Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1923-05-25


tinued: after Slyke had been killed,
the thought occurred to the murderer
that it was possible to make his death
look like suicide. He undressed the
body in the room above the bedroom,
and later carried his clothing down
stairs, placing it on a chair beside
the bed. But he overlooked a stock
ing that had fallen on the floor behind
the door of the room above. Crimi-
nals no matter how shrewd always
make some mistake that betrays
them; this person drew the bed
clothes up around Sykes neck. If
he had not done that, 1 doubt if we
would ever have suspected that Slyke
was murdered. The shot took effect
at once. 1t would have been impos-
sible for him to have drawn the bed
clothes up around his own neck, and
placed his hands by his side before
he died.
The doctors voice sounded per-
picked as he said, But Mr.. BARLEY,
this is all a rather fine-spun theory"
that" BARLEY smiled. ut is more
than an unsupported theory. How
ever, let us proceed. The murderer
went down to the living room and
brought back with him two cards,
which he threw on the floor of the
room where the glasses were. If it's
being suicide was questioned, then
the finding of the cards would throw
suspicion on the members of the card
party"
"He was a pretty cool hand" Black
interrupted.
Eyes, he was cool enough. He went
downstairs into the room where the
dog was"
But" Roche commenced.
BARLEY did not let him finish. "Yes,
know. The dog should have barked.
The reason he did not was because
the man was no stranger to him."
The doctor spoke once more, "But
you have not proved any of these
things are so; you are just suppos-
ing"
NO." game the answer, 81 have not,
but let us consider some Of the points
that have been proved. Slyke tried
to telephone several times during the
evening and failed to get his party
each time"
Roche and Black were astonished.
This was the first time they had
heard anything about the telephone
calls.
'When he failed again and again to
get the person he wanted" BARLEY
continued, "he asked central to try
and locate him for him. All calls
from here go through the Saratoga
exchange, and it was very easy to find
out whom he wanted But that is not
all. On a magazine found on the
table beside the whisky glasses were
number of little circles drawn with
a pencil, circles that ran into each
other"
"What has that to do with itT'
asked Black, voicing his wonder.
"a great deal. Those same circles
were on the handle of the knife with
which Briffeur was killed. 1 have also
little piece of paper with similar
circles drawn on it, and l know the
person who drew them. 1t has been
proved scientifically that If a person
is playing with a pencil and begins to
make figures unthinkingly on any
thing, his subcOnscious mind will trick
him into always drawing the same de-
sign. | found the circles on the maya
zine In Sykes room, on the knife
that killed Briffeur, and again on the
piece Of paper. l know to whom
Slyke telephoned, and 1 know also
person who saw the murderer enter
the house to call on Slyke the night
he was killed"
We leaned forward breathlessly to
catch his words, which came with a
cold, cutting edge, as he added crisp
ly. "Now, knowing all this, don't you
think the person that drew the
circles, that was telephoned to, that
was seen going into Sykes, has some
thing to explain? Don't you think so,
Doctor King?"
There was no answer, and BARLEY
demanded sternly, doctor King, you
are not going to deny, are you, that
yop killed those two men"
The question was so unexpected
that l sat stunned He was the last
man l should have suspected. Currie
cried, "My Cd, John," and fell silent.
The doctors face had gone a dead
white, and hea sank Imply back in
hts chair. Without raising his eyes,
he stammered, scarcely above a whis-
per, the words drawn from him
against his will, "No-o-no-I killed
them bOth."
The next instant he realized what
he had said and half rose from his
chair, then fell back, clasping his
head in his hands. l could not be-
lieve my ears. That BARLEY should
suspect the doctor Of the murders
seemed incredible enough; but that
the doctor himself should admit that
1t was true was beyond belief. Roche
looked first at the doctor, then at