Evening star., 1927-12-04
Bent Poker Brought Fame to Cough Of Scotland Yard

Cough was familiar enough with
men of the type of de Stamir-crim-
inals who are not far removed from
petty sneak thieves, and whose prac-
tiCe is to pick up what they can at
likely looking and unguarded sub
urban houses. The status of de
Stamir was shown by the fact that
he did not even know Of a prcper
fence" with whom to dispose of his
loot. The detective was not surprised
to pick up the trail Of series of bur
glaries of this small sort which could
fairly he attributed to the prisoner.
Indeed, in the fortnight which had
elapsed between the murder and his
capture he had had the impudence
or the folly to take art in five fresh
rObterieS
If it had been a mere question of
proving the man a thief, the thing
would have been easy. But though a
man is mean little crook, he may
6tlll be innocent Of murder. As l
have said the articles discovered i'm de
Stamir's room would not alone suffice
to convict him. Cough had one card
left to play. There were plenty of in
dications of the sort of man de Stamir
was. He was supremely vain of his
own CleVernesS-a kind of sentimental
Tommy of crime. The detective re-
solved to play on his vanity. He
formed subtle plan, which has been
used both consciously and uncon-
sciously by detectives before.
He ordered that an attitude of ex.
treme indifference should be adopted
by those who came in contact with
the prisoner. Periodically de Stanir
was taken between Brixton Prison and
Wimbledon for the preliminary police
court proceedings. His escort was
carefully picked and given Instruct
tlonS. Then de Stamir was tickled tt
find that instead of being conveyed to
and fro in the ordinary Black Maria"
he was treated to the luxury of a cab
Thus he was put on tete-a-tete terms
with his escort. a man of de Stamir's
temperament. who has heen i'm a l1ne-
ly cell for period, is, in such circum-
stances. disposed to conversation.
All de Stamir's efforts in this direc.
ton, however, were met with a grunt
and a yawn. This detached attitude
was more than the other could stand.
Here he was, accused of a serious
murder and no one seemed to get
excited about him. He began to talk
of the proceedings.
"Of course l was there" he de-
clared. But l didn't hit the old man.
The chap who was with me did that"
The police officer languidly shrug-
ged his shoulders. Better not talk
about it," he warned. 'Tf you saw
anything I may have to use it as evi.
dence."
The other sat up. 'I didn't murder
him." he declared. "If you want to
know I'll tell you"
Just as you say" agreed his com.
panion, bored beyond endurance.
Only if | were you I'd wait till we
get back to the prison and then write
it down."
NOW all of this was strictly legal
and correct. No one might ques.
ton de Stamir. But he was entirely
entitled to volunteer information even
if it hanged him-as it did.
Cough was informed of the success
of his ruse and at the prison he sat
while de Stamir concocted and wrote
story which he imagined would en-
able him to evade the consequences
of the major charge. The effect of
this statement was that he and an
other deserter had planned the bur-
glary at WINFIELD Lodge, but that 1t
was the other man who had picked up
the poker and committed the murder.
So out of his own mouth it was
shown that he was present at the COM
mission of the crime. Now he was a
little bit hazy on his law. Even IL an
accomplice had killed the old man de
Stamir was equally guilty of murder
in a legal sense. But Cough. of
course, took steps to test the state
ment. 1t crumbled to bits at once.
There was no other man. The murder
had been the work of one person.
1t was, as the lawyers say, an OPEN
and-shut case which came to trial at
the Old Bailey. The prisoner went
into the witness box and made a pitt
able exhibition when cross-examined
on the material Cough had supplied.
The jury did not even retire to con-
slider a verdict and de Stamir was
duly hanged in February, 1918.
THE thing was a long shot," agreed
Billy Cough to me a few days ago,
"but the fellow really hanged himself.
If he hadn't talked" He paused.
by the way did I ever tell you how
Mrs. Cough won gold medal for
cookery? :"
THE END.