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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Clinton News Record, 1935-10-31, Page 6PAGE2= THE CLINTON NEWS -RECORD' The Clinton News -Record 'With which is incorporated THE NEW ERA TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION 51.50 per year in advance, to Cana- alian addresses, $2,00 to the U.S. or 'anther foreign countries. No paper discontinued until all, arrears are paid, sinless at the option of the publish- er. The date, to which every, sub- scription is paid is ,denoted or: the Zabel, ADVERTISING RATES — Tran- sient advertising 12c . per count line for first insertion. 8c for each sub- sequent insertion. Heading counts 2 lines, Small advertisements not to. exceed one inch, such as "Wanted," "Lost," "Strayed," etc., inserted once ear 35c, each subsequent insertion 15e. Rates . for display advertising made known on application. Communications intended for pub- lication must, as 'a guarantee of good faith, be accompanied by the name of the writer, Cf. 'E. HALL, . M. R. 'CLARK, Proprietor. Editor. II. T. RANCE Notary Public, Conveyancer. ]Financial, Real Estate and Fire In- surance Agent. Representing 14 Fire insurance Companies. Division Court Office, Clinton ?rank Fingland, B.A., LL.B. , 'Barrister, Solicitor, Notary Public Successor to W. Brydone, K.C. Sloan Block — Clinton, Ont. DR. F. A. 'AXON ' Dentist Graduate of C.O.D.S., Chicago and R.C.D.S., Toronto. Crown and plate work a specialty. Phone 185, Clinton, Ont. 19-4-34. D. H. McINNES CHIROPRACTOR Electro Therapist, Massage Office: Huron Street, (Few Doors 'west of Royal Bank) Hours—Wed: and Sat. and by appointment. FOOT CORRECTION fay manipulation Sun -Ray Treatment Phone 207 A. E. COOK PIANO AND VOICE Studio At i MR. E, C. NICKLE'S Xing Street, Clinton. Phone 23w. —Dec, 25-35. GEORGE ELLIOTT licensed Auctioneer for the County of Huron 'Correspondence promptly answered Immediate arrangements can be made Sor Sales Date at The News -Record, 'Clinton, or by calling phone 203. Charges Moderate and Satisfaction Guaranteed: THE McKILLOP MUTUAL Fire Insurance Company Head Office, Seaforth,' Ont. Officers : President. Alex. Broadfoot, Sea - forth; Vice -President, James Con- Goderich; secretary -treasurer, M. A. Reid, Seaforth, Directors: Alex. Broadfoot, Seaforth, R. R. 'No. 3; James Sholdioe, Walton; WM. Knox, Londesboro; . Geo. Leonhardt, Bornholm, R. R. No. 1; John Pepper, ?Srucefieid; James Connolly, Gode- vieh; Alexander McEwing, Blyth,_R. R. No, 1; Thomas Moylan. Seaforth, R. R. No. 5; Wim. R. Archibald, Sea - forth, R. R. No. 4. Agents: W. J. Yeo, R. R. No. 3, 'Clinton; John Murray, ,Seaforth; James Watt, Blyth; Finley McKer- '.eher, Seaforth. Any money to be paid may be paid "to the Royal Bank, Clinton; Bank of 'Commerce, Seaforth, or at, Calvin 'Outt's Grocery, Goderich. Parties desiring to effect insur- ance or transact other business will be promptly attended to on applica- ion to any of the above officers ad- dressed to their respective pest offi- ees. Losses inspected by the director who lives nearest the scene. ARABIAN NATIONAL RAILWAYS TIME TABLE Trains will arrive at and depart from Clinton as follows: Buffalo and aodericli Div. Going East, depart 7.08 a.m. Going East, depart 3.00 pani tGe hag West, depart 1110 ant, `Going West, depart 9.58 p.m. London, Huron & Bruce ,Going North, ar, 11.34. 1ve. 11.54 am, Going South 3.08 p.m'. .DOMINION i}OUSEWIVES FAVOUR CANADIAN ONIONS Housewives in the Dominion Re- public are shedding more tears over Canadian onions, according .to 'latest trade figures 58 tons being im, mooted in 1934, ea against 1 1-2 tons 'in 1933. The UnitedStates, however,. supplied the bulk of the 740 toils int- 'polted during 1934,, the reinaind'er t coming from Spain, Chde and Egypt n'eddition to Canada. BLACK THREAD By Frank King Mr. Benjamin Madder was in a happy mood as he trudged up ' the l dark. drive' of The Beeches It was not very 'often that he had the chance to enjoy such a convival ev- ening as this had been, Old Henry Wilson was a hard master who set- dome allowed his manservant any real. freedom, But to -day the visit of young Mas-` ter George, old Henry's nhepew, had come to an end, and Mr. Milson had arranged to take him into Bradleigh for a final lunch] before speeding him on his vjay. There was therefore no real need for Madder's, continued presence at The Beauties, Greatly to his surprise he had been given the day •off. Faintly, carried by the wind, the chiming of • the Bradleigh