Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1933-09-14

Chicago. was the other hoy, and had
himself studied at Aberdeen.
The second report for the detective
was the autopsy report. Only few
experiments were needed to vindicatp
the doctors choice of one of the we're
fable alkaloids. The poison was CO
nine. one drop of which would cause
death in two to three hours; and al
most four times that minimum dose
was injected into Jordans system In
liquid form.
This amount was surely fatal In half
that period and probably in much less.
The action of CONNIE, however, varied
in each instance with the individual
strength and resisting power of the
person affected; hence, the autopsy
could not set, within an hour, the time
before Jordan's death 1t was admin
istered. It's vagueness on this point
disappointed Rankin; he had hoped
definitely to prove that the boy was
poisoned at nine-twenty. while his
hands were being united.
Careful analysis showed there had
been nothing deadly in the wine used
by the candidates.
The detective finished perusing this
report and summoned an officer.
"a good many reporters are in the
anteroom, Wilson," he told him, "have
the whole bunch in. now; say I've
something important for them"
Recognizing the sensational aspects
of the case, newspaper men swarmcd
into headquarters. clamoring for de-
tails. When they were assembled.
Rankin said: 1.-The post-mortem re-
port has just come in. fellows. with
a few special items. I'm going to make
an extra concession and tell you what
they are. But In return, you've got
to do me favor, too. All want is
for you to publish the statement in
the autopsy about the exact cause of
Jordan's death. You see, he was poi
soned by something called CONNIE,
which is extracted from the hemlock
plant. Its characteristic is mousy
odor. AS little as drop or two grains
will prove fatal in a few hours, and
Jordan was given more than four
drops. These are the facts I want in
your newspapers"
Boyle of the Record regarded him
quizzically. whats the big ideal"
he inquired. "You know darned well
that in these poison cases, we never
print the name Of the poison; we call
it deadly poison and let it go at
that. It's public policy to keep people
in the dark, rather than take the
chance of putting bug in some read
er's ear to try it out on himself or
some other fellow" Q
That's just why I'm asking you to
make an exception to the usual rule in
this case" Rankin replied. ~ have a
bunch it is going to help me If the
poison becomes known. Conine isn't
so easy to get; and the criminal might
have left some trail in procuring 1t,
which this open announcement will IN
cover"
Boyle shrugged. swell. it's perfect
ly OK. with me. If you think it ought
to be DONE" he agreed.
The other newspaper men also ex.
pressed their willingness to comply
with the detectives wish, and left. AS
they filed out of the office, the police
man Wilson entered with a telegram.
1t was addressed to Mr.. Warwick, who
had forwarded it from the university;
It had been dispatched from 1855 Hunter
street. Vandalia, at seven o'clock that
morning. Rankin read the reply to
the supervisors message notifying the
students residence Of his death at the
fraternity house.
DREADFUL NEWS STOP AM
COMING EAST IMMEDIATELY BY
EARLY TRAIN STOP EXPECT ME-
TOMORROW MORNING AT TEN
O'CLOCK.
The signature was that Of Howard
Merrick, Jordan's relative and guar.
dian.
ltankin had already decided upon
the course of his investigations that
day. Until Mr.. Merrick arrived. with
the Illumination he might throw on the
boys life, he would learn as much as
he could of Jordan's career at school.
Distinctly his first step was to search
the students room in the dormitories
and his belongings for some clue to
the tragedy. To save time, he would
question Randall, the former Aberdeen
student. while he was at the dorms:
and later call on the boy from Van
dalia, If only to make certain of neg.
lecting no likely source of information.
At the fraternity house, he hoped to
elicit from Larry Palmer, now recov-
cred from his mysterious indisposi-
ton, the explanation of how and by
whom he was drugged. He could in.
terview Ben Crawford at the same
time. He had still been absent at three.
thirty in the morning when Rankin
left and the problem of his where
abouts remained unsettled.
1t was past noon when he entered
the dormitory grounds. He reached
Jordan's room, 315, on the third floor
by an enclosed passage, outside the
halls, resembling a fire escape and be-
gan his hunt, with the desk as the
most logical place for Jordan's private
possessions. In the drawers, an mex.
frf 10