The sergeant. came over, n the
captain whispered something In his
ear. Howard shivered. Suddenly
turning 10 his prisoner. the captain