parish church clock came now to his ears as he reached the top of the drive. A quarter to ten, That was all right. Ten was his official hour for return. ing. He could- see a thin streak of light showing througha chink be- tween the curtains of the study, and knew that old Henry Wilson must be buried in his books as usual. Mr, Madder unlocked the back, door, passed through to the ,kitchen, and took off his hat and.coat. Hardiy had he hung themup when, with startling suddenness ,a loud report shattered the silence of the night. It was a revolver shot, undoubted- ly,, and it came from the direction of the study. Madder hurried out of the kitchen and along the short pas- sage. As he neared the door of the study he could hear that the tele- phone was ringing inside. Madder knocked nervously on the door of the study. There was no re- ply. The telephone went silent, then started again. He thought he could smell powder. Something was seriously wrong! He tried the door. It was locked, Ile rushed to the front door of the house and ran out. Perhaps the french window of study might be open. It was not. It was securely fasten- ed on the inside. But through that chink in the curtains, which he had noticed while coming up the drive, Madder could see a foot on the 8oarthrug-!the foot of a man who must be stretched out on the floor in front of the fire, Raising his own foot, Madder thrust it against the glass of the window, shattered it into fragments, he unlatched the window, The next moment he stood inside the room, at - most suffocated by the intense heat, getting ,down at the body of Henry Wilson which lay in front of the heaped.atpyfire. There was a scorched blackened hole in old Henry's. right temple, and a revolver was clutched in his out - flung hand, Still the telephone on the bureau rang, Trembling, Madder picked up the instrument. "Hallo!" he managed to say. "A call for you from Newcastle - on -Tyne." The long-distance humming sound- ed in the receiver, and Madder knew that the trunk call had teen connect- ed. Almost immediately a, young man's voice was audible. "Is that you, uncle?? This is George?" "Master George! Oh—this is Mad- der. There's something terrible hap- pened, Mr. Wilson has—has killed. -himself!" "He's --what?" "IIo's shot himself, Master George, Just now. I heard him do it." "Good lard, Madder! Is he—dead?" eyes!, "Heavens! He seemed . all right when I left this afternoon, I suppose .Cd better come back." 's`I suppose so, Master George. Had I better tell the police?" "Yes, of course you must! And tell them I'll come back straight a- way. It shouldn't take me mare than about four hours. I'll be in Bradleigh by two." "Very well, Master ,,George, ring up the police right naw." Detective -sergeant Michael Mor- lant was still in the police station when the call came through. The grizzled old Scotsman never liked going off duty, He had no intcreet in life beyond his work. Meticulous Michael, some of his less oespectufl colleagues called him. Orice unleashed on a case, he would not be satisfied until every point, however unimportant, had been thor- oughly iivvestigated. As soon as the desk sergeant had taken the message •Morlant rang up Superintendent Goring. "Word just come in, sir," he re. ported, "that Illenry Wilson's shot himself. Shall I go?" "Old Henry at the Beeches," "Yes,sir." Good heavens! What's he done that for?" "Dntnno, sir. Shall "Yes, take the ease. You might earl for care on your way, sergeant.", "Very good, sir." Morlant slammed,' gown the roe ceiver and hurried out to the police car. Wien five minutes hisbrakes screeched .before the superintendent's house. • Goring was waiting at the grate; 'and slipped into the ear before it stopped. The Beeches stood in extensive grounds about three miles out , of Bradleigh. As Morlant swung the car into the drive Madder was sil- houetted in the light streaming front ithe broken french window. , The manservant greeted the two pcliee officials thankfully. He was still visibly shaken, "Who broke the window?" asked Mariano, "I did," explained Madder. "The door was locked, you see." Goring pushed past him into the COMM. "Gosh!" he said. "It'e hot in here." He stood gazing down at the sprawl- ed figure on the hearthrug, thein hie eyes flickered to the key in the door.; "Locked 'himself in, eh? You found him, I suppose?" - "Yes sir." "You'd better tell us all about it." Madder told his story s'itnply, fut- iy, and accurately. "What time would it .be when you heard the shot?" asked Goring. "As