The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1943-06-17, Page 7THE EXETER TIMES-ADVOCATE, THURSDAY MORNING, JUNE 1711., 1943
NEW SERIAL STORY'
Tragedy of X
by ELLERY QUEEN
self very disagreeable. Cau’t
that you’re interrupting a
party?”
Collins’ red-rimmed eyes
“Listen, DeWitt,” he piut-
“ypu’ve got to let me talk to
Xt’s—it's life or death.”
you see
private
became
1............... ......................
“I left my office at 5:30 and took
the subway downtown to the Ex
change Club, on Wall Street, I went
to the gymnasium wi^x the intention
of exercising a bit before dinner, but
I cut my right forefinger on a piece
of apparatus—an ugly gash which
bled immoderately, The Club physic
ian. Dr. 'Morris, treated it and want
ed to bandage the finger, but I didn't
think it was necessary, and , ♦ . ”
“One moment, Mr. DeWitt,” in
terrupted Lyman blandly, “Was
there any other reason for refusing
to have your finger bandaged?”
“Yes. I intended to stay at the
Club most of the evening, and since
the wound had stopped bleeding
through Dr. Morris’ ministrations,
I preferred not to be inconvenienced
with an awkward bandage. It would
also have necessitated my answering
friendly questions about the accident
and I am rather sensitive about these
things. Dr. Morris told me to be
careful of the finger, since a twist
or bump would reopen the wound
and it would bleed again, I redress
ed with some difficulty and went to
the Club restaurant with my friend
Franklin Ahearn, with whom I had
made a dinner appointment. We
spent the evening in the Club with
other business acquaintances of
mine. I was asked to join in a game
Of bridge but was forced to refuse
because of my hand. At 10:10 I
left the Club and took a cab to' the
ferry ...”
Bruno was on ‘his feet, protesting
to the testimony as “irrevelant and
immaterial,” and demanding that it
be stricken off the record.
Lyman said: “Your Honor, the
defendant’s testimony is important
in building up a defense which will
prove his innocence.”
Judge Grimm overruled the Dis
trice Attorney’s objection, motioning
Lyman to continue,
turned to Bruno and
witness.”
Bruno scowled, then
fifteen minutes badgered
attempting to shake his story and
bring out facts relating to Long
street. To these Lyman inexorably
objected and wag sustained. Final
ly, after a dry reprimand from Judge
Grimm, the District Attorney sat
down, mopping his forehejad. and
DeWitt stepped from the stand.
“I call as second witness for the
defense,” announced L y m a n,
“Franklin Ahearn.”
DeWitt’s
of complete
in.
“Did you
“Who was with you?”
“The defendant and Mr. Drury
Lane.”
“Did you notice Mr, DeWitt'S fin
ger was cut?”
“Yes.”
“Flease describe the appearance
of the wound as you saw it at that
moment,”
“Well, it looked sort of raw.
There was a, dried-blood scab formed
over the cut.”
“Over the
Inspector?
piece?”
“Yes. It
“■Now, Inspector,
happened after you
Witt’s wound,”
was grappled at
we made a dash
leading down to
entire length of the cut,
The scab was in one
looked very stiff,”
please tell what
noticed Mr,•De
that
for
the
Mr.
had congregated in a
suite. Jeanne DeWitt
sparkling and rosy;
Lord, and Franklin
J
teary,
tered,
you.
DeWitt rose with a sigh, excused
himself; and the two men, DeWitt
with bent head-* Collins speaking
rapidly, violently, gesticulating,
pleading, peering into DeWitt’s a-
verted face—-walked toward the rear
of the car, DeWitt suddenly left
Collins and returned to his three
companions.
The broker put his hand into his
upper left vest-pocket, took out the
six single tickets, leaving the new
trip-book in the pocket, and gave
them to Ahearn, “Here you are,
I don't know how long this pest will
take. Conductor will get me later.”
DeWitt retraced
where Collins stood
of dejection, They
the doorway to the
were indistinctly visible for a mo
ment, then the three men saw them
cross over to stand on the front
platform of the last, dim car, pass
ing from view.
At this moment the conductor en
tered from the forward door, be
ginning to collect and punch tickets.
Lord referred the conductor to them,
looking around and seeming surpris
ed at DeWitt's, absence. The con
ductor approached: Ahearn offered
him the six tickets, explaining there
was another man in the party who
had stepped out a moment and would
be back shortly.
The conductor moved up the car.
