Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-12-28

mrs MURDER isn't IT, Or Westlakc ." said
Francis Hale TO me in my home in rural
Kenmore the day after his lovely rcd-harod
daughter Norma Hale had met a strange
death We do think she was murdered"
admitted She had told me the day before
that she Was pursued by a man with a twisted
mp m a yellow taxi That she and a friend
Libby Brompton. had done something terrible
and She feared someone was going 20 Try TO
murder her m revenge She felt sure that
Libby found dead months before in Bar
Harbor had been murdered. She herself was
10 marry oliver Church in a week but lived
in terror and couldn't sleep l gave her
prescription. After she left l read a letter
from Libby she had dropped revealing that
the taxi driver had threatened her and had
said he'd settle with Norma and Toni later
Who Toni was girl or man | didn't know
Taking my young daughter Dawn I went
10 nearby Fallowheld Norma's home. To see
her There l met her divorced mother Persis
now Mrs David Rowcv Mrs. Rowleys sister
Grace. wife OF Judge Salter David, Oliver
and Karen Hale. Normas twin sister red
haired like herself The family was trim
ming the driveway trees with Christmas
lights Norma galloped madly up the drive
in the dark and suddenly toppled. ] elimpsed
a yellow car as Rowley helped me carry her
20 the house She was dead, her neck broken
and a strange bruise on her Throat.
Dawn later showed me where a wire had
been strung across the drive between two
trees II was now gone but Norma must have
ridden fun tilt into IT, / told my friend Police
Inspector Cobb Normas weird story and my
suspicious OF foul play. We agreed TO say
nothing for the present. Then found a
yellow taxi burning but no trace Of the driver.
The next morning Karen called. She denied
knowing anyone called Toni But when |
remarked that Norma had said she being
followed she tainted. Oliver took her home,
apparently little distressed over his hancecs
death Meanwhile Cobbs men had traced the
taxi driver 10 an old barn on my place He
was gone but the hunt went quietly on
After the inquest verdict Of death by mis-
adventure" Hale, convinced that the police
were hiding something came 10 see me 1t was
then I admitted we thought 1t was murder
so they did do it, he muttorod. When l
asked If he knew something he replied: II can
give YOU a sound motive for murder Doctor
one that has existed some time He then
explained that Mrs Rowlef and Grace received
a $50 600 income from trust fund left by
their father. Samuel Shipton However, the
will provided that 500 600 year was to 20 to
his three grandchildren on marrying or reach
ING twenty-five II the three children" said
fAlc, were ldCIleSS enough 10 IfdCH twenty
Eve or consider marriage, Perss and Grace
Noud he left without penny Does that
suggest anything 20 YOU" II did II sug-
gested that four people had a strong financial
motive for keeping any Of the three grand
Children from marrying or reaching twenty
FIVE This was something vitality new some
thing much more tangible than the ghostly,
Iavengeful taxi driver
Hale added that Karen and Jimmie Salter
had become engaged two years ago. that their
marriage would have cut Pcrsis and Graces
income 10 $50 600 but Jimmie died Another
unfortunate bat timely accident" he said. an
auto accident You realize how timely Normas
accident was She was scheduled 20 marry
Oliver next week Hale declared he had
thought OF Immcs death AS an accident but
cot 10 thinking " murder N connection with
Norma and found D. wasn't hard 10 pat the
two things together II someone is numbering
the Shptor grandchildren for profit" he said,
that means there's danger for Karen. too.
And whatever happens I'm going 20 see that
Karen is safe
tAnd Now Go ON with the story