The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-01-16

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part she had played in IN elaborate
ballet Of the ''Collies," in which each
girl had been gowned TO represent
. variety Of bird. To her had fallen
the role Of canary; and her costume
Of white-and.y yellow satin, together
with her mass Of shining golden hair
and pink-and-white complexion, had
distinguished her in the eyes Of the
spectators as q creature o. outstand-
ing charm. Before q fortnight had
passed-so eulogistic were her press
notices, and 90 unerringly did the
audience single her out for applause
tho BIRD Ballet" was changed to
the "Canary Ballet" and Miss Odell
was promoted to the rama Of what
might charitably be called premiere
danseuse, at tie same time having 4
solo waltz and . songs interpolated
for the special display Of her charms
and talents.
She had quilted the "Follies" 1t
the close Of the reason, and during
her subsequent spectacular career
in the haunts Of Broadway's night
life she had been popularity and f.
miliarly called the Canary. Thus it
happened that when her lead body
was found, blutally struggled, her
apartment. the crime Immediately
became known, and was, always
thereafter referred to. as the Canary
murder.
NY own participation in the in
vestigation Of the Canary murder
case-or rather my role Of Boswell
liam spectator constituted one Of
the most memorable experiences Of
my life. At the time Of Margaret
Odell's murder John FIX. Markham
was district attorney of New York,
having taken office the preceding
January. ] need hardly remind you
that during the tour years Of his
incumbency he distinguished himself
by his almost uncanny success as
criminal investigator. The praise
which was constantly accorded him,
however, was highly distasteful to
him; for, being . man with . keen
sense Of honor, he instinctively
shrank from accepting credit for
achievements not wholly his own,
The trutl. is that Markham
played only . subsidiary part
in the majority of his most
famous criminal cases. The
credit for their actual solution be-
longed to one Of Markham's very
close friends who refused, at the
time to permit the facts to be made
public.
This man was : young social aris-
tocrat, whom, for purposes Of an
onymity, ! have chosen to call Philo
Vance.
Vance had many amazing gifts
and CAPABILITIES. He was. an ari
collector ID 4 small way, = fine
amateur pianist, and = profound
student Of aesthetics and psychology
Although an American. he had
largely been educated In Europe
and still retained . slight Tnglish
accent and intonation. He had :
liberal Independent income. and
spent considerable time fulfilling
the social obligations which de-
volved on him rs = result Of family
connections; but he was neither IN
idler nor Z dilettante.
Vance was not yet thirty-fivc, and,
in a cold, sculptural fashion, was
impressively good looking. His face
was slender and mobile; but there
was q stern sardonic expression to
his features which acted as . barrier
between him and his fellows. He
was not en,otionless but his emotions
were in the main intellectual.
kept q fairly complete record Of
the cases in which Vanc, partici-
pated, little thinking that : would
ever be privileged to make them
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