The three men engaged in desul
tory conversation. Twice Lane peer
ed backward; but neither DeWitt
nor Collins was visible.
The local staggered to a stop at
Bogota, a suburb of Hackensack,
then started again. Lane glanced
at his watch, saw it was 12:36 and
got to his feet so suddenly that
Brooks uttered a grunt. “Flease
excuse me, Mr. Brooks,” he said.
“Perhaps my nerves are ragged, but
I am disturbed by the failure of
DeWitt to return."
“You think there’s something
wrong?" Brooks strode up the aisle
with Lane. “Come along, Ahearn."*
They went to the rear door of
their car. There was no one on the
platform. They looked at each
other as Lane went over and peered
through the glass into the d<im rear
car. It was evidently an extra
coach being hauled to the end of
the line for an early morning rush.
His jaw hardened,’ and he said dis
tinctly: “I am. going in here, gen
tlemen. Mr. Brooks, will you please
hol’d, the door open? There’s very
little light."
his steps to
in an attitude
passed through
real* platform,
money
“The body
moment, and
the stairway
lower deck.”
“Did anything pertaining to
DeWitt’s wound occur as you were
doing this?”
Thumm said sullenly.: “Yes. The
defendant reached the door first and
grabbed the knob. He sort of cried
out, and we saw the cut on his fin
ger had opened. It was bleeding.”
Lyman leaned forward and tapped
Thumm’s beefy knee: “The scab
opened and the wound began to
“bleed merely from the defendant's
grasping the door-knob?”
“Yes.”
“That’s all, Inspector. Your wit
ness, Mr. Bruno.” Bruno shook
head and Thumm descended,
face a study in mingled disgust,
tonishment and understanding.
Lyman next called Dr. Morris.
“You have heard the preceding
witness describe the condition of the
wound and its scab when he saw it
at the rail of the boat. Could this
wound as Inspector Thumm describ
ed it have been open, let us say,
fifteen minutes before he saw it?”
“Positively not. Had it been
opened even an hour before, the
scab could not have been in one
continuous piece.”
“Would you say the defendant
could have grasped and lifted a
two-hundred-pound object a few
minutes before Inspector Thumm
saw his wound at the railing in the
condition described, and shoved or
hurled it over the railing and be
yond a two-and-a-half foot shelf
without opening that wound?”
Again Bruno objected, but the
judge ruled that the professional
opinion solicited was- pertinent tc?
the defense argument.
Dr. Morris said: “He could not
have done what you have just de
scribed without opening the wound.”
With a smile of triumph Lyman
said: “You may cross-examine, Mr.
Bruno.”
“Dr. Morris, under guise of your
professional knowledge and experi
ence, would you dare to deny that
the defendant could have used his
left hand to perform the aforemen
tioned act without opening
wound on his right?”
“Naturally, if he didn’t use
right hand he
cut on his right
Bruno looked
and sat down,
to descend but
back.
“Dr. Morris, you have just heard
the District Attorney insinuate the
defendant could have disposed of
the body by using only his left hand.
In your opinion, could
“No.”
“Why not?”
“I have known ’Mr.
fessionally for years,
handed, and his left arm, as is usual
with dexterous persons, is the weak
er. He weighs only one hundred and
fifteen pounds and is a weak man
physically. From these facts, that
it would be impossible for a one-
huiidred-and-fifteen-pound man, us
ing only one avm, and that the
weaker of the two, to do what you
have described with the dead weight
of a two-hundred-poiind body!”
“W|e*re the two, prize idiots of
New York,” groaned Bruno, slap
ping papers into his briefcase. “We
had the facts at our finger-tips all
the time and never once made
obvious leap to the truth.”
Thumm rose, shaking himself
a shaggy mastiff. “From now
little Thumihy listens to Drury Lane
his
his
as-
But Lyman
said: “Your
rose and for
DeWitt,
friend, wearing a look
stupefaction, was sworn
notice Mr. DeWitt’s1 hart
finger during your dinner together
at the Club?” asked Lyman.
“Yes. It was raw and ugly-looking,
but the cut had formed a rudiment
ary scab of dried blood.”
“Did anything occur at the din
ner-table
upon this
Ahearn
his jaw.
his right
used only
purposes,
waiter to cut his chop.’
“Your witness, Mr. Bruno.”
“Did you know where the
fendant was going after he left
at 10:10 that evening?”
“No.”
“How is it that you did not leave
with him?”
“Mr. DeWitt said he had an ap
pointment.”
