The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1934-09-14
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The Bed That Was Not
Occupied

~ an officer on the st. Louis police
force, was murdered while trying to
arrest burglar.
He was very popular among his as
| sociates, and there was an almost uni
versal desire to find the man who had
committed the deed and to give him
the full penalty of the law.
But the difficulty was to get clue
upon which to hinge their investiga
lions.
1t was learned that number of col
| ored men had been seen In the vi.
cinity of the hotel where the officer
was shot, but there was nothing to
connect them with the crime.
Chief of Police Smith determined to
comb the city in order to locate the
| known colored criminals.
The job was well done, but 1t did
not bring very practical results. Just
about that time the chief learned that
one Of the men who had been seen
lettering in the vicinity of Cardinal
street on the night of the murder had
been sent to the Missouri reformatory
a week later on some minor charge.
He called upon the mother of the
| suspect and questioned her regarding
his movements for the previous month.
| She admitted that he was hayward,
but was positive that he could not
have been the murderer Of Policeman
Boyce.
She was cross-examined, and as
result of that it was found that Frank
| White-for that was his name-had
not slept at home on the night Of
March 81.
This was extremely important be-
cause that was the night the officer
was shot
In addition to ascertaining this bit
Of information, the chief of police also
came away with bunch Of pawn
| tickets.
One Of them called for revolver.
The officer called on the pawn
broker and obtained the weapon.
1t was taken to headquarters, and 1t
was found to be the caliber revolver
with which Policeman Boyce had been
| shot.
The proof of this was discovered by
means of the bullet that had been
taken from the wound. M
Thus armed, the chief Of police was
in position to confront the suspected
man.
He took the train for Boonville and
arrived at the reformatory late at
| night.
In order to make doubly sure he
took the mother of White with him.
The superintendent. was perfectly will
ing to have White interviewed, but
thought it might be postponed until
the next morning. Chief Smith did
not agree with him.
On the contrary, he said there were
several reasons why the meeting
should take place that night.
One Of them was that the suspect
would be confronted unexpectedly and
without opportunity of manufacturing
an alibi.
He was reused. from a solid slumber
and brought into the waiting room.
By previous arrangement, the moth
err had been placed in an adjoin-
ing room.
White was surprised when confront
ed by the detective-but he was also
defiant.
He positively denied all knowledge
Of the Boyce murder and said that he
was sleepy and wanted to go back
to bed.
where did you spend the night Of
March 31?" asked Chief Smith sud-
denly.
"At home in my bed-just where I
should have spent It,"
"But you did not sleep at home that
| night" replied the detective in his
most positive manner. e&f
~How do you know thatT he asked,
half tauntingly. s
For reply his inquisitor opened .
little window in the room and pointed
to an adjoining apartment, where sat
the mother Of the accused man.
Her unexpected presence shook his
nerve.
What had she said to the police?
How much of the truth had she re-
| vealed?
He was troubled and in the end ad-
mitted that his bed had not been oc-
| cupied that night.
A minute later, when confronted by
the revolver which had been retrieved
from the pawnshop, he broke down
and confessed that he had killed
Officer Boyce.
WNU Service.