The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1912-11-22
MAAaH0Wh XRaz1es

O"N
technique. Show me paintings by
Henri. Lawson and Glackens and you
do not have to label them for me to
tell them apart. l recognize the work
OF each man by his technique. even
If Lawson painted a portrait and Henri
a landscape. the individuality Of the
artist would make his work recognize
able, though masked by q subject un-
usual for him. Crime Ia like art In
one respect at least-technique. Ev-
cry criminal brain has its own tech
nique. Any one who has investigated
crime, who has studied ~evil-doers un-
der all conditions, who has matched
his wits against theirs, inevitably
comes to recognize types OF crimes.
Given any particular crime to trace,
from the very nature Of it he is able
to say at once. This is the work OF
So-and-so.' Now in the, Parrish case
/ am confident that q crime OF some
kind has been committed or Is even
now being committed. l may not know
what particular thing 1t was that drove
Katharine Parrish and old Elser to
seek death-in fact / do not know as
yet-but that makes nc difference.
know the type Of crime. l recognize
In the case certain indefinable things
which convince me that behind 1t all
is q cunning criminal brain that has
planned some f~ar-reaching plot II 1t
was devilishly ingenious enough to
drive two people to suicide, In all
probability 1t will have the same effect
on others. There may be no other
suicides, but l believe there will be.
| shall watch every report of a sui
eide for the next few days with par
ticular interest. Who the criminal is,
and who his associate is-for am
convinced it is a crime Of the pair
I have no idea. Investigation OF mail
thefts and stamp counterfeiting never
has brought me In touch with this par,
ticular sort Of crime, SO that as yet
am entirely at sea as regards the
identity Of the criminals" ..-.-
"'All you have said" / told him, "only
convinces me that | am right about
Hugh Crandall. An intelligent, edu-
Gated man gone wrong, a respectable
broker with a secret propensity for
crime, would fit your theory, wouldn't
it?"
you saw Crandalrs ~janitor last
night, didn't your" was all the re-
sponse he chose to make to my ques-
ton. What kind of a chap is he?"
soTf .r~,, ann oof HIM RI admit UntI IN
Crandall's rooms you are a wonder"
/ replied. repeating word for word my
interview with the ~janitor the night
before.
Il generally go prepared for such
fellows" he answered, smilingly draw
ing from his pocket a blank legal doc
ument on which the word attach
ment" was printed boldly across the
back. Taking out a fountain pen, he
rapidly filled in Hugh Crandalfs
name, on the outside only.
Of course l saw through his ruse
He would represent himself as an Of
ficer come to attach Crandall's furni-
ture and thus gain access to the rooms.
But suppose the ~janitor insists on
reading the document and sees that 1t
is blank inside?"
NO one ever reads legal documents
unless necessary. Besides. a man of
the ianitor type generally has consid-
cradle respect for the arm Of the law.
He is probably more or less familiar
with it's workings in dispossessions
and such things, and realizes how
futile opposition would be, supposing
that We really were sheriff's deputies,
as he will undoubtedly take us to be-"
We reached the place, and, dismiss
ing the taxicab half a block away,
marched boldly up the steps and rang
the bell. AS the janitor answered, Da-
Wis, carelessly Tipping back his coat
to show a badge of some sort, demand
ed admittance TO Crandalrs apart
ments.
I've got an attachment, see?" he
said. flashing the back of the docu-
ment before the janitor's eyes.
"Oh, that's 1t, is it," said the jani-
tor. That's why he beat 1t so quick
Yesterday and told me not to let any
one into his rooms?"
$50 he has gone" exclaimed Davis
In mock surprise. II don't wonder at
that. Has he paid you the rent?"
Come to think OF it, he is q month
behind" said the janitor, though
often it's been that way and he always
made good"
Even as he was talking he began to
lead the way upstairs. Respect for
the law. coupled with the insidious
doubt of his tenant that Davis remark
had implanted. removed all obstacles
to our purpose.
AS he flung open the door to Gran.
dall's apartment after unlocking It
with his pass key, Davis turned. and
handing him a coin. said:
Can you get me a hammer and a
couple Of tacks till I put up a notice.
Sure" said the janitor, as he tucked
the coin in his pocket. I'll go down
stairs and get one right away"
The apartment into which he had
admitted US vas a two-room-and-bath
suite. with furnishings indicating that
its occupant was a man of comfort.
able means and good taste. There
were some w~ellchosen pictures on the
wall and a fine lot Of books. There
was non of the display of stage IA.
vorites and sporting pictures found IN
bachelor dens: but two framed photo.
graphs of Katharine Parrish, n with
an inscription, smiled down from the
walls, almost the only touch of femi.
ninity about the place.
Az soon as the ianitor