The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-02-01
CHAPTER v

CHAPTER v
DETECTIVE OFFICER NEAME's
SHORTHAND NOTES OF DE-
TECTIVE OFFICER KETTER-
INds EXAMINATION OF CAB
IN STEWARD s1LAs RING
BOTTOM.
X: Morning Ringbottom.
n: Good morning. sir.
X: Have you been ON board
this ship long2
r.: Yes, sir, ever since Mr.. Rock
savage bought her, and before that.
too. with tho previous owner, Lord
FouIkes. am an ex.nayy man and
this was my first Job on leaving the
service.
K: Good, Well. there are just
one or two things want TO ask
you about this affair that occurred
last night. According TO what you
told me then, after you had been
TO Mr.. Blane,s suite TO inquire II
he wanted you to unpack, you
went straight back TO your pam
try. did q few odd Jobs there. and
then read n box until the dinner
bugle sounded. Now, Is that cor
rect?
r.: Yes. sir, that's correct.
K: You're quite sure you never
left that pantry of yours? I'm
not trying to pin anything on you,
don't think that, but I want you
TO be quite certain that you're not
making any mistakes.
r.: Walt q minute, sir: did
leave 1t just once, TO slip up to
tho writing rom TO get some
shests OF notepapcr for the jap
anese gentleman. He'd asked TOR
II earlier on, but found the racks
were empty and. as the chief
steward had been ashore at MI
ami, the storeroom was locked.
When the Jap rang for me again
later, though, the chief steward
waS back again IN hts cabin and
he gave me some from the store.
r.: What time was that2
r.: A bit before eight bells. sir.
X: Just before eight o'clock.
chp And, apart from that, you
never left your pantry?
H.: No, that's the, truth, SIR.
K: Who else was on duty at that
time?
r.: Only me, sir. Tho other
stewards who help with the cabins
was at their Job OF laying up for
dinner then; and tho stewardess.
Maud Briggs. what would have
been on duty. went down with
shingles two days ago, 10 she's ~
the sick bay. Fortunately there's
only three ladies aboard, and Two
OF them has their own maids. 30
they're looking after the other
lady between them.
K: Can you bring anybody 10
prove that you were III your pantry
during all that time?
r.: Well, maybe IT'S lucky for me.
sir. In the Ordinary way wouldn't
be able 10, the stcwArdcss being
III, but. as II happens. can. Syd
jerks, tho ships carpenter, was do
Ing o Job OF work In the passagc-
way during the whole OF that time
and we passed the time OF day. as
you might say. quite frequent. while
he was at II. He knows I never left
my pantry, except 10 get tho Jap
hts slotepaper. not before the din
ncr bugle went.
r.: Did 1t strike you 90 unusual
that Mr.. Blane's cabin door was
locked when you went TO tidy
II up?
r.: No, sir. not particular. Wis.,
itors varies. some'S open-handed.
somcs not. some's suspicious.
somes not. Visitors who haven't
sailed with US before sometimes
locks thei. cabin doors for the flrat
day or two out. then they don't
bother no more. I didn't think
nothing o. II. Just unlocked the
door with my master key and
went straight into the room.
r.: That's good. Now. from your
pantry you can't see the door OF
Mr.. BIaneg suite, can your
r.: No. cir. You sec my palatry'S
an inside cabin, 80 ! can't see
round the corner along the pass
age way.
r.: No. That's quite obvious
from the ships plans I've got IN
front OF me. 30 you wouldn't be
able 10 see II anyone approached
Mr.. Bianc's cabin from the lounge.
wouldn't your
r.: No. sir.
K: But you would be able TO
see anybody who came the other
way, from tho forward companion
way. which leads TO the upper and
lower decks. wouldn't you?
r.: ] would that. SIR.
H.: Was your pantry door open
during this timer
r.: Yes, sir.
r.: Now. think carefully. Ring
bottom. Did you SEQ any member
OF tho crew, or any other person,
come either UP or down the COM
panionway anG pass your door,
going In the direction Of Mr..
Blanes cabin between 7:4o and
$3.50 last t1ight2
r.: Only Miss Rocksavages maid
SIR. going along 10 dress her. no ono
X: But you would have, II they
r.: Yes. sir. ! couldn't have
helped seeing them.
X: Right. That's oil wanted 70
know.
DETECTIVE OFFICER NEAME'e
SHORTHAND NOTES or DE-
TECTIVE OFFICER kErTER-
INCYg EXAMINATION or sgd
JENKe, SHIPS CARPENTER.
K,: Good morning, jerks.
a. FteaA yvsaPning cir.