Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1923-02-09

two cards we had found in the tower
and motioned to me to join him.
As reached Bartley's side. he
asked me to count the cards on the
table | did SO and found the pack
was two cards short. AS I finished,
he handed me the two cards that we
had found upstairs saying, Look at
these"
| scanned the two cards he gave
me and then those on the table. The
pack was an ordinary one, such as is
sold for a dollar. Not only the de-
signs on the backs were the same, but
the texture of the cardboards as well.
do you realize what that shows?"
asked BARLEY.
THAT the cards we found in the
tower are from the pack on this
table"
Yes They may have been dropped
up there by the murderer or they
may lave been placed there to make
us believe that someone in the poker
party had committed the crime"
"Why couldn't it have been DONE"
/ suggested, "by someone in the
party?"
He was thoughtful for a second or
two, then slowly shook his head. "Of
course, it might have been, but I think
hat the odds are against it. This is
no ordinary crime, though some one
wanted us to think it was a common
place suicide. The criminal was
afraid however, that we might dis
cover it to be murder and prepared
for that emergency"
How do you make that out| j
asked, astonished
IAN ordinary criminal" - BARLEY
spoke so softly that Miss Potter could
not hear-"would never have taken
all the trouble involved in undressing
Slyke and placing him in bed. That
was intended to give the idea of sui
eide; but, as the murderer knew there
was chance of some one suspecting
that it was murder, he took the cards
from the table and placed them where
we could find them. He knew that the
finding of cards in the tower would
throw suspicion upon everyone pres
ent at the game. 1t is to me only an
additional link in evidence that proves
1t was not suicide"
Roche returned, bringing with him
the butter, three women and d boy.
None of them could give us any in
formation of value. BARLEY soon dis
| missed them
After they had gone, BARLEY turned
to the boy who, from the excited way
he was wriggling, evidently wanted
to say something. 1t came out with
an eagerness that was almost laugh
able.
Il heard a gun last night" he cried.
"YOu didY asked BARLEY, startled
for a second.
The boy nodded eagerly.
yes, sir. Last night, sir"
BARLEY placed his hand on the
boys shoulder. where were you
when you heard the shot? What time
was it?'
'Well, sir" the boy began, "you see,
l work out in the garage, wash the
cars and such things. l sleep over it
and eat in the kitchen. Last night
you know, we had the big car out to
take some of the gentlemen home that
were at the card party. When the
chauffeur got back l washed the car"
The chauffeur? We stared inquir-
ingly at each other, and BARLEY said
sharply to Roche, "Where is hep
Roche looked confused and shame
faced, then hurried from the room,
and BARLEY resumed his examination
of the boy.
"You said you were washing the
car. What then?"
Eyes, sir. | was washing the car.
1t was after twelve o'clock and 1t
took some time. Then 1 smoked a
cigar man had given me and went
to bed Just after | crawled in, about
half-past one, / guess heard a shot.
Not very loud, but it was a shot, all
right"
where did it seem to come from?"
BARLEY asked.
The boy scratched his head for a
moment and looked a bit foolish as
he replied, IT'S funny, but 1t seemed
to be up in the air near the house"
BARLEY threw me q quick glance
This fitted in with his theory that
Slyke had been killed on the balcony
of the tower. If that theory was right
and the shot that the boy had heard
was the one that had killed Slyke, he
would naturally think that the sound
came from the air. 1 wondered If
the boy could tell us anything else
of value.
did you get out of bed to see if
you could discover where the shot
came fromY'
"No, sir, I did not; but, if l had
known that Mr.. Slyke had killed him
self, you bet your life I would
From his answer I judged that the
servants did not yet know that their
employer had been murdered. At least,
this boy did not know. He had told
us all he knew about the crime and
was soon sent from the room. Only
Miss Potter and the butler now re-
manned to be examined.