Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1929-03-22
On the Billet
Case
By AID ScHUSTER
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I'D WYLIES second case, since he
IL had installed himself behind a
lettered door as detective, came to
him through his old friend on the
police force, Captain Brown.
1--WE have cleaned 1t up to GER
tain point" the captain explained,
"but there Is a chance you will go a
bit farther Want to try?"
"You mean" said Ed "the Billet
murder? Sure, have been giving 1t
lot of thought"
Ralph Billet, business man, had
been found dead in his office. An
open file case with papers strewn on
the floor indicated the murderer had
been seeking letter or document.
Perhaps he had not meant to kill his
man, for the police determined that
the blow on the jaw would not have
been fatal had not the victim fallen
in way to strike his head ON n cor
ner of his desk. Captain Brown went
over the details with Ed, concluding:
"That Is the layout. Now OF
NOhiaNb VIC must OuL Will WuOh
Billet had business dealings"
The young detective visited the
Office of Billet and tried to recon
struct the crime. 1t was plain that
no man would have dared fire n re-
yolver In place with walls so thin
and with so many Offices adjoining,
The blow had come straight and I'M
expected and behind It a cool cal
culatlon that there would be no cutlery
and no struggle. Ed opened the filing
case, made certain the position OF
the desk had not been changed and
lost himself in study. Several times
he shut and opened the steel drawer
of the case. At last three came
thought-a theory worth exploring.
swell, you will have to hurry"
Captain Brown laughed over the
phone eve are getting close to our
man and may have him In Jail before
you get started"
"If you will take tip from me
and save yourself the danger of legal
action" Ed replied, "yOu will make
no arrests until you hear from me-"
He hung up the receiver confident he
had made an impression and little
fearful that he did not possess the
information to carry It out.
Early the next morning Ed visited
the Billet home. There he found a
nephew of Ralph Billet in charge and
also a police officer. Plainly the
nephew was worried, but not so much
so as his young wife, who kept glanc-
ing fearfully at the policeman.
"IIes the man Browns after" ED
decided. "They are just waiting I'M
til they get enough to make the pinch.
At any time the phone may ring and
rather think he knows IT,"
81 wish to see" said Ed, "the suit
of clothes Mr.. Billet was wearing at
the time he met his death"
with the air Of man performing
distasteful duty and one he con-
sIdered OF little use, the nephew took
Ed into another room where the
young detective glowed with pride as
he had the opportunity to use his
microscope In an important case.
"And now" said Ed, studying the
nephew closely, 81 am going to tele-
phone Captain Brown to come here.
think we are ut the end Of the
search"
The other sighed and seemed re-
lieved 81 hope you are. It's been n
fearful strain on Alice and me. We
had to come; there were no others
and your Captain Brown has been
asking us all manner Of questions"
While they waited for the captain,
Ed arranged the room with table and
a bookcase to resemble, in way, the
one in which Ralph Billet had been
killed The bookcase stood for the
filing cabinet md the table for the
desk. Captain Brown did not Ioiter
In coming and the lad started his
explanation.
"Pretend am Billet alone In my
Office" he started II go to the filing
case for letter look nj II and put
It back slammlng the drawer shut
My coat sleeve catches and the draw.
er IL stuck tight. | Jerk and the coat
won't come out 80 reach arOund--it
Is my left sleeve that Is caught - take
hold Of the handle md pull StIll II
doesn't open and give II n ferocious
tug" He went through the motions
and was standing In front Of the case
1.-THE steel door nys open. II strikes
me on the tip OF the jaw for clean
In M 4 futI hnn fhn
table. That IL how Ralph Billet met
his death Il was n pure accident"
The nephew and his wife looked Mt
Ed In admiration.
at Is so simple" he said, II wonder
why we did not think OF that before
But Captain Brown, noddIng slowly
as n impressed. was far from con.
vinced
"Go on he said, "carry II out. n
that Is as far as you went there 10
lot to be done before | am with
you"
"All right. Measure the height Of
the filing case drawer. II could hit
a man Of Billett's height, when he
was leaning slightly square on the
chin. Examine II for blood and you
will find trace. Then take a look
at the left sleeve Of the coat Billet
was wearing. There Is tear there,
a pinch and tear both visible. And
the coat was nearly new and not like.
ly to be torn in any other accident.
You will even find" and Ed was tri-
umphant, "a bit Of the red lacquer Of
the filing case rubbed into that coat
when that drawer closed upon It."
And the young detective, feeling
that at last he had arrived, made his
bow and departed