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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1938-04-28, Page 6w WINGHAM ADVANCE-TIMES Thursday, April 28th, 1938 . ; SYNOPSIS During the night Kaspar Renting was kidnapped, Philo Vanpe, with District Attorney Markham go to the Kenting home there to meet Sergeant Heath of the Homicide Bureau, Ken- yon Renting and Mrs. Kenting, the brother and wife of the kidnapped wan. Present also is Eldridge Fleel, thp Renting family attorney. The first evidence casts some doubt as to the genuineness of the crime. Vance examines Weems, the Kenting butler. Further search shows that Kaspar .probably did not go down the ladder found outside the house. Vance re­ examines Kenyon Kenting first, then Mrs. Kenting’s mother’ Mrs. Falloway and her son, Fraim. He learns little but notes an undercurrent of hostil­ ity among., these members of the strange inhabitants of the Purple House. At this time a ransom note arrives demanding $50,000 and free­ dom from police interference. Vance and Markham consult the Kentings and Fleel, their lawyer. It is decided to allow the police a free hand in dealing with the supposed kidnappers. A dummy package is substituted for the money and then secreted in a tree in Central Park according to instruc­ tions. The police capture a cloaked figure, Mrs. Falloway, who admits to Vance she is really trying to forestall an attempt by her son, Fraim, to get the money. The woman is not held and the real kidnapper’s identity re­ mains a mystery. Immediately after­ ward, Madelaine Kenting, wife of Kaspar Kenting, also disappears sud­ denly. That night, while walking home, Eldridge Fleel is machine-gun­ ned at close range from a passing automobile but not hurt. Vance sus­ pects a ruse. * * * Markham silently followed Vance toward the park, Quaggy turned too and walked with us the short distance to the entrance of his apartment-hotel, where he took leave of us. At the great iron-grilled hain,” he sadi, looking quizzically at the District Attorney; “but I rather wish the gentleman with the mach­ ine-gun had potted Mr/ Fleel. And he was at such short range, I’ve nev­ er wielded1 a machine-gun myself, but I’m quite sure I could have done bet­ ter than that.” “I’ll warrant the Sergeant and Mc- gone! I’m sure it’s been stolen!” and McLaughlin stepped down, “We got the car all right,” an­ nounced Heath triumphantly. “The same dirty-green coupe McLaughlin here saw outside the Kenting house Wednesday morning.” “Where did you find it, Sergeant?” asked Markham. “Right up there in the transverse leading through the park, It was half­ way up on the curb. Abandoned. Af­ ter the guys in it ditched the car they musta come out and hopped a taxicab up the street, because shortly after the green coupe turned into the trans­ verse two guys walked out and, ac­ cording to’ the driver here, to6k the cab in front of him.” Without waiting for a reply from either Markham or Vance, Heath swung about and beckoned imperious­ ly to the chauffeur of the cab from which he had just alighted, A short .rotund1 man of perhaps thirty, strug­ gled out of the front seat and joined us. “Look here, you,” bawled Heath, “do you know the name of the man who was running the cab ahead of you on the stand tonight who took' the Business and Professional Directory Wellington Mutual Fire Insurance Co. Established 1840. Risks taken pn all classes of insur­ ance at reasonable rates. Head Office, Guelph, Ont, ABNER COSENS, Agetit. Wingham. Dr. W. A. McKibbon, B.A. PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON Located at the Office of the Late Dr. H, W. Colborne. Office. Phone 54,Nights 107 HARRY FRYFOGLE Licensed Embalmer and Funeral Director Furniture and Funeral Service Ambulance Serviced Phones: Day 109W. Night 109J. “That—that beautiful alexandrite is door he turned and .said tauntingly: “Many thanks for not arresting me.” “Oh, that’s quite all right, Mr. Quaggy,” Vance returned, halting momentarily and smiling. “The case isn’t over yet, don’t y* know. Cheerio. At the corner Vance very deliber­ ately lighted a cigarette and seated himself indolently on the wide stone balustrade. “I’m not bloodthirsty at all, Mark- Laughlin overhaul that. care some­ where.” Markham was apparently fol­ lowing his own trend of thought. "Oh, I dare say,” sighed Vance. “But I doubt if it will get us forader, One can’t send a green coupe to the electric chair. Silly notion—what?" There were several moments of sil­ ence, and then a taxicab drew up dir­ ectly in front of us. The door swung open, and Heath *;**!!K, Snitkin,” ordered ■ Why Concentrate on Opponents of Government Control concentrate their attacks on our industry. This alone, to any thinking man, is enough to throw doubts on their wisdom. If the cause of true temperance is their object, rather than a tactical advantage, they surely should not devote so large a part of their time to attacking the mildest of alcoholic beverages, and one which is not habit-forming. But because a democratic law