Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1917-04-09
Tracked by a
Human Weakness
By WILLARD BLAKEMAN

Ouc ubTHlnR tne quiet tOWu Vi oliver
Waters-named for a stream running
through twas hOrrihed at the an
n0uncement that Leonard Marston had
been found murdered In his bed. Sill
yer Waters was a summer settlement
Of wealthy persons who were not there
in winter, but Marston had remained
beyond the usual time, and the tragedy
occurred late in November.
The house had evidently been enter
ed for the purpose Of plunder 1t was
generally known that Mrs. Marston,
who was in the city at the time Of the
murder, had great deal Of valuable
Jewelry. Some Of this was at the
country house, and 1t was all taken by
the robbers, as were her husbands
studs. sleeve buttons, scarfpins, etc.
When the police, who were called I'm
at once, came they took possession OF
the premises, allowing nothing to be
touched till the arrival of Dempsey, q
detective, who was to make a thorough
examination.
Dempsey had n reputation Of being one
Of the most skillful prohers of crimes
In America. When he arrived he be-
gan his search for something the Grim
nal or criminals had left as possible
clew. There were no footprints, which
are usually considered the most impOr-
tant pointers. Indeed after an hours
methodlcal investigation Dempsey had
discovered nothing. Then his eye
caught small object under dresser
from which Mr.. MarstOn's belongings
had been taken.
Drawing an electric lamp from his
pocket, lie flashed 1t upon the object
and revealed a stud Taking II up. he
saw that II was n mosaic and recOg-
nlzed II as one that must have been
made in Italy Evidently In taking It
from the box In which II and other
articles of like character bad been kept
the thief had dropped 1t and 1t had
rolled under the dresser
This was the only clew that was
found. Dempsey inquired OF Mrs
Marst0n how many studs Of the set
her husband had possessed, where they
had been procured and any other III
formation the lady might give. He
was told that there were three studs
In the set, with pair of sleeve but
tons to match. She had brought them
from Rome with her after her last WIS.,
il there during the previous summer.
The design was the same on all the
studs and the sleeve links, copy OF
the head of statue In the Vaticau
called the Apollo Delvidere,
'That viii do" said Dempsey. "It
may be long chase but II persisted
in the thief and murderer will at lass
he found"
Dempsey did not begin to probe the
matter till a month after the robbery,
then he got up circular copy Ot
which he sent to every pawnbroker
and manufacturing jeweler in Amer
lea. He gave n description Of the mo-
sale stud and a picture of il. He got
nothing from any pawnbroker, but
from jeweler he received a letter
stating that two studs answering the
description in his letter had been made
INTO pair of earrings In his shop.
Dempsey responded to the letter In
lerson and learned that the work had
Icen done for woman She was well
by the clerk who took the
rider and was described as about
wenty- eight or thirty years old, large,
ather hashy IN her dress, and her face
nd neck had been "cacimined"
From this point Dempsey worked
With large corps of assistants whom
c employed to go to public places OF
dining places cabarets--
ldeed, such places as are frequented
Y the floating population Of cities.
'everheless year PASSED with no
esults.
At last one Of Dcmpscy's assistants,
girl about sixteen years old report
Il that friend Of hers had told her
hat she had sat next to n woman at
movie show who wore mosaic ear
ugs representing fhc head of a man
'ith curly hair The assistants were
lstructed TO follow the person If met
.ith and note the residence But the
oman with the earrings could not he
,md. So the game was lest
But Dempsey went at once to Che city
here the discovery had been made,
r"l q special corps Of assistants and
cnt about himself where pleasure
wing people go.
one evening after dining At a caba-
t ne was lighting cigar and about
move ON when a woman entered.
ushcd pas. hlm and took a seat at n
bic with her cS ort Dcmpsey's eyes
ere out for earrings and he thought
oSe the woman wore were mOsaics,
q took a seat at a table near the one
which tie couple sat, but not near
ough TO get close view Of her ear.
igs The man ordered drinks. after
lich the couple danced. While they
're dancing Dempsey took seat
thin Few feet Of the one the wom-
had lert, though his back would he
ward her When she returned sha
lk the seat she had occupied before.
,mpscy turned around and seizing
q Of the earrings IN his hand brought
10 within n proper focus for his eyes.
When Mrs Marston was going to