Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-07-18
THE SHADOW ON THE GLASS
By CHARLES j. DU77ON
opvrixht by Dodd seraized by Ledger syndicate

the events OF the night and the
finding OF the body the next Morn
ing. He had admitted that the
nephew had Quarreled with his uncle
several times. but did not think the
cuarrels amounted TO much, adding
the young man had a quick temper.
He was followed by the daughter,
whose testimony was simply the
story she had told us. She also,
though rather reluctant 10 admit i.
vas forced 10 say that the young
nan had quarreled with her father
and she repeated the threat he had
made regarding the surprise they
would set the next morning. She
knew OF no motive for her fathers
death.
The detectives told how they eX-
pected TO go 10 work about 9, but
had been told that il would not be
necessary till about IL. They had
gone TO the library 70 report 10 Mr..
Rice shortly after he came in with
his friends He told them TO have
lunch in the servants dining room
and to 90 on guard az midnight. say
ing he would be in his library till
then. Shortly before - one went
down 10 eat. leaving the other in
the great living room, and when he
returned the other went down. Then
both went TO the top floor in the
elevator. They found the library
door locked and they knocked but
no one answered.
Then they went to the third floor
where they stayed the night, leaving
tie elevator door open. They
thought Mr.. Rice had gone to bed.
and had locked the library door.
They were asked why they did not
go UP once in While to the library
floor. Their answer was. that they
knew the door was locked and as
the elevator door stood open before
them, no one could get to the floor.
Then they told Of being asked 10
break open the door ana finding
the man murdered. Their testimony
was Simply the story they had told
Us.
BARLEY said the secretary was
only ON the stand for a moment Or
20. She toId ot working till about
? in the evening. getting The we'd
ding announcements ready to send
ont the next morning. At she
went to her hotel. She admitted
that it Was Barley that first in
formed her the box of money Was
missin-. 1t mad been there the
night before. she told the Coroner,
'4il WV '''iN ''@'' i'dI' lNdNHt'i
d little when NE told me OF kcnt's
appearance on the stand. lie said
that Kent was not only angry but
he yelled his answers back ut the
Coroner, More than once, the
Coroner threatened to arrest him
nccIuSr ot ms tone an" manner.
His story practically was what he
had told Us. saying he went back
70 get his hilltold which Nc had lctt.
W nat dId lac say about his cane
asked.
fart!oN Gnnnod. Told us 1t was
nome ana then suddenly IN" Coroner
mashed II o. hlIn. lie smiled lit
TIC az the thought, ana paused.
w hat did h" say then VAS my
eager question.
"FWst he said II was not his.
Next he SHId u was Th"u hc said
mat he was sure he had taken II
with him from the house and that
IL must have been stolen. Then AL
a. once, ne suddenly remarked ~"
was 50 ahSentmindcd. that as ne put
II, might hay" lett the thing"
Eut lac could not cNpAin why it
was i"il there" The Coroner then
asked iiH WHY ne @taItcd 70 run
when ne Iefi IN" house. Ills answer
was th0t 1t was raining and lie
wished to escape the storm Bart
ley was silent for moment. then,
with cynical smile. remarked,
"tlo made rather 2 poor appearance,
ana think ~" coroner jury
would have held him but for two
things, maybe better say one
What were they
II" threw out his hands ln dis
gust Well That jury was made up
"t the average sort Of commonplace
people. the fourteen yoar-"ld minds
that the psychologists speak OF. The
sort that bring prohibition ana
other reforms. They knew ne was
a rich man and that awcd them.
That Was one thing. I'll" other was
the absolute inpossibilty of their
understanding that there was any
Kind Of q motive for tn" crime.
'I}ut the book ! said.
Again he throw ont his hands.
THE book Good lord. d" YOU think
heads that any ono book could be
worth 100000" Why II was beyond
them. they even grinned when tho
figure was mentioned. Neither could
they think that a man might kill to
secure book. II there rad been
any other motive they might have
held him. As it was, the verdict
was the usual ono: Death 10y the
hands II a person or persons I'M
known.
| could SEQ his point. Vet his tone
made me wonder if he thought
that Kent knew anything about the
murder. | asked him as much. For
a moment or 50 lie did not reply.
giving me disguised look. Then
he said:
"WCll, HC,t. that's strange GIjCs-