Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-14

1t.
So I walked along. envying my friend
Stone his gift. and reached my office just
at 10 o'clock. as was my almost invariable
habit.
Hurry up, Mr.. Burroughs" cried my
office boy, as 1 opened the door. You're
wanted on the telephone.
Though a respectful and well hammered
boy, some excitement. had made him a
trif1e unceremonious, and looked at him
curiously as l took up the receiver.
But with the first words I heard the
office boy was forgotten, and my own
nerves received a shock as l listened to
the message. It was from the detective
bureau with which / was connected, and
the superintendent himself was directing
me to go at once to West Sedgwick,
where a terrible crime had just been dis
covered
killed. 1 exclaimed; Joseph Craw-
ford?"
Eyes, murdered in his home in West
Sedgwick. The coroner telephoned to
send detective at once and we want
you to co.
"of course I'll go. Do you know any
more details?'
mo, only that he was shot during the
night and the body found this morning.
Mr.. Crawford was big man. you know
Go right off, Mr.. Burroughs; we want
you to lose no time
1cSs hutW JOSCpu STd"xOTu ny HdihC,
| though not personally. and knew he was
q big man in the business world, and his
sudden death would mean excitement in
Wall street matters. OF his home or
home life | knew nothing.
I'll go right off, 1 assured the chief.
and turned away from the telephone to
find Donovan. the Office hoy. already look
ing up trains in a time table.
Good boy, Don,' said /, approvingly;
whats the next train to West Sedgwick
and how long does 1t take to get there?"
You kin slect the ten-twenty, Mr.. Bur
ruz, if you whirl over in a taxi an shoot
the tunnel said Donovan, who was
rather a graphic conversationalist. That II
spill you out at West Sedgwick bout
quarter of 'leven. Was he moidered. Mr..
$50 they tell me. Don. His death will
mean something in financial circles
"Yessir. He was big plute. Here's
your time table. Mr.. Burruz. When'll
you be back?'
Don't know, Don. You look after
things
Sure. everythingl1 be took care Of.
Lemme know your orders when you have
EN-
BY means of the taxi Don had called
and the tunnel route as he had suggested.
/ caught the train, satisfied that l had
Obeyed the chiefs orders to lose no time.
Lose no time, indeed! I was more anx-
ious than any one else could possibly be
significant clues were obliterated or de-
stroyed by bungling investigators. l had
had experience with the police of SUBJ
urban towns and / well knew their two
principal types. Either they were Of a
pompous, dignified demeanor, which COW
cred beWildered ignorance, or else they
were overZealous and worked with a mis-
directed energy that made serious trouble
for an intelligent detective. OF course,
of the two kinds I preferred the former,
but the danger was that / should en-
counter both.
On my way 1 diverted my mind, and
SO partly forgot my impatience. by en-
deavoring to ''deduce" the station or oc-
cupation of my fellow-passengers.
Opposite me in the tunnel train sat
mild faced gentleman, and from the gen.
eral appearance of his head and hat |
concluded he was clergyman l studied
him unostentatiously and tried to find
some indication Of the denomination he
might belong to. or the character of his
congregation. but as l watched l saw
him draw a sporting paper from his
pocket. and, turning his hand, hitherto
unseen diamond flashed brilliantly from
his little finger. l hastily revised my
judgment, and. turning slightly. observed
the man who sat next me. Determined
to draw only logical differences. l scru-
tinized his coat that garment being usu-
ally highly suggestive to our best regu-
lated detectives. I noticed that while the
left sleeve was unwOrn and in good con-
dition. the right sleeve was frayed at the
inside edge, and excessively smooth and
shiny on the inner forearm. Also the top
button of the coat was very much worn
and the next one slightly.
"A-ha!' said I to myself, 'Ive nailed
you, my friend. You're desk clerk, and
you write all day long. standing at a
desk. The worn top button rubs against
not do were you seated"
With a pardonable curiosity to learn if
were right. I opened conversation with
the young man. He was not unwilling to
learned, to my chagrin, that he was a
photographer. Alas for my Deductions!
But surely Fleming Stone himself would
not have guessed a photographer from a
worn and shiny coat sleeve. At the risk
Of being rudely personal, / made some ref
erence to fashions in coats. The young
man smiled and remarked, incidentally,
that owing to certain circumstances he
was at the moment wearing his brothers
coat.
And is your brother a desk clerk?" in
qufred I, almost involuntarily.
He gave me q surprised glance. but an
swered. courteously enough, Yes; and
the conversation tagged.
EXultantly 1 thought that my deduc-
ton, though rather an obvious one, was
right; but after another furtive glance at
the young man. l realized that Stone
would have known he was wearing an
others coat. for it was the most glaring
misf1t in every way.
Once more I tried, and directed my at
tention to a middle-aged, angular-looking
woman, whose strong, sharp-featured face
betokened prim spinster. probably at the
head Of q girls school, or engaged in
some clerical work. However. as passed
her on my way to leave the train l no.
ticed wedding ring on her hand and
heard her say to her companion, NO, l
think a woman's sphere is in her own
Kitchen and nursery. How could | think
otherwise, with my six children to bring
up?'
After these lamentable failures I de-
in the case / was about to investigate,
but to learn actual facts from actual evil
dence.
I reached West Sedgwick, as Donovan
had said. at quarter before II. Though
had never been there before, the place
looked quite as I had imagined it. The
railway station was one of those modern,
attractive structures Of rough gray stone
| with picturesque projecting roof and
broad, clean platforms. A flight Of stone
steps led down to the roadway, and the
landscape in every direction showed the
well kept roads, the well grown trees and
the carefully tended estates of a town of
suburban homes. The citizens were doubt
| less mainly men whose business was in
New York, but who preferred not to live
there.
The superintendent must have apprised
the coroner by telephone Of my immediate
arrival, for q village cart from the Craw-
ford establishment was awaiting me, and
| smart groom approached and asked il I