Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-11-12
The Real Background
BY ERIE STANLEY
GARDNER

Perry Mason can tell MS
readers a good many things
that couldn't have been told
before.
In my opinion, Alfred de Ma
rigny, the accused, never could
have committed the crime at the
time and IN the manner claimed
by the prosecution. II Just simply
isn't in the cards.
CROWNS CASE
The crowns case against De
Marigny boiled down 10 a question
of motivation. burnt hairs, an AL
legged opportunity, and a finger
print
Let's look at those things in
order.
The crowns idea Of motivation
was that the accused wanted TO
get his hands on some of the
lOakes millions.
But the evidence shows that
Freddy As most of the people
down there in Nassau cali him.
had his split with Nancy's parents
a long time before the murder:
that after the split Sir Harry
Cakes had ample opportunity 10
change his will; that Freddy knew
ne had changed his will.
II the m olive had been as
claimed by the crown. Sir Harry
should have been killed before the
will was changed.
Now let's look at the burnt
hairs.
The crowns own witness ad-
mltted that if a man who had
burnt hairs took a bath most of
the evidence of those burnt hairs
I rvuutd be destroyed.
Is n possible that the crown
contends that Alfred de Marieny
went out there and committed
that murder. got blood all over
his hands, SCOT IN his hair. then
came back home and didn't even
take a bath
II That's sheer nonsense
Then the prosecution contends.
and the defense admits, that the
accused was IN the vicinity of
Westbourne at about 100 a. m.
on July s.
For how long?
The Marquis de ViSdelou WASH
what you would call a particularly
good witness. The fact remains
that he Swears, and Betty Roberts
Swears that the accused was back
home within very short time
after leaving TO take two girls a
short distance beyond Westbourne.
WELL-PLANNED CRIME
That crime AT Westbourne
wasn't bit and run affair. Sir
Harry may have been killed within
a space of very few seconds, but
the burning took considerably
longer.
That brings us to the question
of the iingerprint
Now when we come to that.
we're running up against one OF
/ the most mysterious elements in
/ the entire case.
And right here and now, Perry
Mason goes on record as saying
that regardless of the contention
of the defense. Perry Mason does
not think those Miami police Off
GERS framed the accused.
ON the other hand, Perry Ma
son doesn't believe that finger
print ever came from that screen
at least from that section of
the screen which Barker points
TO as being the place where he
| thinks he found it.
To the mind of Perry Mason,
there is a mighty good chance that
this fingerprint was deliberately
planted. a piece of evidence that
was intended to send Alfred de
Marigny 10 the Callows
BY whom was IL planted?
Perry Mason finds himself won
dcrlng If there isn't a strong pos
siblity Barker didn't initial and
Identify all those lifts m the time
he thinks he did that this lift,
containing a finEorprint of the
NNuN'i, HllEit nave tdl Ciully ana
deliberately been inserted into
Bankers collection Of lifts by
some one who was very anxious
indeed to have the case closed
by tho conviction and execution
Of Alfred dc Marlgny.
| don't think any one actually
tried to set fire 10 WeStbourne.
| think some one planted the
burns which the police found 50
that il would be made 10 appear
an attempt had been made 10 fire
tho house.