Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1911-05-19

M 20 ahead, doctor" Right.
lDu5W Inspector, there's a case
HNA ND here that will interest
10 q you, believe. Something
- mighty queer. Can you
-. NJ" where are you, doctorr
srIgbttwenty-four Madison avenue.
- Tor me or Mrs. Mitchell-thats
re name of the woman who owns
NE house. Be up right away7 o. K
m wait"
The foregoing was a telephone In
,srehange between Inspector Finney
Valentine at police headquarters and
MOTOR Zabriskie at the uptown ad-
1,sss named. The latter was a prac-
,,.ine physician and also one Of the
city coroners.
while Inspector Valentine is on his
vsv 10 No. s24 we may rapidly review
me tragic occurrence which demand
"A the presence Of New York's chief
Of detectives.
That very morning a certain Mr..
c,leb Winnett had been found dead
N swiyel-chair before his desk in
Inc hack parlor of the Madison ave-
sue house-a respectable domicile In
me abrown-stone district" Doctor
zabriskie had been Immediately sent
for IN his capacity Of private prac-
u,ioner: that he was also one Of the
medicolegal officers Of the great city
enabled him to act at his discretion
and without publicity until he had
consulted with his old friend. Finney
valentine, whose one hobby It was to
be frst Ia the fed when some ap-
psrent crime had been committed be-
fore the case was muddled by un-
skillful subordinates on his stan.
The residence on Madison avenue
was owned and had been run as a
hIghclass clearinghouse by the Mrs.
Michel afore mentioned. For the last
Twelve years her chief guests" had
been Caleb winnett and his niece.
Zenith winnett. BY degrees and at
the request Of the former, other board
era had been gradually eliminated.
until uncle and niece were the sole
inmates outside Of Mrs. Michel and
her step-son, young man named
Felix Carnaby.
Az may perhaps be inferred. Caleb
Winnett was eccentric and rich; how
rich no one knew. He occupied the
parIor floor suite, consisting OF three
rooms, front. middle and rear extern
SION, the FIRST as a sitting or recep-
ton room, the second as an office, the
third as a sleeping chamber. Miss
Wlnnstt slept upstairs on the. second
aoor. It was generally understood
though the definite terms were known
only to Mrs. Michel and Mr.. Win
nett-that the latter paid well for the
privilege of being her star ledger.
Caleb WiDnett was ostensibly a man
Of Independent fortune; he followed
no regular business--that Is, he was
BOT in the street. OF engaged in any
mercantile AFFAIRS. Yet there was
pretty constant stream Of callers at
"a Madison avenue-both men and
women. young and old. many of whom
came In private carriages, taxicabs.
Or motor cars, and at various hours.
Day and night.
Mrs Micheli's interest lay in be-
ing ciose-mouthed. as Caleb Winnett
bad often cautioned her. And yet
one scarcely knows how these things
get QUIT was currently rumored
That the tall old man with the stoop
shoulders. the long iron-gray hair, and
NE hawklike face and nose, was a
moneylender at cent-per-cent rates Of
interests veritable New York replica
o. Lcndon's master money-lender.
sam Lewis. Of savory memory. And
nmor was not far out of the way.
Oaleb Winnett was a plethoric spider,
n1iening and gloating over the money
uucuities Of rich mems sons who
nad exceeded their allowances, of
my women whose losses at bridge
compelled them to borrow at ruinous
n'es or to hypothecate their jewels,
y o. plungers on street" or track
--~~~a w AOpAcuAbn lnCiL Uauh
olh An Of this was true; Caleb
Nnnett had made the business pay
ne extent Of being many times a
millionaire. Likewise the necessities
MS unfortunate clients had time
saa again put him In the possession
ruinous secrets.
Anc now he was dead-dying the
esa'h OF q lonely and hated old man.
-'en as there had been something
nys'crious and sscretive about his
nie' 50 there was more than suspicion
% The manner Of his taking OF.
n0csor zabriskie met Inspector
'4entine at the door topping the
~ stoop. and led the way to the
~ apartment on the parlor floor
s1'en had been the old usurer's bed
m SO far no undertaken had been
aned; zaoriskie and Mrs. Michel be-
xeen them had carried the body to
' ped Coat. vest and shirt were
p1uy open as they had been left
.'ss the physicians examination.
Doctor zabriskie was the first to
speak I was called about an hour
~ ne said. "and found him dead
a's CHAIR In the middle room. Life
y been extinct for at least eight