Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1916-12-09

theif way 10 restaurants. had halted
10 laugh at the Spectacle A nep.nost
poiiceman looked on with a tolerant
grin
suddenly. the policeman drew him
sell up and saluted. as man and a
woman IN evening dress paused near
MIN to watch the finn Patrolman
nrieh mad good memory for faces.
ana this man with the slender. fair
haired girl on his arm. was Charles
Morehouse Halloran. the new district
attorney who was to take Office tomor-
row
Halloran. still new enouph IN police
aeteFence to be gratihed by it. re-
turned the salute.
You see whispered Nargaret "Al.
ready you're famous \ wear ago. that
oluecoat would have ordered Won TO
move on. Now, he sautes Won as II
you were the president"
Perhaps, CALAMITY suggested Hal.
loran' he is saIuting the beauty OF
my new secretary. He"
Mrs. Wigs. blowing her way. in
fustered manner. through the crowd.
luhe herselt on Patrolman OBrien.
Olhcer she sQualed. There's
been murder done back here. not two
minutes since! Come quick"
Murder? repeated O'Brien.
Where? Who"
Back at the studio buildin' You
know the place. Miss Elsie Drayton.
one OF our tenants. She's lust been
shot by Mr.. Martel He's the man
who's been keepin company with her.
lhey quarreled. something terrible.
TINS evenin'. An just now he shot her.
Just as the clock was a-strikin' twelve.
/"
y BFlen waited for no more. He be-
gan TO push a path through the Jolly
crowd that hemmed him in so tightly
Way. there" he beloved. trying
to make himself heard about the din of
cowbeH. horn and rattle. Let us
through"
Olhcer! spoke up HallOran, at his
side take this young lady and myself
with you 1t is midnight; and my Of
Hclai duties can begin with the first
murder of the new year"
certainly, sir. agreed OBrien, con-
Voylng them slowly through the pack
OF people. Come along if you like"
DO you mind?" Halloran asked Mar
garet Graeme. You know you must
get used to such things, If you are to
be my secretary"
OF course, don't mind" she as
sured him, excited at the prospect,
and | can be of help by taking notes
for you. Oh, why can't we move fast
er? We're simply crawling"
You're lucky we can move at all.
miss. said the policeman, over his
shoulder, in a mob like this"
Five minutes later, Martel entered
Elsie Drayton's studio. On the floor.
under the dimturned light. lay the
body OF the girl from whom he had
parted a bare half hour before Near
by cleaned the revolver.
With a cry. Martel flung himself on
his knees beside the dead woman Her
body was still warm He got to his
feet and stared dumbly at her. Scarce
knowing what he did, he picked up
the revolver-and recognized it as his
own.
Out into the hallway he reeled. with
some vague idea of shouting for help.
But horror had, for a moment, stricken
him dumb. Scarcely had he started
down the passage when he saw several
people hurrying toward him from the
head of the stairs. One of them was
policeman. Martel darted back into
the room, to show them the way.
Turning, just inside the doorway, he
faced the policeman who had entered
at his heels. The overzealous officer,
anxious to show off his prowess to the
new district attorney, leaped at Mar
tel and grappled with him.
Martel, utterly taken back, instinc-
lively defended himself, but a blow
from the policeman's nightstick
knocked him senseless.
He came to himself in station house
cell. Next morning he faced charge
of murder.
The public agreed that Halloran be-
gan his official duties as district attor-
ney by extremely prompt and efficient
work in the Martel case Not only had
he visited the scene of the murder
within ten minutes after the commits
sion of the crime. and had been pres
ent at the prisoners arrest, but he had
personally handled every detail of the
prosecution.
Moreover, he was aided, most intel
iigentiy, by a young society woman.
Miss Margaret Graeme, whom he had
appointed as his personal secretary.
and who. it was said, worked day and
night in perfecting the case against
Elsie Drayton's slayer.
The case itself seemed clear |
enough. A brief review Of 1t, sent out |
by the press, was printed in Florida |
which later was used as |
"stuffing" for a box of supplies for
warded to an exploring expedition in |
the farther wilderness Of Brazil.
John Leonard, CHANGING to pick up |
the wad of newspaper, which one of
his assistants had just thrown out OF
the newly opened box, smoothed 1t
out and glanced over the rumpled
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