Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-07

Some other explanation therefore had
to be found
Some of the cable orders were signed
"Roos," others Jansen" But when
Scotland Yard men quietly searched
one of their dogged, widespread,
thorough efforts-nobody was found to
answer to such names who in the least
Interested the police.
Special intelligence then sent word to
its agents in Rotterdam to investigate
discreetly ''Dierks. g. Co." at such-and-t
such an address.
The answer came back that Dierks
& Co. had q tiny office where a few
mouldy sample cigars were on exhibit
ton. Very little commercial activity
was visible about that Office.
This, decided special intelligence, was
remarkable because judging by the
orders sent Dierks e. Co. by Roos and
Jansen alone business must be booming
THEREAFTER letters and cables COM
= ing from Rotterdam into England
were scrutinized with increased care
and the recipients were investigated
without arousing too much attention
to the fact In this way the interest
of special intelligence operators grad
tally concentrated on two Dutchmen.
Each was Swallowed. One of them.
a tall, black-bearded man. was found
to be sending the cablegramS signed
Jansen. The other Was a smooth
shaven, powerfully built youth with
round, clear, gray eyes, with a sort
of devil-may -care light in them. He.
too, sent. frequent cablegrams and
signed them Roos.
Thereafter every one of these cables,
unknown to their senders, was studied
Rf
Experts in ciphars worked hand IN hand
with investigators who reported to them
the various changes in the places from
which these cablegrams were sent.
Working together thus the following
conclusions were arrived at:
When battleshipS arrived in Ports
mouth Jansen sent at once cable
for 1000 of one type Of cigars. If along
with the battleships 5 cruisers and 8
destroyers came, Jansen or Roos sent
cable orders for 5000 and 5000 Of
two other types.
After the chain Of coincidence be-
came long enough Jansen and Roos
were gathered in and brought to Scot
land Yard.
Jansen was questioned first. He was
self -possessed and even imperturbable.
His story was that he was Dutch
citizen, followed the sea for a living
until war made it hard for him to get
Wien, therefore. Dierks & Co. ap-
preached him and offered to let him
travel for them in England to drum
up orders for cigars, he accepted. That
was his story, and with Dutch tenacity
he stuck to 1t.
Were you able to secure any orders
for cigars?"
Jansen could not produce a single
one.
and yet you sent all these cable
grams ordering great quantities Of
them?"
y II didn't send any cablegranls."
"po you know Rocs?"
mo"
Roos was brought in next Jansen
tried to catch his eye with mute mes
sage. But Roos was either too stupid
or too gayiy Indifferent to the situation
to show concern. His story was that he
knew Jansen and like him was trav-
cling salesman for Dierks d. CO.
Then from JansSer's face he saw that
their two stories did not tally and that
there were distinct signs in the weather
of trouble ahead
Each, with wrists handcuffed, was
taken to different cell in the police
station. Jansen remained dour, i'm
perturbable. Roos made his guardians
feel as If he were either fool or gayly
heroic. For he seemed to be finding the
situation almost joke.
Toward evening, however, he said to
the cell keeper:
"It's q biz stuffy in here, isn't it? !
wonder If you would mind very much
taking me out into the yard for little
air" -.
1t was reasonable request and, al
though the man was an important priS-
etier, there seemed to be no harm in do
ing as he asked, since an effort to escape
would be SenseleSs, so well was the po-
lice station yard closed in and guarded.
X x X
WITH his wrists still in handouts
w and the keeper by his side Roos
eircled the yard several times, his spir-
its apparently rising every moment. He
came to a door the panels of which
were of heavy glass over which was a
widely spaced grille of iron bars.
Where does this door lead to?" Roos
asked. G
ITO the upper cell tier" his guardian
told him. 49,,
IF you were in my place now and
wanted to escape you wouldn't consider
that door would you?" Roos asked with
q grim smile.
Hardly" the guard smiled back. 4
we'll would" .
And before the guard could stop him,
Roos dashed at the door and with his
mancled hands smashed the panes. The
guard was dumfounded at his sudden
change in mood and for some moments
could not make out what he was trying
to do; certainly he was not hoping to
escape through that door,
But he was. Roos was trying to cut
the blood vessels Of his wrists against
the broken glass. ~
He failed in his attempt at suicide