makes our product available by the glass to working men, under Govern­ ment Control, the opponents of the present system seek to drive drinking underground—where they do not see it. The truth is, that the individual is less likely to commit abuses in public, and the abuses are more easily correctable. In fact, licensed hotels are very seldom the scene of excess. Because an intoxicated man is seen near .a hotel—it does not follow that he acquired the means of intoxication in a hotel. But it does provide the unthinking people with a useful text ... if they do not bother to prove their Conclusions. We find no definite evidence to support the theory that satisfying the taste for beer develops a craving for whisky. On the contrary, we believe that if beers ... are more easily obtainable than distilled liquors and are sold in different conditions, there is reasonable ground to expect that the taste of those Who wish to drink will be diverted to the lighter and less harmful beverages. “Toward Liquor Control** . compiled by Rockefeller Committee • This advertisement is inserted by the Brewers in the interest of a belter public understanding of certain aspects of the problems of temperance and local option. DR. R. L. STEWART V PHYSICIAN Telephone 29, 1 W. BUSHFIELD Barrister, Solicitor, Notary, Etc. Money to Loan. Office — Meyer Block, Wingham THOMAS FELLS AUCTIONEER REAL ESTATE SOLD A Thorough Knowledge of Farm Stock. Phone 231, Wingham. -'i Dr. Robt. C. REDMOND M.R.C.S. (England) L.R.C.P. (London) PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON J. H. CRAWFORD the two guys what come out of transverse?” “Sure I know him.” “Know where he lives?” “Sure I know where he lives, on Kelly Street, in the Bronx.” “Get hold of that baby as soon as you can, and tell him to beat it down to the Homicide Bureau pronto. I wanta know where he took those two guys that came out of the transverse.” “I can tell ya that right now, of­ ficer,” came the chauffeur’s respectful answer. “I was standin’ talkin’ to Abe when the fares came over from the park. I opened the door for ’em my­ self. An’ they told Abe to drive like hell to the Uptown station of the Lex­ ington Avenue subway at 86th St.” “Ah!” It was Vance who spoke. “That’s very interestin’. Uptown — eh, what?” “Anyway, I wanta see this buddy of yours,” Heath went on to the chauffeur, ignoring Vance’s interpol­ ated comment. “Get me, fella?” “Sure I getcha, officer,” the chauf­ feur returned subserviently, “Abe ought to be back on the stand in half an hour.” “That’s O.K.,” growled Heath. As we drove rapidly down Central Park West, Markham nervously light­ ed a cigar and1 asked Heath, who was sitting on the seat in front of him: . “Well, what about that telephone call you got at the Kenting house, Sergeant?” Heath turned his head and spoke out of the corner of his mouth. “Kaspar Kenting’s body has been found in the East River, around 150th Street. The report came in rigjit af­ ter Snitkin got back to Headquarters. He’s got all the details.” “The East River—eh?” Vance spoke quietly and without emotion. “Yes, it could easily be. Very dis­ tressin’ . . . He said no more; nor was there any further talk until reached' Vance’s apartment. « Snitkin was already waiting in upper hallway, just outside the rary. “Go ahead, Heath. Snitkin began: “There’s a small in­ let up there in the river, which isn’t over three feet deep, and the fellow on the beat—Nelson, think it was— saw this baby lying on the bank, with his legs out of the water, along about nine’ o’clock tonight. .So he called in and reported it right away, and they sent over a buggy from the local sta­ tion. The Medical Examiner of the Bronx gave the body the once-over, and it seems the fellow didn’t even die from drowning. He was already dead when he was dumped into the water. His head was bashed in. Well, the doc guessed the guy had been dead' twelve hours maybe. There is no telling how long he’d been ly­ ing there in the inlet.” “What about identification?” asked Heath officiously. ' “Oh, there was plenty of identifi­ cation, Sarge,” Snitkin answered. “The guy not only fits the description like a glove, but his clothes and his pockets Was full of identification. And there was a fancy pocket comb with his initials on it1—” “A pocket comb—eh?” Vance nodd­ ed with satisfaction. “Very interest­ in’, Markham. When a gentleman carries a pocket comb he would1 cer­ tainly not add a toilet comb to his equipment . , . Forgive the interrup­ tion, Snitkin. Go ahead. “Well, there was monograms on damn-near everything else he had in his pockets. According to the boys at the local station, he was either the Kaspar Kenting we’re looking for, or he wasn’t nobody?’ Snitkin Was dismissed and ten min­ utes later Heath followed. When we Were alone Markham asked: “How did* you know Kaspar Rent­ ing was dead when I spoke to you on .the stairway yesterday morning?” “You flatter me,” said Vance., “I didn’t really know. I merely surmised demanded Markham, it—basin’ my conclusion on the indi- cations.” Up we the lib- Barrister, Solicitor, Notary, Etc. Successor to R. Vanstone. Wingham Ontario It WiH Pay Yop to Haye An EXPERT AUCTIONEER to conduct your sale. See T. R. BENNETT At The Royal Service Station. Phone 174W. . DR. W. M. CONNELL PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON Phone 19. R. S. HETHERINGTON BARRISTER and SOLICITOR Office — Morton Block Telephone No. 66. J. ALVIN FOX Licensed Drugless Practitioner ‘ CHIROPRACTIC - DRUGLESS THERAPY - RADIONIC EQUIPMENT Hours by Appointment. Phone 191, Wingham I i I I i W. A. CRAWFORD, M.D. Physician and Surgeon Located at the office of the late Dr. J. F. Kennedy. Phone 150. Wingham F. A. PARKER OSTEOPATH All Diseases Treated. Office adjoining residence next to Anglican Church on Centre St. Sunday by appointment. Osteopathy Electricity Phone 272. Hours, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. A. R. & F. E. DUVAL CHIROPRACTORS CHIROPRACTIC and ELECTRO THERAPY North Street —• Wingham Telephone 300. 1 f ever remain in my me- of the great horrors of began conventionally “So that’s your mood," snorted Markham hopelessly. “I’m telling you, you outrageous fop, that this is a damned serious situation — what happened to Fleel tonight ought to prove that.” “I know only too well, Markham, how serious the situation is,” he said in a grave and curiously subdued voice. “But there’s really nothing we can do. We must wait—please believe me. Our hands and feet are tied. The most serious part of the whole affair is that this is not a(kidnapping pase at all, in the conventional sense. It goes deeper than that. It’s cold-blood­ ed, diabolical murder. But I can’t quite see my way yet to proving it. I’m' far more worried than you, Mark­ ham. The whole thing is” unspeak­ ably horrible. There are subtle and abnormal elements mixed up4 in the situation. It’s an abominable affair, but as we sit here tonight, I want to tell you that I don’t know—I don’t know . . . I’m afraid to make a mov.e until we learn more.” I shall never forget the following day. It will mory as one my life. The day enough. "I think we’ll take a spin down to Markham’s office, Van,” Vance said. “There’s nothing to do here, ’ and there may be some news which Mark­ ham naively regard's as too trivial to telephone me about.” We arrived at Markham’s office a few minutes before ten o’clock. “Glad you came, Vance,” Markham’s greeting. tidin’: “Well,” pratical voice, taken to the uptown morgue this morning and he identified his broth­ er’s body beyond a doubt. Apd' I saw no need to put any other members of the family through'the harrowing ex­ perience.” “Mrs. Kenting’s room, as well aS the window-sill and the ladder, was gone over thoroughly for finger­ prints—” “And none was found, of course, except the Sergeant’s and mine.” “You’re right,” conceded Markham.’ “The person, or persons, must have worn gloves.” “Assumin’ there was a person persons.” “All right, till right,” Markham Was beginning to be annoyed. “You’re so damned cryptic about everything, ahd so reticent, that I have no way of knowing what prompted that last re­ mark of yours.” “Personally, I’d say you wouldn’t find them till you have located the car in which Mrs. Renting was prob­ ably driven away last night.” “What do you mean—what cat?” 'Ah!” Vance sat down lazily. 's, glad or otherwise?” said Markham in a “Keyon Kenting was “I haven’t the slightest idea,” saad Vance laconically. “But I hardly in\- agine the lady walked out of sight. . . . And, by the by, Markham, speak­ in’ of cars, what enormous array of information did you marshal about the green coupe that the energetic Sergeant found so conveniently wait­ ing for him in the transverse? . . . . Doubtless stolen—eh, what?” Markham nodded glumly. ’ “Yes, Vance, that’s just it. Belongs to a perfectly respectable spinster on upper West End Avenue.” “What about Abe, the buddy of the chauffeur who drove us home last night? I suppose Heath or some of the Torquemadas in Centre Street put the poor devil through the requisite torture?” “You read too many trashy booksF Vance.” Markham was indignant. “Heath talked to the driver of the number one cab at Headquarters within an hour of the time he left here last night. He merely corroborated what our chauffeur told us — namely, that he dropped the two men who came out of the transverse at the up­ town entrance of the Lexington Av­ enue subway.” “Well, your information seems to be typically thorough and typically useless,”’ said Vance. “Did any one do a bit of checkin’ up to ascertain whether there were any unaccounted- for semiprecious stones round town?** (Continued Next Week) was “Any hard, WINDSORS HONORED Shortly before Easter the Duke and Duchess of Windsor spent a brief holiday on the French Riviera, On their return to Versailles, they were given an official reception by Mayor t Henri Hayes. The duchess was pre­ sented with a bouquet of roses and Easter lilies; His royal highness ap­ pears here directly behind her as they left the city hall after the ceremony.