davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1920-10-24

that you were not telling the entire
truth just now
Dale-What letters?
Detective-From you to Jack Bailey
showing that you had recently become
engaged to him.
Dale-Very we'll, that's true
Detective-Miss Ogden, in the last
minute or so the Union Bank case and
certain things at this house begin to
tie up pretty close together.
Dale-You don't think know anv-
thing about that money?
Detective-No, but you know some
body who does.
In the minutes that Immediately
follow the electrician and his aids
cooperate with Detective Anderson
in producing still further a spooky
effect that had come to be expected.
Dale, at the detectives request, has
taken lighted candle and gone to
summon her aunt. The detective,
left alone, picks up the remaining
candle and begins a systematic ex
animation of the walls. He passes
into the alcove and all is dark.
A Man in the Dark
A man enters through the door
and closes it. He reaches out his
left arm as if feeling his way. A
wrist watch with illuminating face
shows brilliantly in the darkness.
Lizzie stands rigid with fright. She
finally drops tray and dishes and
shrieks. The shrek is accompanied
by terrific crash. The man quick
ly runs up the stairs. Cornelia,
carrying a candle, runs on. The
detective with candle quickly fol-
lows.
If DR.. Wells, earlier in the eve
ming, had left the terrace door bolted,
the door later in the evening could
not have been opened by this mys-
terious man Of the Illuminated wrist
watch, who apparently had a key
that fitted this particular lock. To
an audience of demoralized nerves
strong case of circumstantial evil
dence is sprouting about the figure
of Dr.. Wells, although it still is
hard to believe that he would do
these things.
Lizzie is shunted off to bed. Cor
nelia is advised to follow her by the
detective, who announces that he
will make a careful search of the
house before he settles down. He
draws a revolver and examines it
and then proceeds off.
Wind, thunder and lightning have
resumed. The stage is dark Pres
emily Dale comes downstairs hold
ing lighted candle high. She un-
bolts the terrace door, then comes
into the room from the alcove and
sits down. She hears a knock on
terrace door. Terrified, she opens
table drawer and takes out a re-
New-York tribune., 1920-10-24

This is no place for two women, prac.
tically alone.
dale walks to fireplace, with her
back to the Doctor. The Doctor. un-
seen by her, takes the matchbox off
matchhoder and slips it into his side
pocket. Then with assumed careless
ness.)
Doctor Il don't seem to see any
matches.
Dale. oh, aren't there any? I'll
get some. (She exits. The Doctor
watches her off, then swiftly runs into
alcove, unfastens bolt on the terrace
door. then quickly comes back to
former position near the table. He is
humbing a book when Dale recntcrs
with matches,)
Doctor I'm sorry to trouble you,
BY the way, has Miss Van Gorder
revolver?
Dale Yes, she fired it off this eve
ming to sec if it would work.
Doctor If she tries to shoot at
anything, for goodness sake stand be-
hind her. Well, | must be going.
Take parting word of advice. The
thing to do with a midnight prowlcr is
let him alone. Lock your bedroom
doors, and don't let anything bring
you out until morning
The doctor is let out by the Jap
anese butler at the front door. off
stage right. The terrace door,
which is supposed to be locked, is
now unlocked. The doctor has un-
locked it. Why has he unlocked it?
It is too early to convict the doctor.
Anyway, no one has been murdered.
But the audience expects to see him
again, and the audience does see
nm again presently.
All Very Spooky
Detective Anderson, whom every
one awaits, has entered on the heels
of Cornelia. He is an aggressive
person with loud voice, and he
surveys the interior, the broken Win
dow, reads the warning note and ex-
amines Cornelia' s revolver.
Detective-Now, you say you don't
think anybody has got upstairs YETI
Cornelia-I think not. Pm a very
hight sleeper, especially since the
papers have been so full of the ex-
ploits OF that criminal they call the
Bat. | was just reading your state
ment about him in the evening paper.
Detective-Yes, he has contrived to
surround himself with such an air of
mystery that it verges on the super.
natural.
Cornelia-I confess | have thought
of him in this connection. detective
laughs) Nevertheless, somebody has
been trying to get into this house
night after night.
Detective-Y oure safe. You
can always tell when the Bat has had
anything to, do with crime. When
he's through he signs his name to it.
How many people in this
house, Miss Van Gorder?
Cornelia-You don't suspect nv
household?
Detective-1 am not taking anv
chances
A New Suspect
The detective agrees to sit up all
night and watch the house of mys-
terry, but meanwhile goes with Cor
nelia to inspect the room that has
been reserved for him. In the in
terim Dale and Bailey, the bank
cashier, hiding in the house under
the guise of Brooks, the new gar
dener, enter and the audience, not
entirely forgetting the suspicious
actions of Dr.. Wells, long since de-
parted, take fresh observations on
this new figure, who is accused in
some quarters of getting the million
that vanished from Courtleigh Flem-
ing's bank.
Brooks has opened the door ~ar.
New-York tribune., 1920-10-24

