Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-01-27
THE E7EMPLEMURDER
4 Detective Story by J. S. Fletcher

justify, Breton's prognostication. He
loosely built, middle aged man. yellow
hair, blue of eye, who was wearing his
sunday best array Of pearl gray trou
sers and black coat, and sported q neck
Tie IN which were several distinct col
ors. Oppressed with the splendor and
grandeur of the Watchman building. bc
had removed his hard billycock hat rs
ne followed the boy and ducked his bare
mead at the two young men as he step :
PED on to the thick pile of the Garnet
winch made luxurious footing in Spar
COS room. His blue eyes, opened to their
widest, looked round him in astonish :
,ient at the sumptuousness of modern
newspaper Office accommodation.
HOW do you do, sir?" said Spargo
pointing finger to one of the easy ;
chairs for which the Watchman Office is
famous II understand that you wish
to see me?" "''n
The caller ducked his yellow head
again, sat down on the edge of the chair.
put his hat on the floor, picked il mn
ngain and endcavored to hang it on his
Knee and looked at Spargo innocentiy
and shyly.
What | want to see, sir" he OBJ
served in rustic accent, "is the gen
tleman as wrote that piece in your
newspaper about this here murder in
Middle Temple lane
You see him." said Spargo. 81 am
that man."
The caller generously.
Indeed, sir?' he said. "a very nice
bit of reading, I'm sure. And what
might your name be, now, sir? can
always talk freezer to a man when |
tvh n hia ,,,
80 can !, :" answered Spargo. my
name is Spargo-Frank Spargo. What's
yours?"
Name of Webster, sir-William
Webster. farm at One Ash farm, at
Gosberton, in Oakshire. Me and my
wife, continued Mr.. Webster, again
smiling and distributing his smile be-
tween both his hearers. ''is at present
in London on holiday. And very
pleasant we find it-weather and all. .
That's right said Spargo "And
YOU wanted to see me about this mur-
der. Mr.. Nyebster?"
II did sir. Me. believe, knowing.
as l think, something that'll do for you
to put in your paper. You see, Mr..
Spargo, it come about in this fashion
happen you'll be for me to tell it in
my own way"
cisely what / DESIRE
"Well to be sure. / couldn't tell it
in no other" declared Mr.. Webster.
You see, sir, read your paper this
morning while | was waiting for my
breakfast-they take their breakfasts so
late in them hotels-and when I'd read
it and looked at the pictures, I says
TO my wife AS soon as I've had my
breakfast I says, I'm going to where
they print this newspaper to tell 'em
something Aye? she says. Why.
what have you to tell, I should like to
know just like that, Mr.. Spargo."
Mrs. Webster" said Spurgo, lis
lady of business like principles. And
what have you to tell?"
Mr.. Webster looked into the crown
of his hat. looked out of it and smiled
"Well, SIR" he continued, last
night my wife, she went out to a part
they call Clapham, to take her tea and
supper with an old friend of hers as
lives there, and as they wanted to have
a bit of woman talk, like, ] didn't 60.
So thinks I to myself I'll 60 and see
this here House of Commons. There
was neighbor of mine as had told me
that all you d got to do was to tell the
policeman at the door that you wanted
to see your own member of Parliament.
So when ! got there I told 'em that
wanted to see our NJ. p. Mr.. Stonewood
you'll have heard tell Of him, no
doubt; he knows me very well--and
they passed me and wrote out u ticket
for him, and they told me to sit down
while they found him. So sat down
in a grand sort of hall where there were
a rare lot of people going and coming
and some fine pictures and images to
look at, and for time looked at them
and then began to take bit of notice
If the folk near at hand, waiting, you
know, like myself. Ard as sure as I'm
a christened man, sir, the gentleman
whose picture you've got in your paper
him as was murdered-was sitting
next to me! / knew that picture as
soon as / saw it this morning."
Spargo, who had been making un
meaning scribbles on a block of paper,
suddenly looked at his visitor.
"What time was that?" he asked.
''It was between quarter and half
past 8. sir answered Mr.. Webster.
''It might ha' been twenty past-it |
might ha been twenty five past"
"Go on, if you please said Spargo. |
"Well, sir. me and this here dead
gentleman talked bit. About what a |
ong time it took to get a member to
attend to you, and such like. | made
mention of the fact that / hadn't been
In there before. Neither have L" he
says y came in out of curiosity he
says, and then he laughed, sir-queer
ike. And it was just after that that
what I'm going to tell you about hap
pened."
"Tell," commanded Spargo.