“With whom?”
“He didn’t say, and of course I
didn’t ask.”
“What did you do after the de
fendant left the Club?”
Lyman wias on his feet
smiling another objection.
Judge Grimm sustained, and
released the ivitness.
“For my third witness,”
said in a deliberate drawl, “Inspect
or Thumm!”
Thumm started, like a boy caught
stealing apples, thudded into the
witness-chair.
“You were in charge of the police
investigation on the ferry boat when
Wood was
“I was!”
“Where
before the
river?”
“On the
the railing,
or afterward which bears
point, Mr. Ahearn?”
sat thoughtfully stroking
“Yes. Mr. DeWitt held
hand rather ’rigidly and
his left hand for eating
It was necessary for n the
de-
you
aghin,
Again
Bruno
Lyman
discovered murdered?”
were you standing just
body was fished front the
upper passenger deck, at
II. •
the
his
thewouldn’t open
hand.”
hard at the jury
Dr. Morris began
Lyman waved him
DeWitt pro-
He is right
the
like
on,
my—my profound thanks.”
“I see that even
as Frederickas hardened
resist impulsive in-
a remarkable align-
Mr. Lane. Remark-
DeWitt’s sharp eyes flut-
perfectly obvious."
so obvious.” DeWitt sighed
“You can’t know how hon-
presence. I know
appearances youpublic
Lane, “but aftersmiled
the point, Mr. DeWitt.
...........RIH J ........................ ..........................
with respect! Especially on the sub
ject of Mr. X!”
Drury Lane studied the face of
his host unobserved. DeWitt stood
in a group of his friends, smiling
and chattering, making crackling
retorts to friendly jibes. From the
moment the foreman of the jury
had waggled his lantern jaws; “Not
Guilty,” DeWitt had cast off the
armor of his silence.
The party
private hotel
was there,
Christopher
Ahearn, looming over the frail body
of his friend; Louis Imperiale, and
Lyman and Brooks and, by himself,
Drury Lane.
DeWitt murmured an apology and
slipped out of the chatting group,
In a corner, the two men faced each
other.
“Mr. Lane, I haven’t had the op-
portunity ... I can’t find words to
express
Lane chuckled,
lawyers
Lyman qannot
discretion."
“That was
ment of facts,
able.”
tered.
“Yet
“Not
happily,
ored I am by your
how few
make,"
“True,"
all beside
You see I’m afraid my presence is
not entirely induced by the earnest
ness of your invitaton. It occurred
to me that you might have some
thing to tell me.”
“But I can’t say anything now.
It’s a long sordid story, and I don’t
want to spoil your evening—or my
own. It’s a special sort of night
for me. I’ve escaped a horrible
thing. Jeanne—my daughter ...”
and Lane nodded slowly. Behind
the mirror of DeWitt’s abstracted
eyes there was a vision, he was sure,
of Fern DeWitt. Lane felt certain
that, in his quiet uncomplaining way,
DeWitt still loved the woman who
had betrayed him.
“Won’t you come down with the
rest of my party tonight?" the bro
ker said. “We’re all going out to
my place in West Englewood—-I’ve
arranged a little celebration—if you
don’t care to stay for the week-end
I’ll make any further arrangements
you may please to command. Brooks
is staying the night, and we can
accommodate yoxi as well as him
with linen ...” He added in quite
another tone: “Tomorrow morning
we can have to ourselves. And then
I will tell you—what by some mag
ical quality of intuition you expected
me to tell you tonight.”
Lane placed his hand lightly on
the small man’s shoulder. “I quite
understand. Forget everything—un
til tomorrow morning.”
At a few minutes after
the DeWitt party entered
Shore Railroad terminus
hawken.
“Well, our train doesn’t
til li2.'13,” he said cheerfully,
stepped to the ticket-window.
Ahearn grasped DeWitt’s
“Here, John,
chuckled, *and
“Six single-trip tickets to West En
glewood, please.”
“There are seven of
protested Ahearn.
“I know, but I have
book.”
pose I should sue the State for the
value of my old trip-book. It ex
pired while I was—” He stopped and
added abruptly: “Let me have a, new
fifty-trip book, too.”
DeWitt tucked the six single tick
ets and the trip-book into the upper
left pocket of his vest as he and
his party walked down the long con
crete platform. The last car was
dark, and they boarded the second
car from the end.
They split into two groups:
Jeanne, Lord and Imperiale sat well
forward in the coach, chattering;
DeWitt, Lane, Brooks and Ahearn
took places nearer the centre, in
facing seats.
