The Washington herald., 1915-10-24

the best OF my knowledge, shortly be-
fore the commencement of strange
happenings at the Menzies Museum.
Ny friendship with Martin coram
led to my first meeting with Morris
klaw-a meeting which now has in
duced me to become his biographer.
inadequate though my information un-
fortunately remains
1t was some three months after the
Z appointment of CoEam to the curator
ship OF the Menzies Museum that the
nrst of series of singular occur
rences took place there.
1t befell one night in August, and
the matter was brought to my ears
by coram himself on the following
morning.
] had, in fact. just taken my seat
at the breakfast table when he walk
ed in Unexpectedly and sank into an
chair.
There's trouble at the museum"
ne said abruptly. Il want you TO run
around"
Something gomez" I asked
No: worser' was his reply
What do you mean. Coram:"
He threw the cigarette untasted,
into the hearth.
You know Conway" he said. Con-
way, the night attendant WeIl-he's
dead"
DO you mean that he died in the
night?" 1 inquired
Yes. Done for, poor devil. He's had
his neck broken!"
l waited for no further explanations,
but hastily dressing. accompanied Co.
ram to the museum
The room described in the cat
alogue as the Greek Room" proved to
be the scene of the Sgedy.
This is one of the two overlooking
the square. and contains some OF the
finest items of the collection.
The museum is not open to the pup
lie until ten o'clock, and I found, upon
arriving there, that the only occu-
pants of the Greek room were the
custodian on duty. two constables, a
platn-clothes officer. and an inspec-
tor-that is. If I except the body of
poor Conway.
He had not been touched. but lay
as he was found by Beale, the Gus |
todian who took charge of the upper |
rooms during the day. 1t was patent |
that he was beyond medical aid.
In fact. the position of his body was |
SO extraordinary as almost to defy |
description His head turned partial- |
ly TO one side. was doubled under
meath his breast in a most dreadful /
manner. indisputably pointing to a
broken neck. and his custodian's cap
lay some distance away. under a ia
Die supporting a heavy case of vases.
So much was revealed at a glance,
and I turned blankly to Coram.
What do you make of it?" he said
! shook my head in silence =
scarcely could grasp the reality of
the thing; indeed. l was still staring
al the huddled figure when the doc-l
tor arrived.
At his request we laid the dead man
fiat upon the floor. to facilitate an ex-
animation; and We then saw that he
was greatly cut and bruised about
the head and face. and that his fea-
lures were distorted in a most ex-
manner. almost as though
he had been suffocated. ,
The doctor did not fail to notice Z
this expression.
Excuse me. SIR" said the fnspec-
Tor, but there certainly was some
hing going on here. Have you seen 2
The glass case in the next ROOM"
GLASS case?" muttered Coram, run G
ming his hand distractedly through his :
thick black hair. NO: what of a
glass case?" ,
In here. sir" explained the in
'pector. leading the way into the ad- q
Joining apartment
At his words we all followed. and 4
'ound that he referred to the glass q
ront of a wall case containing sta a
uettes and images of Egyptian del h
les The center pane OF this was
mashed into fragments. the broken
class strewlng the floor and the G
helves inside the case, q
That looks like a struggle. sir. I
Doesn't it," said the inspector
Heaven help US, What does II G
nean?" Eroaned poor Coram
That we must try and find out" &
eplied the inspector. Meanwhile N
ere are his keys. They lay on the =
oor in a corner Of the Greek room" v
Coram took them. mechanically .
''Beale," he said to the custodian.
ocked" II
The man proceeded to 60 around =,
he rooms. He had proceeded no fur =,
her than the Greek room when he ~
lade a discovery.
Here's the top of this unfastened. a.
We hurriedly Joined him, to find p,
hat he stood before a marble pedes- a,
a. surmounted by 4 thick glass case -,
obtaining What Coram had frequent
Y assured me was the gem of the
Athenean harp. II
It was alleged to be of very ancient :.
reek workmanship. and was con- W
tructed Of fine gold. inlaid with
.wels -
4 thought So" said the plain 6.
othes man. "A clever museum ~
1iefi" m
Coram sighed YEARLY. Ny good IN
.llow." he replied. can you explain
y any earthly hypothesis how a man
'uld get into these apartments ana '
ave them again during the night" ~
Regarding that. SIR" remarked the ~
elective, there are a few questions
should like to ask you. In the first 81
ace, at what time does the museum ~
ose?" CT
AT six o'clock in the summer"
What do you do when the last nv
sitor has gomez
Having looked the outside door. ~
.ale. here. thoroughly examines ~,
-ery room to make certain that no N"'
lie remains concealed. He next locks
e communicating doors and comes
wn into the hall. It is then his Gus
m to hand me the keys W
1 gave them into poor Conway's
'eping last evening when he came
at half past six, and every hour
GREATER II was his duty to go
rough the museum, relockine all
e doors behind him"
understand that there is a tell
lie watch in each -room?"
es. That in the Greek room rep-
ers a. m. so that IL was about a.
en- that he met his death. He had
identity opened the door commur,-
ting with the next room-that CON g.
Aid not tta,.S case; but am
door NE