The Raymer enterprise., 1911-11-23
THE WHIRL OF DEATH
AN ADVENTURE OF PETER cREWE-.THE MAJ
WITH THE CAMERA EYES"
By AROLD CARTER


fair to the best Of their ability. a few
persons are cognizant Of the facts re
lating to Benedict Shay, the celebra
ted inventor. He was brought to trial
in England under the name he had as
sumed-which is immaterial here
and. being found insane by the jury
was sentenced to Broadmoor pend
ing his majestys pleasure" which
means that he will spend the remain
der Of his life In that excellent asylum
which England maintains for her In.
sane criminals. That the prisoner
was Shay was known to less than a
dozen persons. of whom Crewe and
myself we're two. the Judge and the
public prosecutor two more, and the
administrators OF Shay's estate In
America the remainder.
When Shay disappeared from Balti.
more. after betraying signs Of a com.
plete mental breakdown. my services
were requisitioned by his friends, who
back and placed under the care Of the
best physicians. 1t was known that
Shay had sailed for England. but
there all trace OF him had been lost
Shays career had been a romantic
one. Beginning as a newsboy, he had
made discovery after discovery In en-
gineering and the kindred sciences,
whose patents had brought him fame
and wealth. It was after his improve.
ment OF the turbine, a task at which
he labored necessarily for months,
that the mental collapse occurred. He
went crazy over perpetual motion, pro-
duccd the most bIzarre-and, OF
course, entirely worthless-machines.
declared that his failure to have these
taken up was due to plot. developed
homicidal tendencies and, the day be.
fore his Intended apprehension, sailed
for London upon British ship, thus
removing himself from American ju.
risdiction. Although his whereabouts
were unknown. 1t was obvious that he
would be found In close touch with en-
gineering men across the Atlantic, and
| had little doubt that | should read.
lily locate him, after which the real
task of inducing him to sail for Ameri.
ca would begin.
In spite OF the facility OF my task
] thought 1t wise to consult Peter
Crcwe as soon as | reached England
Crcwe had assisted me in solving
many strange problems such as befell
me In my capacity Of a hardworked
lawyer. He had the remarkable op
teal power OF permanently remember,
ing every person or thing that he had
once seen. so that he was able at n
moments notice to call II to memory
exact to the last detail He claimed to
know half the population OF New York
and London by sight. A stranger seen
for a moment on a passing omnibus
the passengers on ship. those on the
platform OF railroad statlon-he
could remember all with exactitude
lie had been In London for several
weeks when / arrived. and my first
task was to call on him and ask his
assistance In locating the object OF
my search.
Shay" querIed Crewe thoughtfully
Il must have seen his photograph
Oldish man. clean shaven. clear eyes
iron.gray hair?"
NO." | replied, laughing. You're
thinking Of Edison. Shay Is a short
stout man. about fve.and.forty. with a
straight nose. eyes wrinkled at the
corners, a trick Of screwing up his
forehead when he speaks to you"
81 have seen him twice during the
last week." Crewe answered. Il no
ticed him particularly. because I rec
ognized him as man whom | once
saw entering the engineering eIhibl
tIon at Madison Square Garden In
New York. and wearing his hat awry
l have seen him twice and. curiously
enough. each time In the same place
and at the same time. It was in tho
Earl's Court road at eight In tn,
morning. and he was walking briskl,
In the direction Of Kensington. hav,
been In the habit OF passing through
that region at an early hour on my
way to my brothers Office. and thu
coincidence OF this double meeting
impressed me greatly"
Then how can we find him."
why, let us be In the same spo
tomorrow at the same hour. and
should say that we should run an ex
cellent chance" Crewe answered will
his brusQue common sense.
We followed Crewe's suggestion, but
though we perambulated the Earl'i
Court road for several mornings II
succession. we did not encounter Shay
Have you been to the engineering
papers and the big flrms!" Crew,
asked.
mo. want to avoid doing 10 1
possible" l said. II do not want tn
facts Of my mission to become
known"
Unless we meet tho man face 4
face hardly think we are likely I,
ind him." Crewe replied. There ar
seven million people in the metropoli
tan district OF London. Langton."