The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1933-10-13
By Milton
Proper
Copyright. 1882. by Milton Proper
WNU Service

MI. WdFWlChS UTOdu DTOW WTluhIeu
in obvious dismay and bewilderment.
"That could be done, suppose" he
agreed, with penetrating, inquiring
glance at Rankin. 'Does that mean,
though, that Randalrs entire record at
Aberdeen was faxed? That no such
person ever existed, and she adopted
the name to forged account Of a
scholastic career, just to enter Phila-
delphia?"
"Oh, no, you were bound to COM
municate with Aberdeen and uncover
any such complete fraud. Walter RAN
dali was genuine-a Chicago boy who
attended Aberdeen last year, but quit
school for good at the end of the term.
Through the Chicago police, learned
yesterday he is now at home work
ing. What happened is simple. 1t
was last May that Stuart discovered
his wife's infidelity and later the same
month that he notified her he would
get away to Philadelphia and event
ually divorce her. Immediately, she
and Doctor Prince schemed to follow
him there and murder him, If he re-
fused to relent. And Randall fitted
their needs exactly-for some univer-
sity student. successful in his studies,
who intended to drop out of school in
June, either because of financial stress
or i'll health. He would have no fur
ther use for his scholastic record;
they proposed to pay him several hun
dred dollars to apply for admission to
Philadelphia and then allow some one
else enter in his place on his applica-
ton and standing out west. He would
never know, of course, the purpose of
the deception.
IT imagine it was Doctor Prince who
sought for such student in those in
the vicinity of st. Louis; as a former
college man himself, he could do so
better than she. I have no idea how
he finally located Randall, but when
he did, the boy agreed to go through
the formalities of entering Philadel-
phia for him."
"Wasn't that running the grave risk"
the supervisor queried, shat you might
inquire ut Randall's home about him,
much earlier than this? And easily
hear that the real one was in Chicago
all the time, instead"
Rankin nodded negatively. "As long
as didn't suspect his identity" he ex-
planned, 81 was not likely to inyesti-
gate him at his home. And even if I
did. l could hardly ferret out the dis
crepancy. Remember, his supposed
absences at the university were COM
paratively brief; two weeks in the
fall and the last six weeks. For the
rest of the year, as 1 would find, he
was supposed to be home anyhow.
mo doubt, too, he was cautioned to
keep out of sight while his substitute
remained at Philadelphia; and his
family and relatives coached, in case
they were questioned, to testify he was
away at school during those same few
weeks"
He paused to light another cigarette
and take several puffs. When Mr..
Warwick waited silently, without any
comment, he continued his account.
1.-THE disadvantage of using Randall's
name for the trick was that he had
gone to the same college as Stuart
And much worse, before his ostensible
transfer. he once lived in the dorm at
Aberdeen of which Jordan was mon
itor. After the crime, that was bound
to attract my attention to him-as in
deed happened. On the other hand,
it enabled Mrs. Jordan when / inter-
viewed her, to volunteer the story of
Ralph Buckley's grudge against Stuart
and the cause of their feud. That
falsely set me on Buckley's trail and
involved me in tangle of circum-
stantial evidence. She also suggested,
Mr.. Warwick, how he must have de-
frauded your officials here to be ad-
mitted after his disgraceful dismissal
from Aberdeen. The fact that she knew
far more than any ordinary student
should about how to falsify records
and enter the university through them
ought to have placed me upon my
guard and made me doubt her own
bona fides."
The supervisor frowned suddenly,
his expression doubtful and shook his
head uncertainty.
"But where did Mrs. Jordan ever
hear of Buckley or his dispute with
Stuart? Though the real Randall
might know of 1t, he had no reason
to inform Doctor Prince"
OBVIOUSLY then she must have got
the facts from Stuart" the detective
responded. 1T occurred last spring,
during their short married life; nat
urally, they would talk about his ex-
periences at school, He probably re-
lated to her the entire incident and its
results"
"Still she was scarcely at Philadel
phia long enough to discover Buckley
had also registered; especially since
she couldn't have been acquainted
with him. And that would be her only
cause for revealing his enmity."
(To BE CoNTINUED.)
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