Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1912-12-04

Johnston
Zh1M0WN X.Razue5
| would be other suicides, possibly con-
nected with Katharine Farrish's act
and Andrew Esler's death. 1t was en-
tirely beyond my comprehension, and
the next tack OF his mind seemed even
even more puzzling. -
do you know anything about art?"'
he asked as calmly as If we were hay
ing an after-dinner chat at the club.
"A little, not much"
III any one asked you to define
technique doubt if you could do it.
l do not believe there is painter or
an art critic who could give satisfac.
tory definition. Yet any one who
knows even a little about painting
knows something Of technique. We
know that every painter has his own
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
II Lawson painted a portrait and Henri
a landscape, the individuality Of the
artist would make his work recognize
able, though. masked by a subject un-
usual for him. Crime is 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
| l am confident that crime of some
kind has been committed or is even
now being committed. I may not know
| what particular thing it was that drove
Katharine Parrish and old Elser to
seek death-in fact I do not know as
yet-but that makes no difference.
| know the type of crime. I recognize
| in the case certain indefinable things
which convince me that behind it all
is cunning criminal brain that has
planned some far-reaching plot. II 1T
was devilishly ingenious enough to
drive two people to suicide. in all
probability it will have the same effect
on others. There may be no other;
| suicides, but believe there will be.
I 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
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 I
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 Crandalls janitor last
| night, didn't you?" was all the re-
Spouse he chose to make to- my ques-
ton. what kind Of a chap is he?
IF you can get him to admit you to
Crandalps rooms you are wonder"
replied, repeating word for word my
| interview with the janitor the night
before.
s'I generally go prepared for such
fellows" he answered, smilingly draw
| ing from his pocket blank legal doc
| ument on which the word attach
ment" was printed boldly across the
back. Taking out fountain pen. he
rapidly filled in Hugh Crandall's
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 it
is blank inside?" "a
mo one ever reads legal documents
| unless necessary. Besides, man OF
the. janitor: type generally has consid-
cradle respect for the arm Of the law.
He is probably more or less familiar
with its 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 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 Crandalls apart
| ments. 49, Aa
Eve got an attachment. see q, he
| said, flashing the back of the docu-
ment before the janitor's eyes,.
"Oh, that's it, 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?" ,.f,-<s..- ~.:.
$50 he has gone," exclaimed Davis
in mock surprise. II don't wonder at
that. Has he paid you the rent?" 80
"Come to think Of it, he is a 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
ldoubt Of his tenant that Davis remark