Evening star., 1923-01-27

NO. IL lS lOCkeQ anu mas Deeu care
fully guarded. Shall we go right
RenniSon and Towndrow nodded as
sent Coughlin beckoned to two men
who were seated on one of the sofas
pseam sas ana 1se S his pnys
clan. Both were known to Rennison
and Towndrow. They shook hands
perfunctorily and then ascended in
an elevator to tho fourth floor.
On chair near the door of room
415 sat a plain clothes" policeman.
Another stood near a window at the
end OF the hall. Coughlin drew q key
from one Of his pockets, opened the
door, and the Ave men filed in.
CHAPTER V.
Sealed Lips.
After following his four companions
into the room. Coughlin closed and
locked the door. All removed their
hats and looked around them.
The hrst object that held their gaze
was the figure Of man lying on the
hoor-a man still youthful. a little
below medium height and of frail
physique. The hair was brown and
turned face was clean shaven. The
body was attired in neatly fitting
suit Of blue serge, a pink silk shirt.
white collar, black tie, pink socks and
low tan shoea
He looks more like a dry goods
clerk or summer boarder than naval
man." Coughlin muttered.
Rennison glanced sharply at Town.
drow. who had not told him how much
the local detective knew concerning
Channing's visit to washington"
He was not a naval man." Town
drow answered. shortly.
We'll, Coughlin, how far have you
got?" Rennison inquired. abruptly:
Not very far. captain" replied the
detective. TT doesn't look much like
somebody left here in the devil of
hurry. Tho lock was turned before
the door was closed by some one who
made OF with the key"
The gaze of Rennison now was
resting on a nat straw hat which lay
and a window.
That's his hat, I suppose" he said.
How did 1t get there?"
It's Just where I found it. captain,
when hrst came into the room"
Rennison strode toward it. picked
1t UP, turned down the inner band,
and with the point Of his knife
loosened and drew open the silk lin
ing inside the top.
Hes neat-iooking fellow-so
suspect him Of having tho habit of
tossing his hat to the ioor." Rennison
muttered.
He might have had it on his head
when he fell and II might have rolled
80 It might" Rennison assented.
Towndrow, who had been gazing at
the body, glanced sharply toward the
captain. In whose tone there was
something that impressed him as
significant. Rennison replaced the
the position 1t had been when he first
observed 1t. His manner indicated
that in Il he had found nothing that
held his interest The Secret Service
man looked curiously at the hat. then
floor until 1t came again to tho body
at his fost He glanced again at the
hat. then At Rennison.
TT the man fell here. II Is unlikely
that the hat. falling from his head.
would have rolled to that side Of the
bed, OF course" Towndrow said. "It
is not improbable, however, that he
was standing near the window when
he first was stricken. and that he
staggered to where he fell
you are quite right. Towndrow,"
Rennison answered with q nod.
We'll, gentlemen. II there Is no OBJ
lection. We will proceed to an ex-
OF the body" said the cor
oner. Have you any suggestion to
make before we beEin?" /
might be handed TO 0s for
examination as 1t is removed" Renni-
SON replied.
Coroner Discum, nodding, turned to
awei, Dr. AIbertson, let us get to
he said. Addressing Rennison.
he went on: you will understand,
gentlemen, that this preliminary ex-
is made here at the request
Of Detective CouEhlin. who has ex-
urgent police requirements I should
prefer to conduct the autopsy in the
morning. II, however, you think 1t
that 1t be performed to-
Il would suggest that 1t be per-
"It will be done, then. as soon as
we get the body to the morgue."
In reply to a question, Coughlin
explained to Rennison that all papers
he had examined had been returned
by him to the pockets in which they
were found, and that he had but
toned the vest In the manner in which
IL had been when he first saw 1.-THE |
top button being in the second but |
tonhole.
AS each garment was taken from
the body by tho physician, who was
aided by Coughlin, 1t was passed to |
Rennison. The papers taken from
the pockets were few. There were |
six ietterA One was from Horsford, ,
directing its recipient to visit Wash |
friend. and four others were commu-
nications from manufacturing firms
which. apparently, had been filling |
certain orders placed with them by |
In q black pockstbook was found |
m nf tot tnf fr
\ list of business firms. whose names
appeared on two of the letters Also |
In the pocketbook were $3.50 in bills, |
cards bearing the dead mans |
name, some receipts for money paid. |
four blank checks on a New York
peared to have no connection with |
She visit to Warrington. The gold !
watch and fob chain were in place, |
as was also q handsome silver cigar |
cite case Other articles. such as a
fountain pan. a bunch Of keys. a silver !
and a pair Of folding scis- !
sors. were inconseQuential. |
OF all the articles found, that which |
appeared to interest Rennison most |
was . pocketbook OF soft red Turkish |
leather. This had the appearance of !
newness, and was found in one of the |
inside pockets Of the coat. 1t was
empty. but. while the neither garments |
were being removed from the body, /,
Rennison took the pocketbook to a |
window. There. after carefully in
specttng 1t, he raised 1t to his nostrils.
Inside the pooketbook were three |
panels and q panel-like f1ap. The
side panels were of green pressed |
morocco. stamped with four thin gilt |
parallel lines along the edges Be-
single pocket. Behind the left panel
were two pockets. The middle panel |
was Of celluloid. The nap was of |
the same Size al the middle panel, |
OVAF which IL Law Uhap ~ vx,o . .ionnd