The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1934-05-28
Chapter II
TRACKS IM SNOW

TRACKS IN SNOW
SERGEANT HARPER spread out
blank piece, Of paper and drew
hasty. but recognizable. plan Of
ae ground floor Of the Dufresne
Iansion. with the adjacent grounds.
Il windows and doors we're dcsig.
ated. snow. before we look at those
sports. let's get this matter Of the
Footprints in the snow tirmiy In our
eads. rye made q complete circuit
/ the house. III mark IN the tracks
/ tell you about them. then you
an 90 out yourself AMI check cyer
y work before the sun gets busy
nd destroys them.
"First. here Il the back OF the
.ouse. There are Two doors. both CIV.
! lg onto a porch. There are two sets
heaVily-marked tracks. leading
rom the side door OF the garage
building to the back door OF this
louse.
"They were made BY Mr.. and Mrs.
VhItmore. coming over In response
o Andrews call. There are no other
footprints at the back Of the house
md. naturally. there are none In
he snow 70 either the right or the
eft side Of the house.
Secondly. there Is confusion OF
racks from the pavement to the
roft door. There Is one set. filled IN
md almost covered BY the later
now. Mixed In with these are two
Jets OF fresher tracks. partly filied
n. The fret set Is the original trail
eft By HamilI. the second lot were
hade BY Connally and Hilleary az
hey followed.
Then there is q second group.
fortunately 70 one side OF the others.
they were made BY Clymer. Smith.
Doyle and myself. the second group
o arrive on the scene. After that
lad Connally snove,.a path ard ev
Dry one enfaring or leaving has nad
% use the path.
Furthermore. It was Connally
VIZ actually traced Hamill's foot
steps from the call.box anc be
sw1ars that when be and HiIleary
arrived here there was one. and only
bne. SET OF prints leading up to the
door.
This gives Us 40 accounting for
ever, efnaie acraou who entered knie
house before the path vas cleared.
except the unidentified man. He
must hive come 10 before the snow
started. or before Il was deer
enough TO retain the impression OF
footprint.
we know the snow started fall
Ing about half.past three yesterday
afternoon. but IL didn't really begin
showing heavily until an hour OF 90
later Il Is almost certain that this
man was 10 this house before half
1pasl eve. Otherwise shapeIess. but
noticeable. ridges would have been
left In the snow. Officer lIamiIl must
have been killed as soon as he en-.
tered this room. Miller puts the hour
Df his death as between seven and
nine.
-As you see. that leaves the most
Important questions unanswered.
When aud why did the murdered
man break In! What drew IIamill's
attention 70 this honsei We have
The record OF all who entered this
house lasl sight between. say. half
pact live aud halfpast ten. always
excepting OF mysterious dead man
"A Tar as can see tie an nnassail
able record aud Il doesn't furnish
much ground Tor the suspicion that
hll Is not as It seems on the sur
face
10 You feel sure that these marks
10 the snow weren't tempered
with r. asked l.afIerly. Gan you rely
on them snliFelyl~
Il can see 40 room for doubt. !.
Harper replied .Yon cannot walk
through snow Of any depth without
leaving traces TRY It. ana see tor
yourself. The snow can 90 on Tor
hours after . track has heen made
and Il win still be visible. That orig.
inal unbroken surface OF Z fan Of
snow cannot be duplicated
HOLD IN mIDnte.- LaGerty ii.
! teriected. couldn't some one
tread 10 previously made tracks and
get out thai war;
Harper shook bis head. "0ne look
At Hamilrs marks win convince you
that that wasn't donA | know that
trick has besr used. but Ri swear Il
didrt happen in this Instance. rye
looked a. those marka vefy care
fully ana they are absolutely bona
lide. Not even . car walked across
those grounds last night
i.aifert7 thought 4 over. Well We
vent over every hole and corner Of