Charlevoix county herald., 1920-04-09

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him into the apartment and kept him
there until the arrival Of the police.
Little is known at the Granddeck
about young Nelson. and he stubborn
ly refuses to make any statement
about himself. He was employed only
few days ago by Rufus CASTOR as
caretaker for his apartment AS Mr..
CASTOR Is absent from the city II can
not be learned how he happened to
give Nelson employment. The police
believe he may have obtained the POI
sition through false references In or
der to gain an opportunity to loot the
apartments In the building.
Superintendent Wick had ascer-
tanned that Nelson was once employed
by shipping firm In the Wall street
district but had been discreditably
discharged. His former employer con-
tirmed this. but would say nothing
| about Nelson beyond stating that he
had been discharged for cause.
Although Nelson was not over well
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 Granddeck. reported that
only the night before Nelson had taken
her to dinner, ordering champagne and
hiring taxicabs, and had tried to pump
her about the tenants In the building.
The one fact that stuck out In the
NH nln thot ~ I'm.
pprtance to me was the fact that Wick
had Informed the police that ! had
been discreditably 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 l was sure she had not revealed
II to anyone.
1t was indubitable proof to 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 en-
ployment was. Evidently the plot to
discredit me had begun the day ] ar
rived ut the Granddeck. ! had been
discharged on account of some mystic
rious note my employer had received.
began now to 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
why7 That was the puzzle.
AS pondered over It decided that
my chance meeting with Barbara Brad
ford in the park had upset the plans
Of a blackmailing band, and that they
were avenging themselves on me for
my unwilling part. l was certain that
Wick and Lefty Moore's wife were In
| connivance with them, and that the
gang possibly included Claire Brad
| ford's ex-husband. Wick had a pass
key that enabled him to enter the Luz
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.
I was positive about that He had
not been out of. my sight for single
moment from the time that we had dis
covered the body. The only way that
It seemed possible to involve him In
that was on the theory Of a prear-
ranged plot to make me appear the
murderer. Was II possible that Claire
Bradford had participated In this?
! knew she had been In my rooms 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
grufiy.
As came out I was again shackled
| and led to the patrol wagon that was
waiting. / had supposed that I was
being taken to court to be 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 to 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 I was hopeful that they might
fail to Identify me II they read any
thing about me.
When everything that might serve to
identify me had been recorded, I was
taken into a large room where perhaps
half a hundred men were assembled.
most Of them wearing masks. looked
about with curiosity. / had read Of
this ceremony. was being "lined up"
before the members of the city's detec-
tive force to see II any Of them could
identify me and to give them an oppor
tunity to familiarize themselves with
my features In case 1t should ever be
necessary to arrest me again.
"Never saw him before" I heard
one of them say. "Guess he must be
a western crook"
Hes no amateur" said another.
"That job up at the Granddeck was
done by a professional"
| Many sighting comments were