The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-03
Is There Always a Crevice?


 Is the time-honored theory that ~murder will out" supported by facts?
 Was Detective William J. Burns correct in the assertion that the crln1- iral, no matter how smooth, invaria- ply leaves a crevice somewhere and that through such crevice the law eventually penetrates?
 There are mystery records which seem to indicate that fate sometimes plays into the hands of the wrong doer and that murder doesn't always out" For instance;
 Eleven years ago, the sheriff of Hudson, Wis, was shot and killed on railway train near his home city. The man who did the shooting was fellow passenger, but witnesses-and they were numerous-could not estab- fish the slayer's identity. None of them had ever seen him before. He jumped from the train while 1t was running 30 miles an hour. Although rewards aggregating $5000 were of fered and numerous posses took the trail immediately, no trace of the sheriff's killer was ever found.
 Who was the man?
 What became of him?
 And what motive prompted him to murder the sheriff?
 None of these questions have ever been answered. Surely the crevice in this case, if there was one, was small.
 Over twenty years ago a Kentucky official holding large sum of state money walked out of his office in Ffankford, carried approximately $200,000 in a valice, went to the railway station and boarded train.
 "Going down to Louisville for a day or two," he said to station loung- CTS who cast interrogating glances in his direction.
 But his "day or two" has length ened into many years-and still the man who carried that treasure laden valise has never been apprehended, despite heavy rewards and the dili- gent efforts of many detectives. If this man left crevice, the laws en- tering wedge has never found it.
 In Oklahoma City five years ago the body of a prominent citizen was found on the roof of a ten-story building in the heart of the city The victim had been beaten to death, ap- parently with club. He was leader in church and lodge circles, was wealthy and popular.
 Robbery could not have been the motive, for a considerable sum of money, valuable watch and dia- mond pin were left undisturbed. If the man had any enemies the fact was not matter of public record.
 What could have prompted that man to go to the roof of a building in Which he had no interest? Who killed him, and why? Thousands of dollars were spent in an effort to solve this mystery-but the crevice has proven !, elusive.
 Fifteen years ago young man en- tered the office of Judge G. A. Madill, president of the Union Trust com pany, St. Louis, covered Judge Ma dill with pistol, demanded $5OO0 and got it. He was arrested, however, as he left the building.
 The money was recovered and the youthful bandit was sent to the peni tentiary for two years. He refused tt tell his name, went to prison as ; nameless convict, served his term went out and disappeared stil nameless, all the while.
 The St. Louis police department ex hausted its resources trying to dis cover the identity of the stranger an' Judge Madill, curiosity aroused, of fered large reward for the histor, of the boy who robbed him-but tn crevice was never found
 Nearly three years ago . gir