The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-09-15

Sly Nv DeHSoH ; uOuE, as tuOuSu ny
hoped. by the sheer power of CON
murder.
Another man, Of unusual mien,
was standing before the rear win
dow, with jewelers. mapnifying
glass in his eye, inspecting Il small
object held in the palm OF his hand.
From pictures | had seen of him
knew he was Captain Carl Hagedorn,
the most famous firearms expert
in America. He was large, cum
bersome, broad shouldcred man of
about SO; and his black shiny clothes
were several sizes too large for him.
His coat hitched up behind, and in
front hung half way down to his
knees: and his trousers were baggy
and lay over his ankles in grotesque-
ly comic folds. His head was round
and abnormally large, and his ears
seemed sunken into his skull. His
mouth was entirely hidden by a
scraggly, grey-shot mustache, all
the hairs Of which grew downward.
Captain Hagedorn had been connected
with the New York police department
for 30 years, and though his appear
ance and manner were ridiculed at
headquarters, he was profoundly re-
spected. His word on any point per-
tanning to firearms and gunshot
wounds was accepted as final by
headquarters men.
In the rear Of the room near the
diningroonl door, stood two other
men talking earnestly together. One
was Inspector William NJ. Moran,
commanding officer Of the detective
bureau; the other. Sergeant Ernest
l. ....l
whom Markham had already spoken
to US.
AS we entered the room in the
wake Of Chief Inspector O'Brien,
everyone ceased his occupation for
a moment and looked at the district
attorney in a spirit of uneasy but
respectful. recognition. Only Cap
tain Hagedorn, after Il cursory squint
at Markham, returned to the inspec-
ton of the tiny objects in his hand,
with an distracted unconcern which
brought faint smile to Vance's
lips.
Inspector Moran and Sergeant
Heath came forward with stolid
dignity; and after the ceremony Of
hand shaking, Markham introduced
Vance and me, and briefly explained
our presence. The Inspector bowed
pleasantly to indicate his acceptance
of the intrusion, bu. noticed that
Heath ignored Markham's explana
ton, and proceeded to treat US as
if we were nOn-eXistent.
Inspector Moran was Il man of diff
ferent quality from the others in the
room. He was about GO. with white
hair and a brown mustache, and was
Immediately dressed. He looked
more like successful Wall Street
! broker Of the better class than 4
police official.
eve assigned Sergeant Heath to
the case. Mr. Markham" he explained
in a low, we'll modulated voice. ut
looks as though we were in for a
bit of trouble before it's finished.
Even the chief inspector thought it
| warranted his lending the moral sup
port of his presence to the prelimin-
airy rounds. He has been here since
o'clock
Inspector O'Brien had left us I'M
mediately upon entering the room,
and now stood between the front
windows, watching the proceedings
with a grave. undecipherable face.
swell, think I'll be going Moran
added. "Thcy had me out Of bed
at seyen-thirty, and ] haven't had
i anyway now that you re here.
Good morning" And again he shook
| hands.
When he had gone Markham turned
to the assistant district attorney.
2, Look after these two gentlemen,
will you, Dinwiddle? They're babes
in he wood. and want to see how
these affairs work. Explain things
to them while | have little c0nfab
with Sergeant Heath"
Dinwiddie accepted the assignment
eagerly. ! think he was glad Of the
opportunity to have someone to talk
to by way Of venting his pcntsup
excitement.
As the thren Of us turned rather
instinctively toward the body Of the
murdered mamie was, after all,
the hub Of this tragic drama-I heard
Heath say in a s"'lcn voice:
Il suppose you'll take charge now,
Mr.. Markham"
Dinwiddie and Vance were talking
! together, and / watched Markham
with interest after what he had told
us of the rivalry between the police
department and the district attorneys
office.
Markham looked at Heath with a
slow gracious smile, and shook his
head.
mo, Sergeant he replied. "I'm
here to work with you and | want
that relationship understood from
the outset. In fact, I wouldn't be
here now if Major Benson hadn't
'phoned me and asked me to lend a
hand. And / particularly want my
name kept out Of it. It's pretty gem
orally known-and if it isn't, it will
be-that the major is an old friend
!, of mine; SO, it will be better all
around if my connection with the
case is kept quiet"
Heath murmured something | did
not catch, but could see that =
had. in large measure, been placated.
He, in common with all other men
who were acquainted with Markham,