Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-05-17

| acting
| upon. Moreover, II was the only
theory that presented itself. And so
next morning he had a conversation
with the sexton of st. Andrews.
Yes, the sexton had seen young Cal
vert enter the church. He had come
late. Probably because he did not
wish to disturb the worshipers, the
young man had not taken a place In
the Calvert pew down front. Instead /,
ne nad shpped into seat at the rear
of the church.
| Show me the seat" demanded Hol.
land
| The sexton pointed 1t out. II was
the end seat in the last row on the
lefthand aisle.
EST his memory play him a trick,
Holland consulted the anonymous
letter. But his remembrance was
correct. He had been ordered to take
seat on the right aisle
| Now, suppose that the murderer
was one who had never seen Holland
but who had been told what seat the
detective would occupy, and had been
given a general description of Hol-
land? But would a man on murder
bent make such a vital mistake as
the failure to differentiate between
]
why wouldn't they send a man
who knew you?" demanded Pinelli.
/ the ltalo-American, who had become
/ Hollands righthand man.
"A man who knew me wouldn't
have 10 be told, in order to identify
me. what pew I sat in said Holland.
! That doesn't answer my question:
objected Pinelli.
"All right, III try to answer il. Let
| us SuDDoSe that Nalhrop
murder. and sent me. or caused 10 be
/ sent me. this anonymous letter. He
would know that there was an even
chance that you or other operatives
would follow me TO the church. You
know the Malbron gang by sight.
Grant that he has recently acquired
new members for his gang. They
would be men of type to attract
your attention. Malbron is no longer
running ii in the best society able 10
attract to his banner adventurous
youth from the upper classes. He
can only get gunner, professional
crooks. You would recognize such a
| type at once. and so would l. So, 1t
was necessary for him 10 engage a
man of a type that we would not
suspect"
But you just said he couldn't get
young bloods like he used TO get" pro-
tested Pinelli.
And l mean what l said. But there
! is still another type. A type that
neither you nor ! would recognize as
| a hired murderer: a man whom we
would not have seen before and SO
suspect"
And what type is that" demanded
Pinelli.
Holland picked up the anonymous
letter: he read it over. Then he smiled
at his lieutenant.
'Pinelli, the man we want, the man
who killed Calvert, is a former actor
and possibly an eX-stenographer or
| secretary. Perhaps he was not an
actor, but he had to do with the
theater."
You're kidding" declared PineIh.
II was never more serious in my
| life" asserted Holland.
But why do you make such a state
ment?" asked Pinelli.
| Holland laughed. I'm serious. but
may be badly mistaken. If am,
| don't want you laughing at my rea-
soning. Call up police headquarters,
| find out If Lieutenant Blair Is there.
and il he can give us half an hour of
| his valuable time
| Pinelli did as told. Lieutenant Blair
was in and would be glad to see Hol-
land.
What's it today" he asked, after
the first greeting.
The Calvert case" replied Holland.
| The lieutenant of detectives pursed
his thick lips.
We'll, what can I do for you?'
Are you as familiar with the Rialto
as you used to be in the good old days
when you were a sergeant" asked
! Holland.
Il still get tickets to all the first
nights"
I'm looking for an ex-actor or man
ager who Is also a stenographer, said
Holland.
up in Westchester there's lot of
| hay stacks" grunted Blair. Lets you
and me wander up there and look for
| needles"
1T may not be so hard" suggested
Holland.
| Maybe you don't think SO. But
until a guy lands in the acting game.
he's liable to hit his ups and downs
stage have been in business at some
time or another"
We'll, maybe l can narrow the field
down little" said Holland. Suppose
| YOU give me the dossiers of all the
actors, or men connected with the
theater. who have been convicted of
or charged with-crimes of violence.
| in, let us say, the last 10 years. How
| long would 1t take to do that"
| Maybe couple of hours" replied
Blair. photographs, too?"
Holland nodded.
x x X
T ESS than three hours after Hol-
~ land had left Blairs office. a mes
senger arrived at the Holland agency
with a bundle of photographs and
transcripts of the records of the men
whose pictures were inside.
!! At the end of an hour Holland had
eliminated all save four men. Each
one of the four had been convicted of
a crime of violence. Each one OF
them had used a deadly weapon with
intent to injure, if not to kill Three
of them had played small parts upon
the Stage; the fourth had been road
| manager of repertory company.
He went over to police headquarters
again and consulted Lieut.. Blair.
II want the present whereabouts OF
these four men," he said.
Blair looked at the photographs
"Keeler." he said, tossing one picture
aside, died two years ago. Ormsby
is doing time in Joliet. Prendegast
is in Australia"
THAT leaves Burton, the ex-man-
ager," said Holland.
Blair laughed. And that baby amt
hard to find. He's manager of the
Clever Club. Ever hear of it? A lot
of actors of the cheaper sort have
rooms on West Forty eighth street.
Burton formed the club. It's really
sort of restaurant and lodging
house. I guess you can find Burton
there"
well, I'll look him up" said Hol-
land.
Want him pinched? ] can do it
easy as not. We, have a few things
IN hin, "