Evening star., 1928-05-30
Bv S. S. Van Dine
corvrigbt 1oes. bv Charles sctibnors Sons

wall between him and his fellows--he
was highly sensitive and mobile, and,
though his manner was somewhat de-
tached and supercilious, he exerted an
undeniable fascination over those who
knew him at all well.
Much Of his education had been ac-
quired in Europe, and he still retained
a slight Oxonian accent and intonation.
though ! happen 10 be aware that this
was no affectation: he cared too little
for the opinions Of others to trouble
about maintaining any pose. He was
an indefatigable student. His mind
was ever eager for knowledge. and he
devoted much Of his time TO the study
Of ethnoiogy and psychology. His
greatest intellectual enthusiasm was
art. and he. fortunately, had an in
come sufficient TO indulge his passion
for collecting. It was. however. his
interest in psychology and his applica-
ton of it to individual behayiorism
that first turned his attention 10 the
criminal problems which came under
MaEknan'S Jurisdiction.
The first case in which he partici-
pated was, as I have recorded else
where. the murder Of Alvin Benson.
The second was the seemingly tnsoluble
beauty. Margaret Odeli. And in the
late Fall Of the same year came the
Greene tragedy. As in the two former
cases, kept a complete record OF
this new investigation. I possessed my
self Of every available document, max
ing verbatim copies OF those claimed
for the police archives, and even iotted
cowu the numerous conversations that
TOOK place III and out Of conference
between Vance and the official ingesti-
gators And. IN addition. kept
diary which. for elaborateness and COM
pietenesg, would have been the despair
OF Samuel Pepys.
The Greene murder case occurred
toward the end Of Markham'g first year
! In Office. AS you may remember. the
Winter came very early that season.
There we're two severe billiards In Mo-
yenber, and the amount Of snowfall
for that month broke all local records
for 10 years. I mention this fact Of
tile early SHOWS because it played a
sinister part in the Greene affair; II
Was, indeed, one Of the vital factors
Ct the nnurdererg scheme. No one has
jet understood, or even sensed. the
connection between the unreasonable
weather Of that late Fall and the
fatal tragedy that fell upon the Greene
the dark secrets Of the case we're not
made known,
Vance was projected into the Benson
murder az the result Of a direct caal-
le1ge from Markham; and ms actiyf-
I ties In the Canary case we're due 10
his own expressed desire 70 lend a hand.
But pure coincidence was responsible
fos his participation IN the Greene
Investigation. During the two months
that had elapsed since bis solution o4
] the Canary'g death Markham had
called Tpon him several times regarding
mot points 81 criminal detection In
connection With the routine work Of
( The district atDorGley's office: and II
. was during 81 informal discussion Of
o8as; q these pYoblems that the Greene
c2se Was 41sGt mentioned
/ Markham ard Vance had long been
friends. Though diSsimllar In tastes
and eYen IL ethical ogtbook, they neT~
eFtaeieaG respected each other pro-
fognely ! naye often nqaryeled 2t the
ftlea0EDlD " tneSe two antipocal nlen.
Dsls - me years vent by came more
ard more 70 DEderst&nc .t II WAS as
7 = they we're drawn together by those
Fery qualities Wnaca each Feaiize6~-per~
maps vim certain YepfssGec regret
( were laek!Eg III Flls own nature. Marx
+ h&g9 vas fortnight. bgusQ0e and On
I ooe@&ion, con9ineering, taking life with
gszu aHc serious concern. and follow
Ing 1sls dictates ot MS legal conscience
- sEse face u every oostacie: honest,
! snc9rEUptioie ard untlFing Vance, on
/ ffse other hand Mss volatile. 6ebonair.
atac DEfaae8see 81 a perpetual Jglyenaiian
cssgae1sfp smiling ironically at the Bit
tegeSt realities. and consistently fulfill
I9Z fFsa FDas n a wtslHslealiy Gisin-
r zas.H sss.F. . 44AFx sa
: re 9f4cegs.<St31 people ss profoundly as
/ 5se 4ndegsbyDd aff, and his dissection
( - Uo2z$e& anc his siregc readings of
fss&gzEt@f gffe~as ] mad many occa~
: 5assss w WsSs4ass~ sl1EanBsIy accurate,
/ B5gksa@lyI a3pgeS3egsdeG thee qualities
! IN pan1e, and sefs3d their true value.
II Has M yet 10 gct1ek NJ the
] ssa1tDaAz u 8oYenlioer the 3tl Bflen
Vance and !. after motoring 70 the
cid Criminal Coi9riE Building, on the
I e2r1er ~ Franklin ard Center streets.
went cyfec4}y " tke district att0rneY'g
! efs2ee eTl tse fyUrfn fooY I'm that
/ ng1RGea1o3e foffnoon Gwo gangsters.
/ e&eA accusing tie oeilef 0f firing the
aak@} Eflol IN q recent pay roll ts0ld~Up,
( 8eFe ~ be cfGsS~ezAp9ised Dy MARI
EaHg. siA1 This aqteTYifW vas ~ decide
/ atae g4eestDn ak ~ Wjgteu of the men
Do4-e w charged WITH murder aua
Hf3@<E FfsG A. y faA2AE witness, NSFk~
nam a3}1 Yanrs Ead discussed the Eit~
laf59g. the night befgfe Ia tfle lounge
FlaN ~ 5K8e fstqgye@zDt Club, SIaa
H@saeA haH ezpfessed q desire ~ De
Dff3Af5 ~ Nle examination. Markham
Lad FsadaJy assented, sJld III We had
Fla1n esrIy ane driven doWH INN.
'atae lr1hraew with tire two men
lSsteo for AZ hour, aT1G yaaeeis diseoAv
1AftiHZ oplgll0E4 WA tlaat nsltiaef was
a45lty ~ the ac18&l gfaoogtnE.
~ Know. Markham" he 6TAWIed
gi1en ne sheriff had returned the
Drl@ggaefs ~ ti99 I0gyts, ''tilose tYo
y2ek EfaeDDagGs are quite sincere; each
0gse tslanx8 he's telling the truth. Ergo
t.AitqeY M fAsu fired TIE shot. A dis
tgezssn pFe6aaauent They're Dlpysg1s
gasso9E- Fl.F6k born f9T the giBbef; eB1