Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-07-05

with: wei, Wnat nave you dlSCOV
cred, Mr. Inspector"
supposed that he might have OBJ
tanned a clue to where the woman's
garments had been manufactured
some tiny thread by which he hoped
to run her identity 10 earth. Little
was I prepared for the startling dis
coveries he vollcyed at me, so terse!y
so concretely put that I could not
doubt the accuracy of his information
THE woman was Sarah Sackctt
spinster. She lived on little farm
just outside Bridgeport with her broth
er Robert, who IS somewhat older thar
she. They inherited the farm from
their parents and have lived there a!
their lives. The brother is employed
as cashier In a little country banl:
about ten miles away. Every morning
he drives into Bridgeport and take
the train. When his sister left, two
days ago, he came with her to tho
station. He evidently is not aware
of her death, though he seems great
~ worried over her absence. He pre-
sumably expected her to return las;
Night, for he waited over several
trains. This morning he was asking
the station agent II he had seen her.
The dry, matter-of-fact way IN whicl.
he recited the facts he had learned
added TO the value Of his narrative.
More and more l marTClcd at tn~
mans detective ability. I Was over
whelmed with q sense OF my own jr
capacity. All day long tho coroner
the constable and I had been trying
to ferret out the mystery OF the unioT
tunate woman's identity with prac
t!cally the same properties to draw
deductions from. the inspector in ::
very few minutes had not only lcarnce
her identity, but many other impol
tant facts about her. Nor did IL oc
cur to mo to doubt the truth OF HI
information. The assurance wit
which ne spoke was in itself SUI
ficient guarantee.
How on earth did you learn a?
this so quickly?" l asked in amaze
ment.
He smiled with that grim tantali2
ing smile of his that l had seen b.
fore. His cigarette had burned itse!
20 stub as he spoke. He turned |
carefully In his fingers, inspecting j
rs If to see whether he could eX'raC
another puff before throwing It ava!
He finally decided that he could nc
and drew forth his cigarette pape:
and tobacco. preparatory 10 rolling
new one. Meanwhile ! awaited hi
answer IN suspense.
GO on" | continued. "Tell M
about It. I must know how you dis
It."
THE principal part Of & magician
art he said as ne lighted his ney
cigarette. lies IN what IL called mis-
direction With q glance from! nj
eyes, with u sudden movement OF hi:
hand he attracts your attention Z
his right side. Meanwhile his left il
doing tho trick. Now, misdreciion, !!
my business, has Just the opposite ei
feet. Amateurs, in investigating
crime, examine the evidence and Sc
clues pointing in some direction. The.
follow those clues and find themselvc
fiourdering. They have the RICH
clues, hut they go in the wrong direC
ton. You read the evidence arigh-
as 10 Miss Sackett coming fror
Bridgeport, but all your efforts to lc
cate her as Mary Jane Teller wer,
simply q waste OF time. IN the
clothes she left behind her was ne:
real name
Look here" I said. "you can
string me In that fashion. ] myseL
examined those garments closely
There was no name in them and there
no marks by which she could be iden
titled"
"Is that so?" There was deep sar
casm in his tone.
"And not only that, even il I over
locked any marks that might have
been there, the landlord, tho covoner
the constable and half a cozen other
examined them closely. If there wert
any marks. some one OF US surei!
would have discovered them
For answer he got up leisureiJ ant
walked across TO a chair where Tx
| garments were still lying. He picked
up the skirt and held it by the lowe
hem.
Look closely at it." he commanded
DO sou see nothing thcre?"
I scanned the dusty cloth intent
and shook my head. He picked up tn
coat and offered it gravely for my II
spcction. even turning it inside ouI
sleeves and all.
well, what OF it?" I exclaimed in
patiently. q can't see anything theT
either"
Cant you?" he asked oveE-pleasan
". That's where l found the Won
ans name"
Again I took up both garments m
studied them, but was positive tina
+barn u-oc rn name of any sort or any