A tall burly man, hat pulled low
over his eyes, face white and pinch
ed, had entered the car from the
forward end. He lurched over to
the four conversing men and glower
ed at DeWitt.
Lane glanqed up as Brooks said,
“You’re drunk, Collins, What do
you want?”
“Not talking to you, shyster,”
said Collins in a thick voice. His
eyes focused with difficulty bn De
Witt- “Like to see you alone,” He
pushed his hat back on his head,
endeavoring to smile.
“•Now look here,
DeWitt. “
(To be continued)
BLANSHARD TWP. COUNCIL
NEW ASSESSEMENTS
CAUSE PROTEST
B/lanshard council m,et at
noch hall in regular session on
day. In addition
ness the court of
assessment of 1943
The council at
instructed the assessor to carry out
an increase in assessment on farms
hamlet
assess-
a maxi-
$40 per
increas-
Ran-
Mon-
busi-to routine
revision of the
was carried out.
a previdus date
midnight
the Wiest
in Wee-i
leave un-
and
arm.
let me.” DeWitt
said to the clerk:
us, John,”
a fifty-trip
Then he said dryly: “I sup-
Painful, Pus Filled Boils
the Cause of Much Misery
If you suffer from boils you know how sick and
miserable they made you feel-
Boils are an outward indication of impurities in
the system, and just when you,think you are Vid Of
ohe another crops Up to take its place and prolong
yotir misery. All the lancing and poulticing you can do may not stop more
coming. _ , *
To help Overcome boils you should purify tho blood, so Why not give
that old, reliable blood medicine, Burdock Blood Bitters, a chance to snow
What it will do in helping you got fid of them? Thousands have Used it for
this puTpoSd for the past 60 years. Why not you?
The T. Milburn Cb.,' Limited, Toronto, Ont-
circular petl-
well ag other
against the
and unjust
T-1
JLarmers and their families, today, are
patriotically saving both money and
materials—to provide for their continu
ing usefulness as suppliers of food to
the United Nations, to provide for their
own future financial independence
AND to buy Victory Bonds and pay
Income Taxes.
served, especially money. Determined,
systematic saving by every citizen is part
of the national price of VICTORY.
You have our co-operation through the
services of'Savings Accounts and Bank
ing by Mail (which saves time of com
ing to town—saves gasoline and tires).
Modern, Experienced Banking Service ...... the Outcome of 125 Years’ Successful Operation
lift:
A Savings Account for every member of
the family is a sound idea, especially in
war times. Write for our folder, “How
to Bank by Mail”.
In common with other Canadians, farm
ers are carefully saving and salvaging
EVERYTHING, because in this total
“survival war” all things must be con-
Exeter Branch: W. J. FLOYD, Manager
“A BANK WHERE SMALL ACCOUNTS ARE WELCOME”
Russell Crago, a party to the
Stone municipal drain, presented a
request to have the drain repaired
to provide an outlet. Resolution by
Tufts and Ruthig that the petition
be accepted and that Reeve Jose
and Councillors Arthur and Irvine
be a committee to inspect same.
Maurice Blackler, secretary-treas
urer of S.S, No. 11 (Kirkton), in a
letter asked for an advance of
$1,200 to finance school until such
time as the grants and levy will
come. James B. Bryan, S.S. No. 6,
requested an advance of $500. A
Knox in a letter to the reeve re
quires $350. Resolution by Tufts
and Ruthig: That an advance to
school sections Nos. 11, 4 and 6, to
the amount of $200 each be made.
and farm buildings, also
assessments. Farm land
ments were increased from
mum of $35 per acre to
acre. Farm buildings were
ed from $1,500 to $2,000. Other farm
buildings which were deemed by the
council to be of too low value were
increased.
Hamlet and other smaller dwell
ings which were deemed to have
been much too low in assessment
were very materially increased. The
latter class, particularly from ham-,
let of Kirkton, brought forth a
storm of protest. A
tion was presented, as
individuals protesting
alleged unwarranted
valuation imposed by the council and
its representatives.
There were farmers, too, whose
assessment had been adjusted, whose
appeals were considered.
The court decided as follows:
That the following appeals against
the assessment be not granted: Mrs.
Sarah Anderson, Walter Hazelwood,
George Hall, Maxwell Gray, Mrs.
