The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1923-04-18

| AS wanted 10 interview Lawrence
next, the editor accompanied me In
his car to point out the building where
Lawrence had his Office. Here he left
me, saying that if / would call at hii
Office In about an hour, he would have
the back files Of the newspaper
wanted ready for me-"
Lawrence's Office was on the second
floor of brick building, and his door
bore the sign Law Office" At a
desk, reading a newspaper, was man
Of about forty-fve, with a very thin,
nervous face. He threw down the
paper and eyed me questioningly.
When I told him that Slyke was dead
and that l had come to learn about
his Interview with him, he moved I'M
easily in his chair; but when l added
that we believed that Slyke had been
murdered, and that as far as we knew
alive, he was absolutely unnerved.
could see that, until l mentioned the
word murder, he had thought that
Slyke had committed suicide. For a
second l wondered If, after all, he had
not had something to do with the
crime.
Taking a chair by his side, / said,
You were the last person, SO far as
we can discover, to see Mr.. Slyke
alive. We know that you stayed for
a few moments only, and that he him
self asked that you remain. AS you
ha 10 CT 70 o1f
are much interested in what you can
tell us of how he acted. Did he seem
nervous or upset?"
My question did not make the man
by my side any easier. He answered
quickly, In a high-pitched voice that
broke several times, II did stay; but
the other men will tell you that I was
going home with them until Slyke
asked me to wait a moment. 1 had
no idea beforehand what he wanted.
wish to God l had gone with the
rest. Some id fool will say killed
him"
1t was just what some people would
say, when 1t became public that the
butler had not heard Sykes voice
again after Lawrence's departure. But
for myself, I could not connect guilt
with the thin, nervous figure beside
me.
what did he want to see you
aboutY' I asked.
Lawrence flushed, then half grinned,
as he answered, "He asked me If !
wanted to buy some Scotch whisky"
BUY some whisky? repeated In
Eyes, 1t seems foolish, doesn't lit
But that's what he wanted to see me
about he said he had lots more than
he needed, and that he could let me
have five cases."
1 said nothing, trying to digest this
information. had been
what 1t was that Slyke
wanted to see Lawrence about, and
had even made several guesses; but
never in my widest Imagination had
supposed that 1t was about whisky.
could understand why Lawrence
should want to buy it, for good whis-
" is hard to get; but why Slyke, pre-
iumed to be r:ch man, should want |
o sell five cases was beyond my o1m-
He saw my surprise and said, ut |
Ices seem strange. I was surprised
myself. I had heard that he had lot
f booze; but we were not the closest
f friends, and nowadays a man lets
is liquor go only to his pals. The
nan who will let you have five cases
f whisky is a pretty good friend"
I smiled at his answer. He was
light. People with imported liquor
7ere not giving 1t away. And what
-as more, few men of Sykes position
-ere selling their private stock.
HE told me-" Lawrence continued,
that he had a great deal more than
e could USE and that he would sell
lie some for one hundred dollars a
ase. That's pretty cheap for i'm
orted stuff"
"And then you left him?" 1 asked.
Eyes. He told me he was not go
g to bed yet. Said someone was
,ming In about half-past one"
Here was a new piece of evidence.
yke, then, had not gone to bed after
awrence left, but had waited up for
me other visitor. 1t was curious,
say the least. One o'clock in the ;
orning is not a usual hour for re- :
living callers.
Have you any idea who 1t was?'
mo-" he said, shaking his head, 81 h
went the least idea. AS I was =
arting to go he said, Stay awhile.
q expecting a man about two, and
We to wait up for him That's all -
know about it." r
1t was not much of a clue, still it
Is better than nothing 1t did estab-
h the fact that there had been
income else with Slyke that night. r.
AT is, If he were telling the truth. 4,
e burning question in my mind was,
10 was that second person? Was he
: one who had killed Slyke? The ~
is seemed to favor 1t. Lawrence 10
little further information to give =
/. He said that Slyke had not been
,ecialy nervous, nor had he acted
e a man afraid of anything.
tn h,,f or