Nogales international., 1935-11-09

Rankin looked at his watch. "And
now it's four-thirty," he observed,
returning it. That places the muir
der in the half hour between two
thirty and three o'clock"
He strobe to the door opening
into the main office and beckoned
his assistant.
Phone HN"Anuarters, jerks" he
instructed, "and have Dr. Sackett
sent over Immediately. Tell them
| want Johnson along also to look
around with his hngerprint appa-
ratus; and a couple of photograph
ers as we'll"
When the detective left to carry
out his instructions, Rankin re-
turned to the lawyer.
Now, Mr.. Dawson, | should like
to have a brief summary of the
situation at your meeting here to-
dav. At what time did it begin,
what developed and who are the
parties involved?"
"T am the master" Mr.. Dawson
explained, Il listen to both sides of
the case and recommend my de-
lO lIlC (OQl l. WdO dPPOAlllSO
By Judge Finley"
Rankin was sufficiently familiar
with the peculiar divorce law of
his state to comprehend. In Pen
sylvania, the proceedings were gen
erally private, instead of being held
in open court before judge and
Jury. Some member of the bar,
called a master" was assigned bv
Justice to listen to the facts of
me G0A1niaint. and present his 6nd-
irgS to him; the court usually fol-
lowed his recommendation, whether
for or against the granting of the
divorce.
who is suing7" was Ranlein's
next question. "Is the husband the
plaintiff ?"
mo, the wife, Mrs. Adele Row
land. brought the libel in this in
stance Mr.. Allen Rowland, is termed
the respondent Mrs. Rowland asks
a divorce q 1TncWlMm mGtramonty1't
that is, from the bonds of matri-
mony And she is represented by
her brother, Harvey Willard OF
Willard and Hanley."
The detective nodded to indicate
some familiarity with the names
mentioned.
"Mrs. Allen Rowland, eh? Or
what grounds does she demand the
separation"
"Adultery, Mr.. Rankin" the law
yer answered. "She accuses him
and, | must admit, has thoroughly
established her claim of an in
trigue with Miss Jill Edmond, the
correspondent Miss Edmond was
recently Mrs. Rowland'S social sec
retary"
Rankin mentally noted that BY
its very nature this particular suit
for divorce might violate public
good taste and must be contested
behind closed doors.
He recalled having read in the
newspapers when Mrs. Rowland
first instituted suit For the former
Adele Willard was member of &
socially prominent Philadelphia
family and her wealth and beauty
made her marital adventures the
subject of press comment and head
lines. She was the daughter of the
ldlc lGCGI WllldIuI WHO ySdlo DC
fore had accumulated fortune in
real estate At his death, she and
her brother inherited an estate Of
well over million dollars. Once
before, she had married - Tom
Marshall, a clubman, whose early
death in a motor accident added tc
her fortune. The papers, the de-
tective remembered, described he1
suit as Glove match on the rocks.
Especially was gossip rife and the
public interested, because her sec
ond husband, Allen Rowland, was
totally without social prestige or
distinction or money. In fact, he
had been a riding master or some
similar romantic underling when
Mrs. Marshall, as gay young
widow, scandalized society by sud
denly eloping with him about four
and half years before.
''I saw reference to Mrs. Row
lands suit in the papers, Mr.. Daw-
son. But that was early in April
have you been holding meetings
ever since?"
Practically" the lawyer re-
turned. "That is, since April twenty
sixth This is the sixth hearing;
they have continued every Wednes-
day, except last week, which was
skipped to permit the respondent tc