Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1916-03-16
1t was covered with letters and

Conrad, the letters written vertically
one below the other, down the page,
Opposite each letter was placed a nu-
neral, and at the bottom the total
, of them was written.
Across the sheet the name of Gus
tav Conrad was similarly treated.
Thereafter followed series of math-
ematical operations of which l could
make neither head nor tail. shook
my head and handed it back
Dual tossed it aside.
"You remember the murder of Ma
tilda Greenig," he began speaking.
an that | used this same method at
the beginning. 1t is really a rapid
form of computation by which we
may reach general conclusion of
the main life incidents of person.
gained these names from Smithson,
and set to work. After / had made
this page | set up general figure of
the matter and | found out several
things more.
"Now give me your detailed ac
count of all which happened while you
were on the ground. Unless l have
made some error there will be sever
al little things which will point to
the truth, in your description, SO be
careful. 1t may be that even one
word may show us the truth.
Go on"
He leaned back in his chair and
folded his hands. His eyes closed
and he seemed literally to fall asleep.
But that | had seen him thus con-
centrate all his menal energies to
one point before, l would have fan
cied that l was speaking to a slum-
bering brain.
Because of my former experience
| knew that he focused all his energy
upon the sense of hearing by shut
ting out everything else.
began to relate the happening of
the morning, speaking distinctly,
striving to recall each and every sa-
lient point and marshall them before
the receptive mind of the silent man
beside me.
And as / spoke | knew that he was
receiving, arranging, and judging the
facts as | gave them, and that upon
my care there rested not only justice,
perhaps, but perchance the happiness
of Marian Burton as well.
When | had finished Dual opened
his eyes and reached for sheet of
paper.
"How does this Mallet spell his
name?" he inquired.
| shook my head.
"We can find out in the telephone
directory" l suggested.
Dual nodded and tossed me the
book. l found the name and gave
him its spelling.
He wrote it down, vertically as he
had written the other names, and be-
gan at once to put the numerical
equivalent of each letter opposite,
finished, and totaled them quickly.
Then, while | watched, he plunged
into rapid calculation, reached its
end, and threw the paper aside.
"You said that Gustav was shot
just above the right eye?" he in
quired.
! nodded.
"About the middle of the right eye
brow. The powder spattered the brow
and eyelid."
"And he had removed his collar
and tie, vest, and coat?"
"Yes, Dual"
"Now, about the older Conrad. l
think you spoke of some intentions
in the skin of his neck, like the marks
of sharp fnger-nails?"
"Yes.'
"Did this Gustav have such nails ?"
"His index finger-nails were long
and quite sharp" | replied. THAT
was one thing which made Bryce and
Johnson so sure that he was the mur-
derer"
"And the marks on the neck-were
they high up on the throat or low
down." continued Dual.
Glow down; almost at the bottom
of the neck"
Semi smiled.
That's where they should have
been" he remarked, as though per-
fectly satisfied.
Look here" | cried. "The mur-
derer must have seized him from
above, standing facing the foot of the
he'd, and so gouged his nails into the
base of his neck"
"Quite natural deduction" said
Semi, and made a note on the last
| sheet he had written. "Now, did
Johnson or Bryce examine the rooms
or premises for any other evidence?'