near as I could say, sir, it would be ten o'clock." - "And haw long would you he be- fore breaking the window?" ' "Not more than five minutes at the most" "Waco is this George who telephon- ed?" "Mr. Wilson's nephew, sir. He's been staying here with us for a few days. Only left this afternoon on a motoring holiday. So far as I know, he's the only selative the master had." "He'd coming straight back, you say?" ";That's good. Lucky he happened otring up! It will save us a lot of trouble. We might have had some bother in finding him." The two police officials busied themselves with an examination of the dead man, The cause of death was very obvious, and ,they did not waste much time over it. "You've seen this revolver before, I suppose?" asked Goring, "Yes, sir," replied Madder. "The master usually kept it upstairs in his bed -room. "I see." Ile turned to Morlant. "Nothing more we can do, is there sergeant?" "I think, sir," began Meticulous Michael cautiously, "that I'd like to leek around a little and---" "Gccd heavens, mon! What ever for? It's a plain case of suicide isn't. it?" "We've no proof, sir," replied Mor- lant, unmoved. "I'd like to find out why he made such a big fire. And I think it wouldn't be a bad idea if we had the surgeon and finger -print men along to—" "Oh, all right!" Goring shrugged irritably. "Have it your own way." He picked up the telephone and gave the necessary instructions. "I'm go- ing home to bed. Perhaps• you'll re- port to me in the morning, ver: geant?" "Very good, sir." When the superintendent had gone, Meticulous Mcihael sat down on a chair, staring thoughtfully at the sprawled figure on the hearthrug. It was growing cooler in the room now that the window was open. The fire had almost died out, but the ex- tent of the ashes showed that it had been built half -way up the chimney. Had Wilson been burning papers? If so, that was a matter definitely requiring investigation. Morlant crossed' to the hearth and started poking in the ashes, Very patiently, very carefully, he carried out the work, raking the de- bris over until he was satisfied that nothing could be found there which offered any information. 13y the time he had done this the police surgeon, photographer and fingerprint expert had arrived, • all ,rather annoyed et having been called out on one of Me- ticulous Michael's stunts, The polite surgeon, brisk and e8!- eient soon completed his task. "Everything very clear and etraightfarward here, sergeant," he said, rising from his knees. "The bul- let's lodged in his brain. If you want it, we'll have to have an autopsy." "You're satisfied that the wound was self -Inflicted doctor?" asked Morland. "Why, of course. The barrel of the revolver must have been almost touching his head, Anything more you want?" "No, thanks, doctor. Sorry to have troubled you." The photographer and finger -print expert completed their work and pre- pared to ,leave, "Only his finger -prints on the gun," said the expert. "It's been cleaned recently, evidently in readi- ness for the job. One bullett gone. That's about all the news there is Are you coming back with us?" "No, thanks," !said Morlant. "I'll stay a bit longer." When his colleagues had departed by the Window he 'pottered about the roma a furrow creasing his brow. Perhaps it would,be as; hell to make 'a through search ef: the place. He .had no intentions *of •leaving,, un- til the oldman's nevi tai • • erriYgd from Newcastle -on -Tyne, ;lid, he•'diii-< n't'Iike to be' idle. So he started at one end of the room, poking into ev- ery corner, assiduously searching for anything that, might explain the fea•. tures of the case that still worried him. IIe discovered nothing that seem to offer any help, Near the book- case, on the floor, she found a length of black thread, almost invisible against the dark carpet. There was about a yard of it, and he studied it with his usual care, Both ends were frayed, 'showing that the thread had been broken, not cut. That did not seem to dead to anything. At- taching no importance to it, he nev- ertheless rolled it up and put it in, his pocket. But a little- later as' he was, ex- amining the boolcs on the shelves, he found another bit of thread. This time there was only a couple : of inches projecting between two of the books. Very gingerly )m removed` the Inuits and found that the thread ran between them to a steel cashbox hid- den away behind. Rather curious, this. Why should anyone fasten a length of thread to a cashbox? Morlant lifted it out. He noted