The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-11-17
BENSON MURDER CASE
~ 8. s. AN DINE oms ssnab -. I

| tionably planned the crime 50 as To
cast suspicion on the Captain. Lea-
cock had publicly threatened his
brother in connection with Miss st.
Clair; and the, lady was about to
dine alone with Alvin. i
"When IN the morning, Alvin
was found shot with an army Colt,
who but the Captain would be sus-
pected? The Major knew the Cap
tam lived alone, and that he would
have difficulty in establishing an
alibi. Do you now see how cunning
he was in recommending Pfyfc rs
u source of information?
HE knew that If you interviewed
Pfyfe, you'd hear Of the threat. And
don't ignore the fact that his sug-
gestion of Pfyfc was an apparent
after-thought: he wanted to make
it appear casual, don't y'know.---
Astutc devil, what?"
Markham, sunk in gloom, was
listening closely. !.
"Now for the opportunity Of
which he took advantage" con-
tinued Vance.
"When you upset his calculations
by telling him you knew whom
Alvin dined with, and that you had
almost enough evidence to ask for
an indictment, the idea appealed
to him. He knew no charmin' lady
could ever be convicted Of murder
in this most chivalr0us city, no mat
ter what tho evidence; and he had
enough Of the sporting instinct in
him to prefer that no one should
actu'lly be punished for the crime.
consequently, he was willing to
switch you back to the lady. And
he played his hand cleverly, MAX
ing it appear that he was most
reluctant to involve her."
"Was that why, when you wanted
ME to examine his books and 70 ask
him to the office to discuss the con-
fession, you told me to intimate
that / had Miss st. Clair in mind 2"
"Exactly!"
And the person the Major was
shielding"
WAS himself. But he wanted
YOU to think it was Miss st. Clair"
"If you were certain he was
guilty, why did you bring Colonel
Ostr. der into the casc?"
I'm the hope that he could SUPP
ply us with faggots for the Majors
funeral pyre. knew he was ac-
quainted intimately with Alvin
Benson, knew, too that he was
an egregious quidnunc who might
have got wind Of some enmity be-
tween the Benson boys, and have
suspected the truth. And I also
wanted to get line on Pfyfe, by
way Of eliminating every remote
counter possibility"
But we already had a line on
Pfyfe."
"Oh, don't mean material clues.
I wanted to learn about Pfyfe's ma.
turc-his psychology, " know
particularly his personality as a
gambler.
"Y' see. it was the crime Of cal
culating, cold-blooded gambler; and
no one but a man of that particular
type could possibly have committed
Markham apparently was not in
tercstcd just now in Vance's the
cries.
did you believe. the Major he
asked, "When he said his brother
had lied to him about the presence
of the jewels in the safe? -
"The willy Alvin prob'bly never
mentioned -'cm to Anthony re-
joined Vance. AN ear at the door
during one Of Pfyfe's visits was, l
fancy, his source of information.
:. And speaking Of the Majors
cavesdropping, it was that which
suggested to me a possible motive
for the crime. Your man Stitt, I
hope, will clarity that point"
According to your theory, the
crime was. rather hastily con-
ceived." Markham's statement was
in reality Question.
1.-THE details of its execution were
hastily conceived" corrected Vance.
THE Major undoubtedly had been
contemplating for some time elm
mating his brother. Just how or
when he was to do it, he hadn't
decided. He may have thought out
and rejected dozen plans.
Then, on the thirteenth, came
the opportunity: all the conditions
adjusted themselves to his purpose.
He heard Miss st. Glars promise
to go to dinner; and he therefore
knew that Alvin would prob'bly be
home alone at 1890, and that, if
he were done away with at that
hour, suspicion would fall on Cap
tain Leacock.
He saw Alvin take home tho
jewels-another prov dental cir
cumst'nce. The propitious moment
for which he had been waiting, d.
We see, was at hand. All that re-
manned was to establish an abb
and work out modus operandi.
How he did this, I've already
clue dated"