Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1912-11-14

ZJEEC<E<LLkO ny EL-DCLUCO
would be other suicides, possibly con
nected with Katharine Farrish's act
and Andrew Esler's death. It was en-
tinely 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 hav-
ing an afber-dinner chat at the club.
A little, not much"
If any one asked you to define
technique I doubt if you could do it.
l do not believe there is a 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 GIackens and you
do not have TO label them for me to
tell them apart. I recognize the work
OF each man by his technique Even
if Lawson painted a portrait and Henri
a landscape, the individuality of the
artist would make his work recogniz-
able, though masked by a subject IN
usual for him. Crime is like art in
one respect at Ieast-technique. Ev-
cry criminal brain has its own tech
ntque. Any one who has investigated
crime, who has studied eYil-doers IN
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
I am confident that a 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 make no difference. l
know the type of crime. I recognize
in the case certain indefinabIe things
which convince me that behind it all
is a cunning criminal brain that has
planned some far-reaching plot. If It
was devilishIy ingenious enough to
drive two people to suicide, in ali
probability it will have the same effect
on others. There may be no other
suicides, but I believe there will be.
I shall watch every report Of a sui
eide for the next few days with par
ticuIar 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
thefts and stamp cOunterfeiting never
has brought me in touch with this par
dcular sort of crime, SO that as yet
am entirely at sea as regards the
identity Of the criminals"
All you have said" I told him, only
convinces me that I am right about
Hugh Crandau 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 CrandaIPs janitor last
night, didn't you?" was all the re
Spouse he chose to make to my ques-
ton. what kind of chap is he?"
eff you can get him to admit you to
Crandan's rooms you are a wonder"
l replied, repeating word for word my
interview with the janitor the night
before.
u generally go prepared for such
fellows" he answered, smiIingly draw
ing from his pocket blank legal doc
ument on which the word attach
ment" was printed boldly across the
back. Taking out a fountain pen, he
rapidly filed in Hugh CrandalPs
name, Oh the outside only.
Of course I saw through his ruse.
He would represent himself as an Of
fcer come to attach Crandalls 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?"
NO one ever reads legal documents
unless necessary. Besides, a man of
the janitor type generally has consid-
cradle respect for the arm of the law.
He is probably more or less familiar
with it's 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 a block away,
marched boldly up the steps and rang
the bell. AS the jRnitor answered, Da-
Wis, carelessIy Tipping back his coat
to show a badge Of some sort, demand
ed admittance to CrandalTs apart
ments.
eve got an attachment, see?" he
said, flashing the back of the docu-
ment before the janitor's eyes.
"Oh, that's it. is it?" said the JAM
tor. That's why he beat it SO quick
Yesterday and told me not to let any
one into his rooms?"
so he has gone" exclaimed Davis
/ in mock surprise. q don't wonder at
that. Has he paid you the rent?"
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
J doubt Of his tenant that Davis remark
-