The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-12-06
Murder Al BRIDGE
x1EN 1u ANNE AlsI!N e44sef o<~1s BLACK PIGEON: a
STlEN
/

his hearing Karen Marshalps child
ish voice, tremulous with fear.
NO, no, Hugol Dont-don't!"
He whirled from Sprague in
time to see Judge Marshall dissn-
gaging his arm from his young
wifes clnging fingers, to note,
with profound astonishment, that
John c. Drake. banker, was step
ping hastily aside, so that not even
his coat sleeve might be brushed
BY the advancing figure OF the
elderly, retired judge.
And before Judge Marshall had
time to speak, Dundee saw that
blight had touched at last, the solid
friendship of the women; that they
did not look at each other with that
air Of standing together, whatever
happened, but that their eyes, not
meeting at all, became secret, cal
culating, afraid.
Sir" Judge Marshall began
pompously, when he had planted
himself squarely before the young
detective. 1T never shall be said
Of me that I have tried, even in the
slightest way, to hamper the course
Of justice"
L an sure of that, Judge Mar
shall" Dundee replied courteously,
but his pulses were hammering.
What, in Gods name. did this long
winded, pompous old fool have to
tell him? you have some in
formation you believe may be val
liable, judge?"
L do not believe it will be at all
valuable, sir. On the contrary" the
CID man retorted Indignantly But
to suppress the fact at this juncture
might lead to grave misunderstand-
ings later when it inevitably came
to light.
so, sir, il is my duty to inform
you that J myself own a Colts 80,
as we'll as a Maxim silencer."
"XXTHAT!" Dundee exclaimed in
w credulously. He was con-
scious that, behind him, Captain
Strawn was getting TO his feet.
There is no need to get out your
handouts, Captain StraWn!" Judge
Marshall warned him majesticaly.
Il assure you that / have not vio-
lated the Sullivan law.
Every judge, active and retired,
is entitled to permit. to carry
weapon, and long ago availed my
self Of the privilege. Nor am I
about to make confession Of
murderl"
There amt no permit, 50 far as
know, judge" Strawn growled,
for any man, whoever he may be,
10 tote a gun with q silencer on it. =
Karen Marshall was crEing, now.
with the abandoned grief of.
petted child.
Granted, Captain!" Judge Mar
shall snapped. But it happens that
do not tote my gun with the
silencer on it. If it interests you,
[ may as well explain that I came
by the silencer several years ago,
when I was on the bench.
"A notorious Sunman, Oh trial
for murder here, and acquitted by
a feeble-minded jury, made me a
present Of the very silencer he had
used to kill his victim-an ironic
gesture, a gesture Of supreme inso-
ience. but an entirely safe gesture,
since he well knew that a man once
acquitted Of a crime can not be
tried again for that crime"
SO you kept the silencer as a
curiosity, Judge N1arshall?" Dundee
interrupted the pompous flow of
rhetoric.
For years-yes," the ex-judge
answered, then his face went yellow
and very old las I told you just
now, I will withhold no fact that
may be Of any pertinence whatever.
About two months ago - in
March, I believe-our little group
here took up target shooting as
fad. Several of us became quite
expert with revolver and rifle
Mr.. Drake"-and he nodded to-
ward the banker who instantly
averted his eyes" conceived the
idea of practicing the draw-from-
the-hip sort Of revolver shooting
the kind one sees in wild west
movies, you know
4
81 think you might add, Hugo"
Drake cut in angrily, that had
in mind the hope of being able to
protect the bank in case Of a hold
up"
And the snencer, Judge Mar
shall?" Captain Strawn prodded.
Judge Marshall flushed, and fin
gered the end of a waxed mustache.
The silencer, sir, was my wifes
idea. You see, sir, we are fortunate
enough to be the parents of an in
FAINT son.
He was just a month old when =
painted bullseye upon the brick
wall OF our back garden and invited
our friends to pursue their fad as
our guests. The shooting awakened