Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1920-07-08

Castor is absent from the city 1t can
not be learned How he happened TO
give Nelson employment. The police
believe he may have obtained the po-
sition through false references in or
der to gain mn opportunity to loot the
apartments in the building,
Superintendent Wick had asccr-
tanned that Nelson was once employed
by Il shipping firm in the Wall street
district but had been d~iscredttably
discharged. His former employer con
trmed this. but would say nothing
about Nelson beyond stating that he
had been discharged for cause.
Although Nelson was not over we'll
supplied with money he had been seen
recently ordering elaborate meals in
some Of the most expensive reStau-
rants. Miss Nellie Kelly. the telephone
girl at the Grunddeck, reported that
only the night before Nelson had taken
her 10 dinner. ordering champagne and
hiring taNicabS, and had tried TO pump
her about the tenants in the building.
The n fact that stuck out in the
whole article that seemed of vast im-
portanCe to me was the fact that Wick
had informed the police that | had
been ~diScrcGitahly discharged from my
last place Of employment. How did
he know that? Certainly | had not
told him. | had told no one of the
occurrence except Barbara Bradford.
and | was sure she had not revealed
il To anyone.
II was indubitahle proof 10 me that
Wick, or someone with whom he was
conniving, had been having me Shad-
owed. Even my great-uncle Rufus
did not know where my place of em-
ployment was. Evidently the plot to
diScredit me had begun the day ar
rived NJ the Granddeck. | had been
discharged on account of some mystic
riouS note my employer had received.
l began now 10 believe that Wick
must have had me followed to my
place of business and to have sent
that note for the express purpose of
bringing about my discharge. But
why? That was the puzzle.
As | pondered over it | decided that
nv chance meeting with Barbara Brad
ford in the park had upset the plans
of a matchmaking band. and that they
were avenging themselves on me for
my unwilling part. | was certain that
Wick and Lefty Moore's wife were in
connivance with them, and that the
gang possibly included Claire Brad
ford'S eN-huShand. Wick had a pass
key that enabled him to enter the Lu-
tan apartment. Undoubtedly he could
also enter mine as well. But Wick
could have nothing TO do with the
planting of the revolver in my rooms.
| was positive about that. He had
not been out of my sight for a single
moment from the time that we had dis
covered the body. The only way that
il seemed possible to involve him in
that was on the theory of a prear-
ranged plot 10 make me appear the
murderer. Was it possible that Claire
Bradford had participated in this? l
knew she had been in my room after
the murder. 1t must have been she
who put the revolver there.
One of the detectives who had ar
rested me appeared at my cell door.
,"Come along" he commanded
grutly.
As | came out l was again Shackled
and led to the patrol wagon that was
waiting. had supposed that | was
| being taken to court to he arraigned,
but such was not the case. ! found
myself at police headquarters, where
both my photograph and my finger
prints were taken. I refrained from
| giving any information about myself,
beyond giving my name and age, be-
ing careful 10 have my name recorded
as John S. Nelson. Out in my home
town everybody for years had known
me by my middle name "Spaulding,"
and ! was hopeful that they might
fail to identify me if they read any
thing about pe.
When everything that might serve to
identify me had been recorded. | was
taken into a large room where perhaps
half a hundred men were assembled.
most of them wearing masks. looked
| about with curiosity. l had read Of
| this ceremony. | was being "lined mp
before the members of the city's detec-
tive force to see if any of them could
identify me and to give them an Oppor.
tunity to familiariZe themselves with
my features in ease 1t should ever be
necessary to arrest me again.
"Never saw him before" l heard
one of them say. Guess he must be
q western crook"
Hes no amateur" said another
"Tbat job up at the G%randdeck was
done by a professional"
Many sighting comments were
made, too, on my personal appearance,
/ learned for the first time that | had
a bad ear" and that my eyes were
shifty. The only emotion these com
ments aroused in me vas a feeling OF
pity, not for myself but for all poor
unfOrtunates who fall afOul of the
law. Even though a man Is presumed
to be innocent until he has been con.
victed / had observed that since the
first moment of my arrest everybody
had taken 1t for granted that l must
be guilty and had treated me with
little respect or consideration.
From headquarters / was taken TO
the police court and without further
delay brought before a magistrate.
"John s.. Nelson, arrested for the
murder Of Daisy Lutan," said the de-
tective.