The Dermott news., 1915-04-01
Copyright, 1914, b.
FIRST EPISODE
The Clutching Hand.

mere must De SOmtlHlHS Ht" III 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 filled his pipe with my to- bacco In college We had roomed to- gether. had shared everything, even poverty. and now that Craig was professor of chemistry in charge or the laboratory at the university and I had sort Of rowing commission on the staff of the Star, we had continued our arrangement
 Tt 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.
 "Nhy should there be a chair In criminal scieucc2" replied argu- mentatively. settling back in my chair i've done my turn at police headquar- ,ers reporting. and can tell you. Craig. it's no place for college pro- fepsnr Crime is-iust crime And as for dealing with if tho great dctec- tive is horn and bred to it College professors for the sociology of the thing yes for the detection of it., give nc Ryrnes
 ,b, r,nrcictal k sO- nedy. his clean.cut features hctrayinr an earacstness which knew indicated that he was leading up to something of importance there is distinct place for science in the detection of erin" Today NC have professors of everything why rot professors of crime sciencoH'
 Still as shook my head dubiously. he hasto0ed 10 clinch his point Col leEes have got down 10 solving tho hard fac's of life nowadays-pretty nearly all except one They still treat crime in the old way study it's statis. ties 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- lentlcssly= bah We haven't made enough progress to mention since the hammer and tongs method oi your saintcd Hyrues.'
 Doubtless you will write brochure on this most interesting subject" l suggested and let 1t go al that"
 No. am serious" he replied. de- termined for some reason or other to make convert of me. Il mean eX- ac,ly what say am going to apply science ,o the detection of crime. the same sort of methods by which we trace out the presence Of a mysteri- ous chemical or track down deadly germ And before have gone far. l am going 10 enlist Walter Jameson as an aid think l shall need you in my business"
 How do come in?" l asked
 Well for one thing. you will get a scoop. a whatever you call 1t in that newspaper jargon Of yours"
 Fortunately. Walter" he pursued. the crime hunters have gone ahead in bCtcutt luSttl Niisiu lAit u liiiIIAiiN u Q 10 be- my job to catch criminals Yours, 1t seems to me. Is to show people how they can never hope to beat the mod ern scientific detective"
 Go as far as you like" exclaimed. convinced at last
 And so it was that we formed this strange new partnership in crime sci ence that has existed ever since.
 
 Jameson. here's story l wish you'd follow up." remarked the man aging editor of the Star to me one evening after l had turned in an as stlnment of the late afternoon.
 He handed me clipping from the evening edition Of the Star and l quickly ran my eye over the headline: