Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1912-10-31
MJAafmN XRazReS

piece Of paper that so agitated him"
But you think so now" I suggested.
THE situation has entirely changed.
There was nothing to show that this
piece Of paper had ever come through
the mail There was nothing to con-
meet it with suicide Dowd comes in
here with a, similar piece OF paper that
plainly has been mailed. We now
have not one footprint, but two-the
beginning of a path. Once started on
the path, we can solve the mystery"
Then you think there is some con
nection between the two bits Of pa
PERI"
Z know there is" said Davis.
These bits of yellow paper are Of the
same quality and teXtUre-to all ap-
pearances the same paper. Two per
sons in whose possession they were,
attempt suicide on the same day. The
same person, or at least the same type
writer, wrote both the address on the
envelope and the contents of the let
ter. This envelope came from a coUn-
try pOst-ofioe in either New York or
pOst-0fice the name of which begins
with Ar or An There are not many
rural offices that, wiz fit in all par
ticulars. In two days or sooner, I can
tell you exactly from what Office they
were mailed"
'Letters-you think there were two?
Might not this be the envelope in
which this paper came?"
THAT presupposes an acquaintance
between Elser and Miss Parrish, at
least a connection Of some sort. Did
she know him ?"
Il don't think so. Her sister and l
were talking Of the EIser suicide last
Louise surely would have known it if
her sister was acquainted with him"
Perhaps" said Davis doubtfully.
There isn't a human being over ten
that has not a secret that they keep
from some one 1t looks to me, though,
as if in all probability there we're two
distinct letters. That is what makes
me suspect a plot. 1t conyinces me
that the mails are being used for an
improper and more than likely Grim
inaI purpose. This brings the case or
both cases properly in my domain as
a post-office inspector"
And I can count on your assistance,
after all" said jOyfully When can
you begin wOrk?"
Z have begun" he said tersely,
pushing over for my inspection some
thing he had hastily scrawled on a pad
lying on his desk. 1t was an order ad-
dressed to the superintendent of the
railway mails, which read:
Have all railway clerks on New
York and New Jersey routes report
from what rural Office within the last
month they have received large guam
titles Of letters in yellow envelopes
If letters have been discontinued,
when? DAVIS"
Large quantities." I gasped. Were
there more than twO?"
II "Of course" he snapped, in a way
Fthat showed me he did not wish to be
questioned further. Then he reached
for his hat and coat. and with an abb
rupt Come alOng!" led the way to
the elevator.
Where are you gOing?' asked as
he rushed me hurriedly through Park
place to the Sixth Avenue Elevated.
ITO Twenty-third street" he replied,
Ito find out what the police have not. .
In the L" train I told him in low
tones of CrandalTs apparent connec-
ton with the case and of his sudden
disappearance He sat silent, his
whole bearing indicating such abstrac-
ton that I doubted if he had heard a
word I was saying, but suddenly, just
! before we left the train, he startled
me by asking:
DO you know Crandau? What
color are his eyes?''
I regretted that I had to say no to
the first question, and that did not,
to the latter, which query amazed me
| greatly. What connection the color
Of a mans eyes could possibly have
/ with two attempts at suicide and a lot
of mysterious yellow letters from a
rural post-office was entirely beyond
/ me. Curious as I was, I hesitated to
| question him on the subject, for ex-
/ perience had taught me that he was
! better at asking than answering.
Instead of going directly to the
! clearinghouse where Elser had killed
himself. he took the other side Of the
/ street and turned abruptly into a
house, beside the door Of which was a
! doctors plate.
rs Doctor Berner in?" he asked of
/ the maid, and on being shown into the
physicians Office, introduced himself
/ as inspector Davis" and began Ques-
tioning the doctor about the Elser sui
! eide.
Though the papers had made no
+ mention of Doctor Berner, the state
ment being that a policeman had
/ called an ambulance from Bellevue
i Hospital, it now appeared that the
/ landlady had summoned him as soon
as the suicide was discovered. Elser
was dead, so he had withdrawn as
! soon as the policeman arrived.
Did you ever have Elser as pa.
/ tient?" asked the inspector.
The doctor reflected.
] Only once-abOLt two years ago. I