The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1922-04-21
True
Detective Stories
FOURTH DECREE


THERE was but little doubt in the
mind of Thomas Byrnes, superin-
tendent of police in New York
city. that Louis Hanier had been MUIR
dered for the sake of the money that
he was carrying with him at the time.
The little Frenchman had been the
proprietor Of cafe, and, having
fear of the banks Of America, had the
habit of carrying hundreds of dollars
In his wallet until the opportunity pre-
sented itself of purchasing an inter-
national money order.
One morning he was found dead in
the vestibule Of his home, .3S cali
Der bullet through his heart, and his
pOcketbook missing.
That was all Byrnes had to work
upon, for there were no indications
whatever of the persons who had COM
mitted the crime. The dispatch with
which the matter had been handled.
appeared to point to a professional
criminal, so Byrnes gave orders that
all the pawnshops in New York were
to be closely watched, and reports
made to him of the pawning Of any
.38 caliber revolvers.
Investigation of the dozen or more
.3S's pawned during the week which
followed the Hanier shooting, showed
that all but one of them had been
pledged by persons who very evident
~ had no connection with the murder.
The single exception was one Michael
McGloin, whom the pawnbroker in
question identified by means Of his
photograph in the Rouges' gallery.
McGlOin's gun had been pawned on
the morning after the murder, and,
while the police had little difficulty
in locating the man himself, there was
not shred of evidence to connect
him with the Hanier case, beyond the
fact that he had been absent from
home on the night of the shooting in
the company Of four of his boon COM
panions.
Quietly, and without allowing u
word of his intentions to leak out,
Byrnes rounded up the quintet one
at a time, none Of them knowing that
the others were being arrested. Each
of them was lodged in cell by him
self and questioned closely as to his
actions and his whereabouts at the
time Of the murder. In spite of the
fact that Byrnes had definite infOr-
nation that the five men had been to-
gether, each Of them told different
story, and each claimed to have been
alone, at a considerable distance from
the Hanier house.
''It's no use, inspector" said one Of
the policemen who had been working
" on the case about a week after the
five men had been picked up, you
can't get thing out of em. They
know, all right, but you can't convict
any of 'em without confession-and
we've tried everything, including the
third degree"
"very WE'LL" said Byrnes quietly,
"we'l have to try sthe fourth degree"
Fourth degree? What's that?"
Just little way of getting at the
truth when a man wants to hold out
on you," was Byrnes' answer You
think there's no doubt that McGloin's
the man? Have him brought to this
Office tomorrow morning, promptly at
ten o'clock"
At the time specified, McGloin, sui
len and resentful at what he claimed
was an illegal detention, walked into
the inspectors Office, alone. Had he
been interested in such details, he
might have noted that Byrnes was
seated so that he could watch the
window of his Office which looked out
upon corridor, and also keep an eye
upon the occupant of the only chair
in the room, bolted to the floor in
front of the desk. But McGloin wasn't
worrying about such trifles. He was
there to demand his release, and he
told the inspector so in no measured
terms.
That's all right, McGloin," replied
Byrnes. "Sit down minute. I've
several things TO attend to-" and he
mOtioned to the chair, placed so that
it too commanded a view of the cor
TiuoI WiAuoW. uolHcHl latcr Tie
Office door opened and man came in.
Byrnes, watching the gunman closely,
saw that he was barely able to sup
press a start-for the visitor was the
pawnbroker with whom McGloin had
pledged his revolver Without saying
word, the pawnbroker crossed the
room, laid McGloin's gun on the in
spectors desk and walked out.
Meat little boy" remarked Byrnes,
picking up the revolver. Ever see
it before?"
Never" growled McGloin.
81 thought not" was the reply. ITS
the gun that Hanier, the Frenchman,
was shot with. We've finally got a
limo on that caSn after rrorl,inor on il