The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1912-12-28
Johnston


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 il we were hav-
ing an after-dinner chat at the club.
"A little, not much"
IF any one asked you to define
technique doubt II you could do It.
do not believe there is a painter or
an art critic who could give a 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. / recognize the work
Of each man by his technique. Even
il Lawson painted portrait and Henri
a landscape, the individuality OF the
artist would make his work recogniz-
able, though masked by a subject I'M
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 I'M
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 a crime OF some
kind has been committed or is even
now being committed. 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 no difference. l
know the type Of crime. ] recognize
in the case certain jndefinable things
which convince me that behind it all
is a 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 1t will have the same effect
on others. There may be no other
suicides, but believe there will be.
III shall watch every report Of sui
eide for the next few days with par.
ticular interest Who the criminal is,
and who his associate is-for l am
convinced it is a crime of the pair
I have no idea. Investigation Of mail
jthefts 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"
X "All you have said" / told him. "only
convinces me that / am right about
Hugh Crandall. An intelligent, edu
Gated man gone wrong, respectable
broker with a secret propensity FOL
crime, would fit your theory. wouldn'
it?"
you saw Crandall's janitor las
night. didn't you?" was all the re
/, Spouse he chose to make to my ques
: ton. what kind Of chap Is he?"
IF you can get him to admit you Il
Crandall's rooms you are wonder,
; | replied, repeating word for word m.
interview with the janitor the nigh
before.
Il generally go prepared for sucl
fellows" he answered. smilingly draw
ing from his pocket blank legal doc
ument on which the word attach
lment" was printed boldly across tn
back. Taking out fountain pen, h
rapidly filed in Hugh Crandall'
name, on the outside only.
OF course / saw through his russ
He would represent himself as an o.
ficer come to attach Crandalls furn
ture and thus gain access to the room!
But suppose the janitor insists o
reading the document and sees that
is blank inside?"
mo one ever reads legal document
unless necessary. Besides. . man {
the janitor type generally has consis
cradle respect for the arm Of the Law
He Is probably more or less familia
with its workings In dispossession
: and such things, and realizes ho'
. futile opposition would be. srpposin
I that we really were sheriff's deputie
as he will undoubtedly take US to be
We reached the place, and. djsmis
ling the taxicab half block ava,
marched boldly up the steps and ran
the bell. As the janitor answered. d
wis, carelessly Tipping back mis- co;
!" TO show badge OF some sort, deman
ed admittance to Crandalfs apar
n ments.
8 "I've got an attachment, sect"
st said. flashing the back Of the doc
m ment before the janitcr's eyes.
"Oh. that's it, is it?" said the jar
IS tor. That's why he beat it so quit
yesterday and told me not to let ar
I one into his rooms?"