Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-02-08
THE PRIVATE SMASHES
CAPTAINS IMAGINATION

LAR AIN > lMAOlN "A HUN
Many Augusta friends will remem-
Der Cecil Hooke, who several years
ago was on the Kennebec Journals
local staff and who since that time has
been employed in various capacities in
New York city. He is now a captain
in the United States Quartermasters
Reserve Corps and stationed at Camp
Upton. New York state. A FOCAL friend
recently heard of good 'un" on the
captain and Ssecured the Brooklyn
Daily Eagle, whose reporter heard Of
the joke and gave it in detail as fol-
lows:
Eagle Bureau,
18th Division, National Army.
Camp Upton, l.. l., December IS
Captain Cecil Hooke, commanding the
Camp Quartermaster's Detachment, is
proud and mysterious in the possess
sion of a set of desk weights which
are without doubt the unusual thing in
camp. The set consists of two huge
keys.
They have seen actual service as
keys, but their appearance rather sus-
gests granite walls and changing steel
doors. Yesterday fellow officer
dropped into Captain Hooke's office
for a chat and spied the keys. Present
was The Eagle correspondent.
Rather unusual desk weights
Tot rIy
officer.
'Indeed they are. A mighty inter
esting story connected with them. BY
the way, / have the list you re-
quested." Followed a few moments OF
conversation regarding tho list and
then began general discussion OF
horses. The story OF the keys mus,
not be forgotten.
What is the unusual story about
the keys?'
ooh, those? One of my men pre-
sented them to me last evening. He is
an interesting fellow. Has been al
over the world and into all the queer
places. He tells the story of the keys
with Calcutta as the setting. You
will notice one of them has a deer
cash on the edge.
"Well, this fellow was on hobo
trip-riding freight trains and ship
ping aboard the first steamer, leaving
any sea port he Glanced to strike
One of his trips brought him to Cal
cutta and when he obtained permits
sion he went out to see that interest
ing city. He tells me he wandered
about aimlessly and scraped an &C
quaintance with a stranger who went
out of his way to make things agree
able. He was invited to dinner and
met strange company. Besides him
self there were three white men. two
Chinese, apparently wealthy men, and
one beautiful white woman-perhaps
"A or rs years old.
Apartment Beautifully Furnished
He described the apartment as
being beautifully furnished and the
meal one of unusual excellence. With
dinner out of the way the general con-
yersation continued for while. Then
it took a personal turn and the COM
pany, to his amazement. proceeded to
best way to bring about the sudden
and unexpected death of one known
to them, but not mentioned by name.
The Chinese advocated poison, and the
others in the party aereed-save the
young woman. She declared poison
might fail, and held out for quick
Job with the knife. TO his complete
amazement and terror. she proposed
that he-the stranger in the midst of
them-be the one to do the trick.
His determined refusal and declar-
alton that he would inform the au-
thorities caused another surprise.
"'But you are one Of u.s. said the
girl
Not IL ! see you first responded
my man.
But you gave the sign. we
thought you belonged
"T have the sign-what sign
Where? When? You are all nuts.
gave no sign. Never saw this town
before and never want to see it again.
"The man who picked him up then
spoke. You were standing with your
hands clasped behind your back and
the right shoulder higher than the
other That is not a usual position
for any man to take. Then. when
completed the sign, you responded.
What are you, detective?"
Protests Complete Ignorance
'My man protested his complete
ignorance and the realization that he
was in a tight place lent conviction to
his speech. Then the delightful gath
ering proceeded to discuss the advisa-
btiity of cutting his throat there and
then. or taking him to some distant
place where he could take last look
at the rising sun before he left this
world. Again the girl offered opposi-