Mabel Batten, Mrs. F. Rogers, Na
than Doupe, Edith Foley, Rachael
Duffield? R. Davis estate, S. Brown
estate, John R. Wiles, George Craw
ford, Daniel Smith, Sidney Chap
pell, Norman Henderson, Charles S.
Atkinson, Henry Christman, W- A,
Bringle, J. L. Francis, Merton Rea,
Mrs. Alfred Smith, Mrs. Fred Mc
Intosh.
The assessments of John Morphet
and Thomas Washburn aro each
reduced to the extent of $100.
The appeals of Edgar Squire,
Thomas Coward, Roy Francis, re
dogs, aVe granted-
The appeal to Harvey Squire re
change of ownership is granted.
The Thomas Davis estate, re error
description of lots, also reduction
assessment on lot 22, concession
Is granted, $150.
Laurence Rea’s appeal re reduc
tion In
in
in
8
Collins,” said
I’Ve told you repeatedly
I can’t do anything for you, Youldihgs is
know why, and you’re making your- $200.
assessment on farm bull
granted to the amount of
matter of farm entrance cul-
was again under considera-
The original
and Arthur
and which
published,
of reconstruction and re-
to warrant the reeve to
and direct that it be
as follows: By Irvine
resolution by
at the April
Was directed
has undergone
Engagements Announced
Reeve Jose directed that resolu
tion re gravel contract by* Sim-
Ireland, 1942 balance of contract at
55 cents per cubic yard, and 1943
contract of 5,000 yards at 58 cents
per cubic yard be forwarded to J. V.
Ludgate, engineer.
Reeve Jose reported having inter
viewed Stanley Ullyott and Dun
can Lamond who had previously pre
sented a claim for weed cutting on
side road with the result that they
have agreed with the reeve to fore
go claim- for payment.
The
verts
tion.
Irvine
meeting,
to be not
a process
vision as
authorise
published
aiid Arthur: That this council here
by agrees to supply tile, either land
or culvert, as the case requires, to
repair roadway culverts, the rate
payer to do all necessary labor,
and the entire work to be subject
to the approval of the, council and
road superintendent,
be dealt with on its
merits.
Lincoln. White, in
South Berth Fair Board, made
plication fbr a grant toward
society. By resolution of Tufts
Ruthig the South Berth Fair Board
and Kirk ton Fair Board are grant
ed $50 each.
Edgar Stacey, assessor, tabled a
notice of equalization by the asses
sors of Usborne, Blanshard, Hid*
dulph (Whalen school), No. 12 Un
ion, giving the equalisation as de
termined by the assessors as being;
Osborne, 10 per cent; Blddulph, 48
per cent; Blanshard, 42 per cent.
SAYS ONTARIO ELECTION
DEPENDS ON OVERSEAS
Min-
each case to
own individual
behalf of the
ap-
the
and
Hon, Peter Heenan, Ontario
ister of Labor, speaker at Kenora
on Thursday last, said that “there
will be an Ontario election this year
as sure as God made little apples,
unless something happens overseas.”
Mr. Heenan said the Ontario
Government would go to the country
for a mandate as
proxy votes from
The minister
Government had
cage thrown out to it by the 0,0.F.
and Progressive Conservatives.
■Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Linklater,
Goderich, announce the engagement
of their daughter, Dorothy, to Flight
Lieutenant John William Wallace,
elder son of Mrs. Wallace, Goderich,
and the late; Mr. William Wallace.
The marriage will take place early
in July. Miss'Linklater is a teacher
on the Exeter U.S. staff.
soon as it gets the
overseas,
said he felt the
to meet the chall-
iQRANTON—-The United Church
Y.P.U. presented President David
MacIntyre with a signet ring prior
to his leaving for Sarnia, where
he will bo ? principal of a public
school. Harold Wallis road the
address arid Max Bilyea made the
presentation.
The engagement of Miss Veron*
ique Odille, daughter of Mr. ‘and Mrs,
Fred Ducharme of the Blue Water
south, to Mr. Joseph Masse, son ef
Mr. Nelson Masses and the late Mrs.
Masse, has been announced by hoi*
parents. The marriage to be an ev
ent of Saturday morning, June 26th,
in St. Peter’s church, Drysdale, with
a reception in the- evening.
A-l BABY CHICKS
Large White Leghorns, Barred
Rocks, Brown Leghorns, Austro*
lorps, Barred Rocks x White lAg*
horn. Write or phone for price Iist»
PhonO 38-3, Granton.
A. H. SWITZER HATCHERY
Granton, Ont«...U