curtain has descended with a dead
man lying on the stage and Cornelia,
answering at the house telephone a
voice that is strange and the pres
ence Of which is a mystery. When
the curtain rises on the second act
the players are in the same position.
The action is continuous. Cornelia
still is at the telephone. The body
Of the dead man still lies, face down
ward, on the floor Of the alcove.
Cornelia drops the phone and tells
her companions that Somebody is
groaning. It's HORRIBLE" But
when the detective takes up the
phone he hears nothing. Anderson
accuses Dale. He examines the re-
volver found on the floor and finds
one chamber empty. But Cornelia
explains this. She had fired the
revolver-once. SO that bullet didn't
kill Fleming.
Pm not accusing this girl" saws
Anderson, the detective, "but be-
hlnd every crime there is a motive.
When we've found the motive for
THIS crime we will have found the
criminal"
"a real detective in the audience
lnstlnctively mods his head.)
New-York tribune., 1920-10-24

i'who may have been the man Li,,,.
saw slipping upstairs. By the Jap. vho
goes out and rings the telephone.
Cornelia-With what object?
Detective-Thats what I'm going I.
find out.
Ones nerves are never permitted
to rest for moment in this PLAY.
One sees a human hand showed mys.
teriously through the lower section
of the French window; presently ore
observes the head of man pro.rua.
ing slightly above the lower SASH q
the window. and when the myster-
Gus hand closes the window, the wild
screech of Lizzie, the servant, in.
dicates that startling fact.
Presently there is knock q.
the terrace door Thunder, wind
and lightning are renewed and raise
the tensity. The door is opened arl
Lizzie speaks.
IF it amt human, it's dead; il
it is human, we're dead" she wails.
The unknown falls through
the doorway. He rises to his feet
and staggers into the room. He IS
a young man. There is dried blood
on his forehead His feet and bis
hands have been tied. Pieces Of
rope still dangle from his wrists and
ankles. He is dazed. He sits down.
More Mystery
Cornelia, the doctor, Dale and
Brooks are gazing in astonishment
at this new and strange figure in the
mystery when Billy, the Jap servant,
backs down the staircase. He IS
rigid.
A black bat. clear and distinct, s
spread upon the door. The Unknown
rises and looks forward, and the cur.
tain descends.
The garret of the Courtleeh
house, wherein the third act Of the
Rinehart- Hopwood drama transpires
Is as ghostly III its appearance and
atmosphere as the secret chambers
in medieval castle. One has had
ten minutes to reassemble his scat.
tered nerves when he is usnered up-
stairs to the dark and dismal lof;,
where he finds Cornela ard ths
doctor and Lizzie and the Jap ard
the others who have provided the
terror on the floor below.
1t is the unwritten law that those
who see The Bat" shan't explain the
solution of the mystery 10 those who
haven't seen. The Bat is the mur-
derer and finally surrenders in tins
top and deserted section Of tnc
House of Mystery.
L. A. Wagenhals, in reluctantly
parting with the only manuscript o'
the play extant, suggested that u
might be permissible to predict that
The Bat is not Billy, the Jap. That
means that all the rest of the cast
is under suspicion.
The blueprint leads to the hid
den room, which is reached by way
of the garret, and the million .
found there, Mr.. Nagcnhals agrees
to that
In the dark patches Of the gar
ret one sees The Bat enter ana
leave the hidden room, but ore sii'
is not sure of the identity, but the
identity comes finally, right 2. ins
edge of the play, soon after the as
covery of a second murder that ls
no older than the first crime; comes
in fact, soon after the missing n''''
lion dollars has been found IN ms
canvas bag. owned, it appears oy
Lizzie, the maid.
And, one thing more. if any TIA
up TO five minutes before the nHs'
curtain you really discover the iden-
tlty of The Bat il would be well 10
have some evidence later TO support
your claim 70 so much acumen' J
otherwise your claim will not be pe-
lieved unless you have an unususi
reputation for yeracity.
New-York tribune., 1920-10-24
More Rappings

