Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1915-02-06
FIRST EPISODE
The Clutching Hand.

There must be something new in
order to catch criminals nowadays.
The old methods are all right-as far
as they go. But while we have been
using them, criminals have kept pace
with modern science"
Craig Kennedy laid down his news
paper and flied his pipe with my to-
bacco. In college we had roomed to-
gether, had shared everything, even
poverty. and now that Craig was a
professor Of chemistry in charge Of
the laboratory at the university and
had a sort Of rowing commission on
the staff of the Star, we had continued
our arrangement.
1T has always seemed strange to
me-" he went on slowly. that no one
has ever endowed a professorship in
criminal science in any of the large
colleges"
tossed aside my own paper and
retrieved the tobacco.
why should there be a chair in
criminal science?' | replied argu-
mentatively, settling back in my chair.
I've done my turn at police headquar-
ters reporting, and l can tell you.
Craig, it's no place for a college pro-
fessor Crime is-just crime. And as
for dealing with it the great detec-
tive is born and bred to it, College
professors for the sociology of the
thing-yes; for the detection of it,
give me a Byrnes."
.'On the contrary" persisted Ken
nedy. his clean-cut features betraying
an earnestness which knew indicated
that he was leading up to something
of Importance. there is a distinct
place for science in the detection of
crime. Today We have professors of
everything-why not professors of
crime science?"
Still, as ! shook my head obviously, |
he fastened to clinch his point. Col |
leges have got down to solving the |
hard facts of life. nowadays-pretty |
nearly all. except one. They still treat |
crime in the old way, study its Stats |
tics and pore over it's causes and the |
theories of how it can be prevented |
and punished. But as for running down |
the criminal himself, scientifically. re-
lentlessly-bah! we haven't made |
enough progress to mention since the |
hammer and tongs method OF your
sainted Byrnes."
Doubtless you will write a brochure
on this most interesting subject" |
suggested, land let it go at that"
No, | am serious" he replied, de-
termined for some reason or other to
make a convert of me. Il mean ex-
actly what say l am going to apply
science to the detection of crime. the
same sort Of methods by which we
trace out the presence of a mysteri-
Gus chemical or track down a deadly
germ. And before l have gone far. |
am going to enlist Walter Jameson
as an aid. | think | shall need you
in my business"
How do come in?" I asked. Il
We'll, for one thing, you will get a / ;
scoop, a 'beat'-whatever you call
It In that newspaper jargon of yours"
Fortunately, Walter" he pursued,
the crime-hunters have gone ahead in /
science faster than the criminals. It's
% be my job to catch criminals Yours, G
{ seems to me, is to show people how
hey can never hope to beat the mod {
ern scientific detective"
Go as far as you like" exclaimed, 5
convinced at last.
And so it was that we formed this Y
strange new partnership in crime SCI /
,nce that has existed ever since. 1
Jameson. here's a story l wish 4
ou'd follow up" remarked the man. "
ging editor of the Star to me one
vening after | had turned in an as. T.
ignment of the late afternoon. n
He handed me a clipping from the q
evening edition of the Star. and 4
quickly ran my eye over the headline: