Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-08-01

, saw that II contained two photo
graphs. mounted OH cardboard. We
all watched him eagerly. wondering
what they might be. For q moment
or so. he stood holding them in his
hand. his face set. his lips tight.
Then In low voice lie spoke:
Il suppose we men do not often
stop to think IL there is a God or
not. We moderns have little to say
en- that point. But from the first, |
had one idea back in my mind. 1t
was this: IL there Is a force of
| righteousness in the world. 1t could
not allow man like Rice to be
brutally killed and the murderer
| escape. There were no clues in this
case. nothing to point the way.
Yet out Of the clear SKY. there step
ped forth some power. to lay the
| crime at the feet of the guilty per-
| son. The proof IL something We
| never ran into before in a murder.
1t was the one chance in a million.
Yet 1t is the most conclusive proof
that one could ask"
As he paused | saw the chief lean
Ing forward in his chair, his mouth
| open. his eyes big. Dunn's COX
rover left Bartley's face. None of
us knew what he was talking ABOUT.
and the seriousness of his tone was
almost religious. Eagerly we waited
for the next words.
You remember" he said. "the
lights were out the night OF the
murder. The struggle swept all
ever the little room-in the dark,
remember. In corner by the door
| stood the great camera. that was
used to take pictures OF certain OF
his boss. In that struggle the
1 7 I.
| some manner the bulb fell under
one Of the legs OF the tripod" He
paused to add. In that camera at
, the time was an undeveloped plate"
There came sudden Compre-
hendinE "Ah." from the District
ATTORNEY but no one else spoke. All
were trying to puzzle out just what
he meant. He continued:
That cap must have been knock.
cd off in the early part OF the strug-
gle. with the bulb on the floor.
under the tripod. the camera was
all set for a picture"
But" came my question, 1.-The
| room was datH. John"
He nodded. Yes. It was dark. n
dense darkness. But remember one
thing. There came those violent
and incessant flashes of lightning.
At some time the two men were il
front OF that camera and also In
front OF the window when a flash of
lightning came. 1t was long enough
to have on that plate the faint
! silhouette of the two men. Not
real picture, remember. only the
outline. but enough to show upon
the plate. Later in the struggle the
heavy draperies over the doors were
pulled down and fell over the
camera. thick draperies that shut
out all light. 1t was there in tho
morning and was so heavy that no
| light had come through to spoil the
plate. Mr.. Rice's daughter. when
she came into the room that morn
ing. by sheer instinct. picked up the
cap from the floor and replaced It
over the lens. | remembered that
the bulb had fallen under the leg
OF the tripod. knew IL there had
been an undeveloped plate in tie
camera. there might he something on
It,"
lie paused. then said sobcrlv:
And on this plate was the shallow
of the murderer, and here are the
pictures made from IT,
Suddenly he turned to Hall. His
voice had a crisp. thin edge that
stung. Hall. there is one more
question I want YOU TO answer"
Halls face had turned white. and
could see the sweat form on his
brow. His eyes were nervously
searching the room, and shw his
lands tremble. He looked :righten-
| ed and desperate.
"One question" came that cold
voice of BARLEY. You say Won
found that key inside the door Did
YOU know that the spring lock was
h-n hnA ty1Nn .Sf
lock that door except from the out
side? Tell me how it happened you
found the key inside"
had seen Hall edge toward the
door and had been surprised that
BARLEY had not prevented him.
Hall was nearer the door than any
one else and almost before BARLEY
had finished his sentence he made
a sudden dash from the room. We
! heard his running footsteps as he
rushed for the stairs. The chief
save a leap from his chair, but
was stopped by the District At
torney's voice.
He can't get away. Mr.. BARLEY
had me place men at the end OF the
stairs"
Even as he spoke. We heard the
struggle on the floor below and, in
second. voice foated up, We
have him"
Some time later Hall was locked
In a cell. and from the way he had
cursed and sworn. there seemed lit
tie doubt we had the right man.
But we were not satisfied. there
, were things we wished Bartlev to
explain. The air of tension tlat all
had worn was gone and vet there
; was a wondering tone in every ones
voice.
We took our chairs ana the chief
voiced the thought of all ~ US.
Darned II don't believe you Lave
tho right man, but how in TIC devil
uio YOU dope it out:"
BARLEY laughed. Never doped Il
out at all. chief. Blind luck in the
, end. and the one chance in a mil
lion with the pictures"
His voice became more serious.
| ut came TO me today. when ! dis
covered that the spring lock on the