New Britain herald., 1927-09-19

Strawberries and eggs Benedcne. Later was to give
profound thanks to the God of Coincidence that the blocks
had been arranged in just that PATTERN for had Vance been
sbeng peacefully at o'clock when the district attorney
called would probably have missed four of the most in
teresng and exciting years of my life and many of New
Yorks shrewdes and most desperate criminals might still
be at large.
Vance and had Just settled back in chairs for
second cup of coffee and cgaret when Cue, answering
mpeuous ringing of the rontdoor bell ushered the dis
trict attorney into the living
"By all that's holy' he exclaimed raising his hands in
mock establishment. New Yoks leading art connoisseur
is up and about
and am suffused with bushes at the disgrace of it,
Vance replied
1t evident however, that the district attorney
not in ovia mood, His face suddenly sobered,
"Vance, serious thing has brought here. I'm in
great hurry and merely dropped by to keep my promise
-. The fact is Alvin Benson has been murdered"
Vance lifted his eyebrows angudly.
REALLY, now? he drawled How messy! But he no
doubt deserved it. In any event. that's why you
should repne Take chair and have cup of Currie's
incompatible Coffee And before the other could protest. he
rose and pushed bull-button
Markham hestated second or two.
ooh. we'll couple Of minutes won't make any differ
cnce But only gup And he sank into chair facing
friday June IA; a. n.y.
John FIX Markham. you remember had been elected
district attorney of New York county the Independent
against Tammany Hail. He served his four years and would
probably have been elected to second tenn had not the
ticket been hopeessy split by the political Juggling of his
opponents. He interchangeable worker and projected
the district attorneys office into all of criminal and
civil Investigations. Being utterly ncoruptbe he not only
aroused the fervd admiration of his constituents but pro-
duced almost unprecedented of security in those
who had opposed him partisan lines.
lie had been in office only few months when of the
newspapers referred to him the Watch Dog; and the
sobrquet chung to him until the end of his administration
Indeed his record successful prosecutor during the
four years of his ncumbency such remarkable one
that today it is not inrequently referred to legal
and political discussions.
Markham TALL strongly built in the middle
foes, with ceanshaven, somewhat youthful face which
beed his uniformly gray hair. He not handsome
Cordng to conventional Standards but he had amount
of social culture rarely found in latterday political
otficeholderS.
care he was the most gracious of men, But early in
acquaintance with him had his attitude of cordaty
suddenly displaced by of grim authority 1t if
personaty-hard indomabe symbolic of eternal
ustcehad in that moment been born in Markhams body.
to witness this transformation many times before our
association ended In fact this morning, he sat
posite to me in Nances living there than
hint of it in the aggressive steness of his expresson and
knew that he deeply troubled Alvin Benson's
murder.
He swallowed his coffee rapidly and was setting down
the cup, when Vance, who had been watching him with
qulzzlca amusement, remarked:
81 say; why this sad preoccupation the passing
of one Benson You weren't by chance the murderer
what?'
Markham ignored Vances levity.
I'm on my way to Bensons Do you care to come along
You asked for the experience and dropped in to keep
promise
then recalled that several weeks before at the Stuyve-
SAINT Club when the subject of the prevalent homcdes in New
York being discussed Vance had expressed desire to
accompany the district attorney on Of his Investigations