More Rappings
OF a sudden four distinct rams
are heard from above. The candle
has been relighted and shadows
flicker against the wall. The rams
are unmistakable. Dale appears
startled. Brooks, in tense voice
and looking up at ceiling, exclaims
Some one else is looking for the
room" (The audience is doing as vol,
as can be expected.)
Brooks-Who's in this house he.
sides ourselves?
Dale--Only the detective, Aunt Cor
nelia, Lizzie and Billy.
Brooks-Billy's the JAP? b
Dale-Ycs.
Brooks--Belong to your aunt.
Dalc-No, he was CourtleiSh Flem-
ing's butler.
Brooks Clocks up at ceilinc)
was, Ell? 1t may be the Jap. If it is.
III get him Crooks goes to alcove and
exists cautiously.
The four raps from above are re-
peated slowly. Dale is left alone
her distress and anxiety are evil
dent. At last she forms a resolu-
ton. She goes to telephone.
Dale talks to Richard Courtleieh
on the telephone. She apologizes
tor the informality, but urges him
TO come over to her uncle's house.
Tor the business is most important.
Courtleigh agrees to come. Ander.
son, the detective, enters after she
has closed the conversation.
The detective lights his candle
from the lighted candle on the table
Detective-Know the Flemings?
haie--l've met Richard Fleming once
or twice.
Detective-Know the cashier of tn.
Union Bank?
Dale (a1ter pause)-No.
Detective-Fellow of good family. I
understand. Very popular. (The tele-
phone rings. Detective starts for the
house phone.)
Dale-No, the other one. That's the
house phone.
Detective-No connection with The
outside, eh?
Dale-No, just from room to room
in the house.
Detective (goine to city phone)-
heilo' hello! This line sounds
dead.
Dale-It was all right few minutes
ago.
Detective-You were using it a few
minutes ago!
Dale-Yes.
NThe city phone rings again.)
Detective-(Picking up the phone)
Yes, yes. this is Anderson 90
ahead. You're sure of that, are YOU
[ see. All right. Bye
(hangs up phone and looks at Dale in
tently) Did l understand you to say
that you are not acquainted with the
cashier of the Union Bank?
That was headquarters, Miss Ogden.
They have found some letters In
Bsiley's room which seem to indsests
New-York tribune., 1920-10-24

volver and points toward the alcove.
The man without unlocks the door
and enters. 1t is Richard Fleming
whom she had sent for. She drops
the revolver.
Dale has one great object in send
ing for this man at midnight. She
cherlshes the hope that this man,
nephew of the banker who built this
house, knows of a blueprint that may
lead to the discovery of the hidden
room, if, indeed, Richard Fleming
doesn't know of the hidden room
without blueprint. But he has
never heard Of the hidden room. He
IS the custodian Of the house and he
has his key to it, that's all; but the
theory of the, hidden room interests
him. He readily agrees to help look
for the blueprint, and it is evident
to the audience that he knows where
to find it.
Blueprint Is Found
And he does find it, back of row
of ancient books in an isolated
corner.
Dale asks for it but Fleming de-
clares his intention of finding the
money himself. Dale follows him
with a revolver in her hand. There
is struggle during which the print
is torn, then revolver shot and
Fleming falls dead. The others rush
in.
Dale-oh, I didn't do it! I didn',
do it!
Detective examining body)-He's
dead. (Picks up revolver and looks at
it. Then to Dale) Who is he?
Dale-Richard Fleming Somebody
shot him. Somebody on the staircase.
Lizzie (hystericallyl- told you l
saw somebody 60 up that staircase
CorneliavThat's the only explana-
ton, Mr. Anderson
Detective-Ive been all over the
house. There's nobody there.
(The house phone rings. A pause
Cornelia takes phone and turns.l
Cornelia-The house phone! Cooks
at others) But we're all here! (They
all stand, listening rigidly) Hello,
hello! (Cornelia gasps. An express
sion of horror comes over her face
The curtain slowly falls.)
The master tricksters of the drama
who builded "The Bat" have put their
audience in a hole with this smash
ing climax. The printed program
says there will be an intermission of
five minutes, but Moresco patrons
aren't seeking an intersaission. The
New-York tribune., 1920-10-24

