The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1923-03-07
CHAPTER I-contInued.

up MS pipe, HSnteu IL, anu .eanln;
back In his chair. listened attentively
as Rogers continued.
"When 1t came time for the mer
to be identified. there was a bit of 6
conflict. The step-dauGhter was pretty
sure that there had been two men
while Slyke Insisted that he had only
seen one. In fact. he did not seem
to be very eager to push the case
even requested the police to drop It,
since he had lost nothing"
BARLEY asked in surprise. ''Then
why. under heaven, did they keep
on with itT
Rogers shook his head. 81 don't
know, John. It has been suggested
that the city police did not want to
drop 1t. Anyway, they held the men /;
and few days later announced that
they had found piece Of paper torn
from a newspaper in the room where
Slyke had discovered them. Several
days later they announced that they
had found a newspaper with a torn
corner in Horns pocket. into which
the piece that they had found al
Sykes house fitted"
BARLEY asked with a weary air.
did they later find a piece of cloth
torn from the coat or trousers OF one
Of the men? Find 1t. perhaps. on a
bush near the window the men hau
jumped out Off"
Rogers gave his friend a startled
look
II thought you had never heard OF
the case? They did find such q piece
of CLOTH"
BARLEY half laughed. Il never
heard a word Of 1t until you told me.
l had an Idea that a piece OF cloth
would be found that had been torn
from the clothing of one of them. A
piece that would fit. say. the torn
trousers Of one of them"
Rogers threw me a look. as II to
ask how BARLEY could have guessed.
then remarked. 81 don't see how you
hit 1t off, John; but that's the very
thing that did happen. All this did
not come out until the trial. When 1t
was introduced. 1t made stir. Both |
men claimed. In fact, that the whole |
thing was a frame-up."
He paused to relight his cigar be-
fore continuing:
1.-THE man to whom the trousers be-
longed asserted that they had been
taken from him the week after he had
been put in Jail, and that there was
no tear In them when he gave them
up. A tailor at the trial testified
that the cloth was so strong that il
could not have been torn away by
catching on anything. and that Ii
looked to him as if the piece had been
cut out with q knife
BARLEY threw back his head end
laughed. Rogers was thoroughly dis
pleased. Il don't see the joke"
There is no joke. Rogers. Tell me
who found all this evidence? Was ii
the pollce?"
II am not sure. I think 1t was the
head of the local police. Ii was day
Or so after the crime that most of 1t /
vas discovered"
l broke in to say. II presume the ,
men claimed the police faxed the evil T
Ience?" r
Rogers nodded. THAT'S Just what {
hey did claim. In fact, their whole |
license was on that line. They were
aid to have been night-fshing on h
anne preserve near the lake. A good II
cal was made of the fact that the il
evidence was not found d
ntil some hours after the Grille ii
ven days in fact. | admit that IL r,
'oks bit fishy. Still. you never +,
card of the police taking evidence Il
} the extent they claim this was W
Dne" RI
We both laughed and our laughter n,
ade the red face of the chief turn d;
shade darker. We had in mind the m
larges that one of the newspapers de
as making at the time against his cl
vn detectives, that they had planted fit
ms on some men they wished TO tr
I'D. But even at that, he was right
he police do not fake evidence to an
e extent that this story of his in
emed to hint. Bartley's next re- Of
ark showed that he felt as | did. ev
you are right. Rogers, though the pa
lole ming does look queer. | take as
the conviction made STIR" cri
Rogers shook his head. at did not In
the time; It's doing 1t now. The
pers thought the mems denial was cer
, usual tning. But later the law
IS got interested. then reform ly.
,iety. and nov they are all getting be,
er tne governor. He thinks there Sly
ght nave been miscarriage OF stu
tice and wants you to look into the fnt
ny. He wants you TO do Ii al rat
e." | "
With shrewd look. BARLEY asked ''
len there Is something new" and
Well" answered 2oge~s. "that de-