Evening star., 1932-05-15

1881, I had an appointment to
meet Joseph Blackor in his
apartment. We were involved in
the Carey lawsuit wherein the
heirs of the late Hannah Carey
were suing to break her will The firm Of
Blackor, Price & Decker represented the
defendants in the suit. Mr.. Blackor had
asked me to go to his apartment in order
that we might go over some papers relative to
the case and be undisturbed
I frequently went to his apartment In this
way and, in order that might have free
access, he had given me a latchkey. On this
particular night he had told me that he was
dining out, and that If he were not there
when arrived was to make myself at home
until he came.
I entered the door of the apartment house at
exactly 8:45 my brief case in my hand. The
hall was empty. 1t Is one of the older build
ings with the elevator in the middle and the
flight OF stairs at one side. The elevator
operator not being visible, decided to walk
up the three flights to Blackor's apartment
As set my foot on the bottom step of the
stairs I saw the elevator operator, a colored
man. sitting at the telephone desk which was
partly behind q screen. He was asleep. stuck
to my intention Of walking up. The man was
ugly to look at and distinctly cross-eyed.
had always disliked his appearance, and was
glad now to dispense with his services. rang
Blackor's bell, and as there was no response
used my latchkey and entered. As I had
expected, the apartment was empty I laid
down my hat-I wore no overcoat-and went
into the living room.
A reading lamp was burning near the large
easy chair, and on low table beside 1t were
cigars and cigarettes a flask containing
Scotch, and two glasses. There was also q
rare edition Of Don Quixote with amusing
wood-cut illustrations. smiled at Blackor's
pandering to my very fastidious tastes, laid
down my brief case, poured myself drink
and prepared to make myself comfortable.
Soon was deep in the book. The clock
striking reused me. It was 10 o'clock What
had happened to keep Blackor? laid down
hundredth time admiring my hosts ability to
make himself comfortable He had an almost
womanish love of luxury.
Opposite my chair, on the other side of the
fireplace, was an enormous sofa, piled high
with pillows. As I gazed at 1t now wondering
If would throw myself down there and take
nap until his return, was surprised to see
shoe on the floor near the corner Of the sofa.
For while stared ut 1t, idly speculating On
the reason for its being there. when all Of
. sudden 1t occurred to me that 1t was not
lying as one would expect to find q shoe which
had been carelessly thrown on the noor. 1t was
poised on its heel, its toe pointing upward.
rose and went around the corner Of the sofa.
\A/HAT saw there made me gasp. Joseph
w Blackor lay. on his back on the noor,
quite dead bullet wound IN his temple.
touched him. He was stin warm. The
murder, then, must have taken place iu-
nediately before my arrival. My first impulse
was to call for help and went to the house
telephone. My hand on the receiver, paused,
had been In the room an hour and o quarter
How could explain that I had only Just
discovered the body? turned away. Could It
be possible that the murderer had been in the
apartment while I had been sitting there?
Was still there, perhaps, for my chair had been
In front Of the door and he could not have
escaped that way hastily reconnoitered
There was no one in the ktchenette, no one
In the bath room. opened the door of the
bed room, which was closed, and switched on
the light. One Of the windows stood open.
went over and looked out. It opened on .
court and there was sheer drop to the
ground Of perhaps 30 feet. No one could
escape that way. Suddenly my eye lighted on
the fire-escape in the angle Of the wall few
feet away. An agile man, crawling out on the
window sill, could reach over and draw him.
self to it. Risky, but possible. II the murderer
had not already left before entered the apart
ment, he could have secreted himself in the
bed room. and gone by this route.
I returned to the body. There were powder
burns about the wound and the skin was
blackened. Evidently the shot had been fred
at close range. There had apparently been
no struggle. All at once my foot hit some
thing lying partly under the sofa I kicked II
out and saw that it was pistolEthe pistol!
had sense enough to drape my handkerchief
over my hand before touching it, It was
Colt but what interested me was q nick In
the handle where it had been broken. One
shot had been fred. As I held 1t in my
hand, wondered where had seen 1t before.
Somewhere in the back of my mind I
remembered It.
Suddenly my own plight struck me. Here
was alone In the room vith, q dead man and
the weapon that had killed him. II ! went
downstairs and reported his death, I would
have To- account for that hour snd nfteen