WE ARE going to uolae confidence. Those 1cho see "Ths
Bot asked not to tell others the identity Of the cersr
criminal We going to do corse, Snoring hs
picture Of course ou ac recognise him at once her
you him IN the pldy
New-York tribune., 1920-10-24
DETECTIVE playa blood
curdling mystery melo-
= drama, employing all the

AA oAAAos CAApAOSAi1S Oh CUS
trick devices of the mod
%rn stage-is presented each eve
King at the Morosco to as many
persons as can be jammed into that
theater, and it holds them in it's grip
for nearly three hours.
This play produces the thrilling
and the unexpected at short inter-
vals from the time the curtain rises
until the last minute of the final
tableau, and if it were not for COM
edy relief emotional and cXcitahle
men and women would be il peril
Of Mysteries.
Mary Roberts Rinehart, master
(or mistress) of the detective story,
and Avery Hopwood. the genius of
surprise situations, joined their
talents in this production, which
Wagenhals e. Kemper renamed
"The Bat" and the skilled trickery
and battling mystery of the drama
not only hold spectators at the Mo
rosco spellbound, but the startling
and astonishing denouement, ar
riving in the very last moments of
the play, leaves its patrons in a
state of agitation that they don't en-
tirely shake off for hours
New-York tribune., 1920-10-24

4 ND then there is Bailey,
4 the missing cashier (Stu-
art ISage), disguised as
Brooks, the gardener, dis
covered IN the attic by Miss
Van Gardner (EHe Eusler).
The missing million dollars
Is M the bag. The bag is
Llzzie':s
New-York tribune., 1920-10-24

tiously and entered just as Cornelia
and Anderson depart.
Dale Gin a whisper) BE careful!
That mans detective.
Brooks Then they've traced me
here.
Dale i don't think so.
Brooks But the police here what
does that mean?
Dale Aunt Cornelia says people
nave been trying to break into this
house for a week-at night.
Brooks declares that proves the
stolen money is concealed in the
house in hidden room, and he goes
rapplng about in an effort to locate
the room.
New-York tribune., 1920-10-24
Warming Letters

The audience takes a fresh hold
on the arms of the upholstered
chairs. 1t plants its feet solidly. 1t
looks grimly ahead. 1t awaits the
coming Of Anderson, the city detec-
tive summoned by Cornelia to solve
the mystery of the notes.-the notes
that urge her to quit this house and
go back to town. Who is the person
or group of persons so eager to have
this house vacated? The million
dollars must be hidden there. And
what can The Bat possibly have to
Go with these speculations? Who is
he? Is he the japanese butler, still
serving in the house after more than
twenty years in the employ of Court
reigh? Is The Bat Richard Flenl-
ing, the nephew Of the banker? Is
he the polite Dr.. Wells, who brought
Dale, the niece, home from the Coun-
try Club dance? Or the lawyer, the
friend of young Courtleigh, the
bankers nephew? Or an unknown?
The Bat must figure in this drama
That's the title Of the play. But
how and why? And where is he? |
Tho reader Of these lines should |
New-York tribune., 1920-10-24

THE UNKNOWN played
by Robert. VoAghn, con-
ducts himself Il an mer-
pected and suspicious man.
ner IN the second act. Euery-
body else has been ander
susp1c1on,; noaO our suspi-
clONS turn to him
New-York tribune., 1920-10-24
Can You Pick The Bat?

t You Succeed You Can alfy as Sherlock Hoes, as
Almost Nobody Solves the Mystery Before the Final
Curtain Of This Nerve 1mgImg Detective Play by Mrs.
Rinehart and Avery Hopwood at the Morosco Theatre
New-York tribune., 1920-10-24
The Bats Shadow

The audience is following the de-
tectlve's cross-examination of the
girl. 1t verges on the third degree
Then the doorbell rings. There is
noise of a scuffle and Dr.. Wells
comes IN. 1t appears that he wasn't
upstairs when the murder was done.
And yet, is one sure that he wasn't?
The house telephone rings. The
detective takes the phone.
Detective-Hello, hello (hangs up
phone). There's nobody there.
Where's that Jap?
Cornelia-He just went out.
Detective-That Jap rung that
phone. Miss Van Gorder believes that
this murder is the elimination of the
series of mysterious happenings which
caused her to send for me- do not.
Cornelia-Then what is the signifi-
canoe of the anonymous letters? Of
the man Lizzie saw going up the stairs :?
Of the attempt to break into the house :?
OF the ringing Of that telephone bell :?
Detective deliberately y)-Terroriza
ton.
Doctor-By whom?
Detective-I imagine by Miss Van
Gorder's own servants. By that wom-
an (points to Lizzie) who probably
writes the letters. By the gardener.
New-York tribune., 1920-10-24
Ouija Is Consulted


