Evening star., 1922-02-09
IT M willing to wager you a box
of cigars that you don't know
the most fascinating story in

ing with 1Our or IlFe newspapers
was in the habit of reading to see
whether they had beaten the Star in
getting any news of Importance.
"Ill bet i do" 1 said, 'for l was
one of about dozen who worked it
up. It's the Shaw murder trial.
There isn't another that's even a bad
second"
I'm afraid the cigars will be on
you, Walter. Crowded over on the
second page by a lot of stale sensa-
ton that every one has read for the
fiftieth time, now, you will find what
promises to be a real sensation, a
curious half-column account of the
sudden death of John G. Fletcher"
1 laughed. Craig" 1 said. when
you put up a simple death from
apoplexy against a murder trial, and
such murder trial-well, YOU dis
appoint me-thar's AL"
rs it simple case of apoplexy?"
he asked, pacing up and down the
room, while l wondered why he
should grow excited over what seem
ed very ordinary news item, after
all. Then he picked up the paper
JOHN G. FLETCHER. STEEL
MAGNATE, DIES SUDDENLY
Safe Open, But Large Sum of Cash
Untouched.
John Graham Fletcher. the aged
philanthropist and steelmaker, was
found dead in his library this morn
Great Neck, L. I. Strangely, the
safe in the library, in which he kept
his papers and a large sum of cash,
was found opened. but, as far as
could be learned nothing is missing.
1t had always been MIR. Fletcher.s
custom to rise. at z o'clock; rms
morning his housekeeper became
alarmed when he had not appeared
by o'clock. Listening at the door,
she heard no sound. 1t was not
locked. and on entering she found the
former steel magnate lying lifeless
on the floor between his bedroom and
the library adjoining. His personal
physician, DR.. w. &. Bryant, was I'M
mediately notified.
Close examination of the body re-
vealed that his face was slightly dis
colored. and the cause of death was
given by the physician as apop!eXy.
He had evidently been dead about
eight or nine hours when discovered.
Mr.. Fletcher is survived by a
nephew, John G. Fletcher. I'd, who is
the Blake professor of bacterioiogy
at the university, and by grand
niece, Miss Helen Bond. Prof. Fletch-
er was Informed of the sad occur
renee shortly after leaving class
this morning and hurried out to
Fletcherwood. He would make no
statement other than that he was in
eXpreSSibly shocked. Miss Bond, who
has for several years resided with
relatives. Mr.. and Mrs. Francis Green
t~f hNy. Il,
shock.
walter" added Kennedy. as he
laid down the paper and, without any
more sparring, came directly TO the
point, there was something missing
from that safe
l had no need to express the in
terest l now really felt. and Kennedy
hastened to take advantage of It.
Just before you came in," he con-
tinued. Jack Fletcher called me up
from Great Neck. You probably don't
know it, but it has been privately
university that old Fletcher was to
leave the bulk of his fortune to found
a great school of preventive medicine,
and that the only proviso was that
his nephew should be dean of the
school: The professor told me over
the wire that the will was missing
from the safe. and that it was the
only thing missing. From his ex-
citement 1 judge that there is more
to the story than he cared TO tell
over the phone. He said his car was
on on the way to the city. and he asked
he wouldn't Say how Nov, I knew
MIN pretty well. and I'm soin:. to ask
you to come along, Walter, for tIe
express purpose of keeping this thing
out Of the pers-unuerstardo ;
-until We get to the bottom of it."
tno 1ofa
rang and the hallboy announced thai
the car was waiting. We hurried
down to it; the chauffeur lounped
down carelessly into his seat and we
were Off across the city and river and
out on the road to Great Neck with
amazing speed.
Already I began to feel something
OF kennedy's zest for the adventure.
found myself half a dozen time on
the point of hazarding a suspicion.
only to relapse again into silence at
the inscrutable look on Kennedy's
race: Wnat was the mystery that
awaited US in the great lonely house
on Long Island?
We found Fletcherwood a splendid
estate directly on the bay, with a
long driveway leading up to the door
Prof. Fletcher met US at the porte
eochere. e and I was glad to note that
tar from taking me as an intruder, he
seemed rather relieved that some one
who understood the ways of the
newspapers could stand between him
and any reporters who might possibly
drop in.
He ushered us directly into the IL
brary and closed the door. 1t seemed
as if he could scarcely wait to tell
his story.
Kennedy" he began, almost trem-
bling with excitement, "look at that
Tt H.
through in such a way as to break
the combination. 1t was a heavy
door, closely fitting and it was the
best kind of small safe that the state
| of the art had produced. Yet clearly
it had been tampered with, and sue
| cracksman. who had apparently ac-
| complished the impossible? 1t was no
ordinary hand and brain which had
executed this "job.'
| Fletcher swung the door wide and
pointed to little compartment in
| mied open. Then out of it he care
! fully lifted steel box and deposited
! it on the library table.
II suppose everybody has been
handling that boxT' asked Craig
/ quickly.
lures. Il thought of that, Kennedy
| he said. Il remembered what you
| once told me about finger prints.
Only myself has touched it, and I was
! careful to take hold of it only on the
sides. The will was placed in this
box, and the key to the box was
| usually in the lock, Well, the will is
| gone. That's all; nothing else was
| touched. But for the life Of mo ]
| can't find a mark on the box, not a
| finger mark. Now on a hot and hu-
| mid summer night like last night ]
should say it was pretty likely that
1 apv ono fonchinr this metal hoy