The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1934-06-11
- c1zss41lc1 &C
- MoCKlNC HOUSE
.BY WATER 6. eROWN


AS 1 understand 10. you ana Mr.,
Whitmare were left in sole charge
Of this house while Mr.. and Mrs.
Dufresne went to their summer,
home at Moose Head Lodge?"
Eyes, SIR"
1.-THE Dufresnes left early IN Jhly
and did not return until late Dc.
tober?"
That's right"
"During all the time Of their ab
sence, there were no disturbances.
no attempted burglaries. no proEl
ers at night, nor suspicious charac.
tiers seen In the grounds?"
"No." 0
"Did you have any visitors Of your
own. relatives. or friends" :
I'VE did not
"The house was never left unoc.
lcupied. then. even for day."
Never" The housekeeRef Was
rapping out her staceato replies a.
quickly as the detective fred his
questions.
(which rooms did you oeeupyss
"Our usual ones-the double bed.
room on the third floor. front"
"Oh. / thought your quarters were
over the garage?"
Those are only temporary" \
lHARPER struck OF on q new line.
Al "Did you know Oficer Hamill,
the policeman who was killed?"
"Only by sight. remember seeding
him about the nelghborhood. }
ldidn't know his name"
ibid he ever stop to talk?"
/ John, my husband. talked to him
several times over the fence in the
evenings. He never came Into the
grounds. that I saw"
.Hew did you know when the
house was to be opened again?"
"Mr. Dufresne sent me q telegram
the day they started home. All the
preparation needed was to replenish
the food supply and notify the
maid"
"oh. there was a maid? What he
came of herr"
"She left" I 4
"Discharged?"
"No. she left of her own accord
what reason die she give? Had
she been with the DufFesnes long?"
"About a year and half I didn't
ask her reasons for leaving. She
gave Mrs. Dufresne the usual tive
weeks notice." Mrs. Whitmore'a
tone made it plain that she had moi
been overly friendly with the maid.
what was her name?"
"Ellen Becker"
do you have her present ad
dress?"
II do not. believe she has Eela
tives somewhere in the city, but I'm
not sure. Mrs. Dnfresne would
know"
Surely you have some idea as to
why she left, Mrs. Whitmore? n
seems very unusual that she should
wait all summer to resume her du
ties here in the fall and then leave
after Q few weeks. Surely she had
some explanation to maker
"Ellen was always close-mouthed
and stand.ofiish.p the housskeepei
replied. "She never made friends
with any one"
"Why wasn't she replaced?"
"By that time the re-decoratine
had been decided upon and started
Mr.. and Mrs. Dufresne went 70 the
Austerlitz. There was no need for {
maid until the house was opened
again.
Il understand Mrs, Dufresne di
rected the changes. I suppose shs
was here great deal while the worl
was going on?"
"0h. yes. she was in and out ali
the time. consulting about this ane
that. But Mrs. Croydon helped . LOT
with 1t. too"
did Mr.. Dufresne come ou
often?"
Perhaps twice week, to see how
things were going. He LETT all the de
cisions to Mrs. Dufresne. though"
We'll. that gives me q pretty clear
idea OF how things stood over thu
lsummer but need q few more Dc
E.tails about. this re-decorating. II
seems to have been thorough IN
dertaking. Was the whole thing han
died by one firm or were the various
jobs given out TO different firmsl'
mo. johnson q Carew handled
everything. the painting. papering
upholstery. even the outside paint
ing"
"Then the only workmen who
were in this house were In their en-
ploy?"
"Yes. There was quite . lot Of
them. working at various tines Per
haps q dozen altogether"
They were under supervision al
the timer"
"Yes. indeed. A Mr. Holiday had
charge OF the whole Job he was up
here every DAY.
what we're the working henrs3r
-From halt.past eight - four
o'clock"
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