Ouija Is Consulted
Miss Cornelia Van Gorder,
spinster, and Lizzie, her elderly
maid, are discovered when the cur
tain rises on the first act, and
while ghostly feeling creeps on one
when the thunder is heard from
without and the electric lights begin
Pickering, calling for the suggestion
that candles will have to be substi-
tuted, the real tensity enters when
Miss Cornelia calls for the ouija
board to determine what the rap
pings and the mystery of the pre-
vious evenings mean, why some of
the servants have departed and why
she has been receiving mysterious
notes, warning her to vacate the
premises.
Ordinarily, no one outside of
Patience Worth believes the ouija
board, but it serves it's purpose in
this drama, and after various wild
maneuverings ouija goes to B, and
then to A, and then to T.
Miss Cornelia, pondering deeply
and wisely, calls for newspaper
and reads aloud a headline:
police Again Baffled by The
Bat"
She proceeds to the text:
"This unique criminal, known in
the underworld as The Bat, has long
baffled the police. The record of his
crimes shows him to be endowed
with almost diabolical ingenuity. So
far there is no clew to his indentity,
but Anderson, city detective, to-day
said:
"'We must cease combing the
criminal world for The Bat and look
higher. He may be merchant, a
lawyer, a jockey--honored in his
community by day and at night a
bloodthirsty assassin"
The audience sets itself. 1t has
heard the preliminary story from
Cornelia. She has rented that house
for u period of four months from the
nephew of Courtleigh Fleming, a
banker, who is supposed to have re-
Gently died in Colorado. This was
Courtieigh Fleming's house, and ir
the bank where Courtleigh Fleming
had served as president deficit OF
a million dollars has been discovered
Where is the million? Is it in this
particular house? That is one thing
the audience can reasonably expect
It is.
Warming Letters
The Prescott daily news., 1920-04-16
PAY DISCOVERED INADEQUATE

One of the important matters being
 |ought to the attention of the peo-
 by the Inter-church World Move
 lent is the inadequate pay of the bmistry.
 Statistics which have been compil- 6 show that the average salary paid be pastors of Arkansas is $564 a lear, or an average of only $3.34 paid
 N each communicant for the sup |mt of the ministry. There are IS bat receive less than $500 a year. he report shows none receiving more han $5,OO0, although it is believed hat there are one or two receiving hat mach or more, as there have been kme notable salary increases in Lit |e Rock recently. The survey being bade shows that many pastors must |epend upon other sources of reve- |ue for their livlihood.
The Prescott daily news., 1920-04-16
INNOUNCEMENTS

ror County and Probate Clerk
 rlo % News is authorized to announce
 Iin lis billiard as a candidate for Coun-
 sd ,s Probate Clerk of Nevada Coun-
 sa saa"hiect to the action of the Demo- Lstic % primary election. |rbe News is authorized to announce
 .ast t q. Steed as candidate for
 nrtv nut and Probate Clerk of Nevada
 unty u subject othe action of the g@mocratic moe primary election. For Tax Assessor |rbe News is authorized to announce | q iLunn) Woosley as a candidate . Assessor of Nevada County, sub- |.t to the action of the Democratic Emary election.
 The News is authorized to an- Bunce R. w. (Bob) Davis as a can Kate for Tax Assessor of Nevada |un.y, subject to the action of the primary cict'on.
The Prescott daily news., 1920-04-16
Keeping Country Boy on Farm.

"The intent of congress in passing the federal farm loan act was not to bring the city boy back to the country, as some seem to think, because the congress, having in its membership goodly number of men who sprang from the farm, was fully aware that 1t was folly to expect the city man to succeed in the country. Rather it was the intent of congress to keep the country boy on the farm by making farming sufficiently profitable to be at tractive to an ambitious man of brains, energy and vision. I mention this be- cause some people seem to feel that the millennium will come the moment we can get the city boy headed for the farm. Farmers, however, know better. They know that the success ful, efficient farmer must be made from the country-raised boy. And all know that there will be enough farm CTS, when farming is made profitable and country life is made attractive. Neither can be accomplished unless adequate farm credit can be had all the time and on reasonable terms"