The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-11-14
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+ had returned to the room, before
| the doctor comes I'd like to make
a thorough examination of this
room. Please close the door and
lock it.
con the face of things, this looks
| like an accident, but 1 don't know
too much has happened in this
room lately. First, the burglary Of
the safe and then this to top it off.
I'm not much of believer in coin
cidences."
He knelt on the floor and eX-
amined carefully the innocent-ap-
pearing grey cylinder, rolling it
over with the rubber tip of a pencil
He gave a sudden start, rose to his
feet and went over to the bench.
Taking care to touch nothing, he
made mental note Of everything
within the range of his eyes. He
gave particular attention to the jig
and clips which had held the cylin-
| der, to gluepot that stood nearby
and to number of thin strips of
rubber cut in short lengths and
| piled in a small heap at the base
of the gluepot.
What are these?" he asked Will
Der, and pointed to the rubber frag-
mentS.
"A rubber composition I use for
insulation" WILDER replied. "Why?"
Il think we will agree that Lena
has been the victim Of electric
shock" Smedley said, ignoring the
question. How did it happen, Mr..
Wilber?"
WILDER bowed his face in his
hands. After a long moment he
lifted his head. His lips twitched.
Poor Lena!" he cried. "It is all
due to my inexcusable careleSSnesS.
Never before have I left the door
unlocked when I was not in this
room. And yet, can't under
stand it.
Il have repeatedly warned that
poor girl never to touch anything
on the bench. What cleaning it had
was done by me. She was a Stolid
sort of girl-never seemed interested
in any of my experiments. Why
/ she should come in here at just
that time and throw the switch and
then take hold of the glowing CYL
inder-it's Incredible; I can't be-
lieve it. I.
There was a hesitant knock on
the door. 1.-THE doctors here"
Sheila's voice called from the other
side.
"Oh, dammit" Sheridan ex-
claimed, crossing the room. He
lowered his voice and said: 'fLet
me do the talking"
Grave, portly DR.. Race, carrying
the inevitable black medicine case
of his profession, nodded to the
three men and briskly went about
his business.
He knelt beside the stricken girl
whose body was sprawled out face
down with one arm flung high over
her head. He lifted the arm back
and turned over the silent form. He
felt her pulse, lifted an eyelid and
held at ear to her breast. He rose,
busting his hands.
Nothing I can do here, gentle
men," he said. 1.-THE woman is
dead; rigor mortis already is set
ting in. How did it happen?"
Sheridan explained Wilber'S ex-
periments and told briefly of the
demonstration he had given to the
Demorel experts and how the room
had been left unlocked inadvert-
emily.
Curiosity evidently overcame the
girl" he said. she probably was
passing through the hall, the door
open, and, peering in, noticed that
the cylinder was in the jig. OF
course, she had heard of the inven-
ton. and I believe she was curious
to see for herself how it worked.
She cleaned this room regularly
every few days in Mr.. Wilbers
presence, and knew how the
switches were operated. After pull
ing the switch she must have
touched the cylinder and received
a fatal shock. The cylinder was
jerked from its place in the jig
as she fell. There it lies on the
floor"
"Ah. that explains a slight burn
noticed on her hand" said the
doctor. "Um, hum, electrocution
undoubtedly. A most distressing
accidentI Most distressingl Have
you notified the coroner? You
know, that must be done in every
case Of sudden violent death"
mo, we called you Immediately
after we made the discovery and
awaited the result of your examina-
tion," Sheridan replied.
quite right. quite right" agreed
DR.. Race, but he must be told al
once. as you know, Mr.. Smedley
With your permission. I shall noti-