Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-09-12

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lying in his bier was closely as
Sociated with him. And whoever
came would be taken TO headquar-
tiers and questioned.
The questioning would do the
questionee no good socially,0
whether he was sub big shot in
the underworld or a leader in the
legitimate one. II was worth a
mans position or even his free
dom 10 be seen in Durham
Funeral Home while the Duke lay
in state.
a day went past and there were
no callers except those above men,
toned The police yawned and
wished that this watching assign
ment was over But, on the sec
ond day. they perked up their ears
and opened their eyes.
Rutherford b. RuthSonn, presi-
dent of the Planters National
Bank, was driving up TO the
funeral home. His chauffeur
swung down from the front seal
and opened the door with a
flourish. Rutherford b. emerged
and trotted into the home.
He was little guy with lot
of forehead and no chin. He was
dressed in a cutaway coat and
striped pants and an iron hat. His
little squiked mustache stabbed al
the sky.
HIS EYES SOFTEN
His cold fish eyes stared icilyI
at the front of the funeral home,
the attendant who let him in. the
two Mrs. Dukes, the blondined
blonde. and the punkS that stood
on one foot and then on the other.
Only when he stared down at
the Duke did his eyes change
Then they softened. He stood
there looking down and saw the
rouge dabs on the cheek bones
and the head hair which began
so close above the dead mans
nose
He took in the black dress tie
and the tuxedo coat and the lovely
delicate rosary entWlned through
the pale. dead brutal hands. He
didn' say anything His lips didn'
move
Silence grew heavy. Whereupon
3. raised his eyes from
the Duke and swept the room. The
cold glance pl Ia e d the three
women in that FASH He stepped
over to the Dukes mother and
Imurmured sympathy. He did the
same with the Dukes wife.
He passed up the blonde and he
Itrotted out of there. looking
neither TO the right nor left.
lie was just stepping into his
car when Detective Johnny Brad
dick touched him on the arm and
said, "Mr. Ruthsonn, they want to
see YOU down at Center street"
II expected as much" Ruther-
ford b. admitted. "Get In and
we'll drive down together"
Down in Center street, they
hemmed and they hawed and they
showed Rutherford b. Ruthsonn
plenty OF Difference because the
police don't toss around any
banker.
FINALLY COME TO POINT
But they finally came to the
point and asked politely what
man Of Rutherford b. RuthSonn $
unqueStioned caliber and social
standing was doing in-of all
placeS-a funeral home paying his
respects 10 a notorious murderer
and racketeer.
I'm glad YOU asked me that"
the little man said pOmpously.
- did not know the Duke AZ all
but he was my best friend.
went to the funeral parlors to-
day TO acknowledge that iriehd-
ship"
They raised their eyebrows at
that cockeyed statement. How
could a guy who didn't know an
other guy be that guys best
friend? Rutherford b explained.
you remember 1882 per-
haps ." he asked. well, In 1882
the Planters National, like a
great many other banks, was
Oyer-eNtended. IL was out on n
limb because OF the shrinkage
Of the dollar. IL could not pay
Its depositors. Word OF this con-
dition got about and run was
threatened ON the bank.
II and other officers looked
prison straight in the eve be
cause, hough We had done
nothing morally wrong, we had
broken q great number Of tech
meal rules. ANY one Of them
would have put TIA behind bars
On