Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1912-08-07

OeIore' Out Wnen the witness men,
toned that she was tearing up a LEFT
ter sudden notion came to me that
1t might be the one of which I was in
search. a detective who is workine.
on the case will be out here this eve
ming and then l can tell you more
about it."
l spoke the last sentence in a wbis-
per so low that it reached only the
corOner's ear. He pondered over NV
statement and then abruptly an
nounced that the inquest was adj
Journef until nine o'clock the next
day. | would have escaped him if 7
could, but I saw that he was deter
mined to worm out everything I knew
or suspected. I decided that activity
would be the best remedy for his
curiosity. Accordingly l invited the
coroner and the constable to come I'm
10 my rooms where, without waiting.
Tor them to question me, | began fir.
ing questions hot-shot at them. sue-
costing things for them to do. simnle
Things that would have been the first
thought of the police of New York or
any other large city, but which thew
had not thought Of Had they tele-
phoned description Of the woman to
the Bridgeport police with her name
TO see ii she could be identified as
any one who was missing from that
| city? Had they examined her clothing
70 see II there was any mark on it that
might identify her? Had they studied
her writing on the register to see if it
gave any indication of being assumed
or disguised? Had they examined her
pocketbook to see if it contained anv
clue to motive? Had they consid-
cred whom she might have come to
this town to see?
THAT idea Of calling up the Bridge
port police amt such a bad one" said
the coroner. Suppose you do it
now" he said, turning to the con-
stable.
I'D like to know who's going to pay
for it if l do" the constable objected.
There amt enough fees in this Of
ice for me to be spending my money
that way"
You go ahead and do it and I'll see
that you get the money back"
If you're going to pay it out OF
your own pocket I'll do it, but if you
expect me to wait till you put it
through as lawful expense 1 amt
taking no chances"
Their petty wrangling over such a
trifing amount exasperated me not a
! little.
Here" said I, pulling a five-dollar
bill from my pocket, "take this and
pay for it and tell them to telephone
you as soon as they can what they
have found out. This ought to cover
both the message and the answer and
if there is anything left get yourself
some cigars with it,
The constable needed no second bid
ding. AS soon as he had disappeared
| turned to the coroner:
did you notice shat man Cook at
The inquest? Who is he2"
ST don't know who you mean," he
replied. 'The only Cook l know Lere
in the town is Bob Cook, and he's laid
UP with broken leg"
Didn't you notice a tail, smooth
shaver fellow who stood right close
beside where you were sitting? He
| listened closely to the testimony and
! the minute we began looking for the
scraps Of the letter, didn't you see him
slip out of the room?"
! "Come to think of it," said the coro-
ner, 81 believe l did notice him, but
l can't say as I seen him going out.
Maybe twas one OF the guests Of the
hotel"
Il think he is, and I'm pretty sure
he's registered in the hotel as Mr..
Cook, too, but I'd like to know more
about him.
Lets go down and ask Mahlon. If
there's anybody in his hotel he don't
know about it's something unusual"
We found Mahlon Williams in the
little boxed-off corner behind the ho'
tel desk that was labeled private Of
fee" The curious crowd was still
gaping at the door Of the room where
the suicide had taken place, at least
such of them as had not adjourned to
the bar to talk it over, so that we
were alone in the Office.
''Mr. Williams" said, what do you
know about this man Cook, who is
stopping here in the hotel?"
mo more than I know about you,
said he, "and not as much, in fact, for
he didn't ask no peculiar questions at
the inquest. Speaking about that let
ter
"HOw long has this man Cook been
in the house?" I interrupted, deter
mined not to let either him or the
coroner annoy me with questions.
The hotel-keeper, plainly provoked
at my attitude, stared thoughtfully al
me for minute and finally decided to
answer my question as the only hope
OF getting me to answer his.
''EIe came just the night before you
did-got in on the seven-two train"
His answer settled everything in my
mind. Cook was Crandall. The ar
rival of Cook in the village conceded
with the departure of Crandall from
A'ew York. The haste in which be