with surprise that the thread disappeared under the lid of the box. He pulled on it very gent- ly. It came from, the box, and he saw that its end was charred. The box was locked. He shook it, and 'something reeltled airside. No business of his, perhaps, to investi- gate the contents of Henry Wilson, cashbox. And yet it might contain something which would explain why the man had killed himself. Morlant drew a picklock from his pocket. He had no difficulty in op- ening he •cashbox; but when the lid was thrown back he stared into it in puzzled silence. There was nothing in the box but a pair of tiny copper tubes and some small fragments of what looked like burned cardboard.' To one of these tubes was attached the charred re- mains of a piece of thread. But what puzzled him more than any- thing was the feet that the inside of the box was blackened and scorched as though it had been in a fire. He continued his methodical search of the room. It was well over an hour before he. found the other end of the piece of thread. And when he did, he scratched his grey head, gaz- ing at it in, bewilderment. The telephone was an old-fashion- ed type of wall instrument. 'It fixed on the wall beside the fireplace. From here a cord ran to the instru- ment itself on the bureau. The usual pair of bells were visible beneath the box, and to the vibrator between them was fixed a short length of the black thread, Apparently.the cashbox hidden in the bookshelf had been joined by thread to the telephone. It was very puzzling. But as Morlant gazed from one to the other a glint of excite- ment lit up his grey eyes. He crossed to the door and re- moved the key from the lock. Ex- amining it closely he noticed a bright speak on the inside of the oval bow. Smiling grimly to ' himself he wrapped the key up in paper. Then he rang up Superintendent Goring. George Wilson must have hurried back from Newcastle -on -Tyne. He reached the Beeches by half -past one. Madder, still frightened, open- ed the door for him. "Have they moved him?" "No. He's still in the study, just as I found him." "I'd better hake a look at him." Madder led the way into the stud. George Wilson stood looking down at the dead body of his uncle. Has, face wag sorrowful. "Poor old chap," he murmured "Ile was always very kind to me, Leave me alone for a while, Madder, will you?" "Certainly, Master George." As soon as the manservant had gone, young George glanced at the curtains covering the window, then dropped on his knees beside the! hearth. He looked at the telephone bells and smiled. Rising to his feet, he pulled some books from a shelf. The smile abruptly left his face. And as he stood staring into the empty space behind the books, he started suddenly. Two men had sil- ently emerged from behind the cur- tains covering the window and were !, watching him curiously. "You're George Wilson?" asked ! one of them. "I am" admitted young George. 1, "But I' don't know—" "I'm Superintendent Goring. This is Detective -Sergeant Morlant, You are under arrest for the murder ofl your uncle, Henry Wilson." The banks dropped from! young George's hands, "I—I'm what?" he faltered. "No need to repeat it. You knew." "But I--1--" "Tell him, sergeant,"' snapped Gor- ing. "And don't forget that I know precious little about the business yet. You've done this all on Your own." "It's really very simple, sir," said Morlant deprecating]y. At least,it was as soon as I realised what had been '. in that cashbox. It explainer/ the big fire' and everything." :'Weil, what, about the big 'fire??' "That was • just to keep the body warm, sir. Wasn't it, 4V'ilson?".= ."1—I doti't lino* what • you, are, talking about" falteagd, Gerge:• ' "You're not ; veiiry lucid, ,,sergeant"• grunted Goan "tlpa you start at the beginning?" "Very good, sir," iVilortlant: cough- ed. "That takes us aback to this ale ternoon, when Henry Wilson and his nephew returned from lunch. The young fellow had made up his mind' to ]rill Ibis uncle, why did you do it, Wil" Georgeson?Wilson's face had blanched. "I didn't do it, he muttered, "How could i when I was in Newcastle?" "Oh, old Henry was killed long be- fore you went to Newcastle. 'That's the whole point' of the business the very clever alibi you manufactured: for yourself," "Will you tell a straight story, ser- geant?" said Gaming irritably. "Sorry, sir," Maorint flushed. "As 3 was saying, Wilson here `shot uncle some time this afternoon. He was careful to wear gloves while handling the revolver; and when the old boy had fallen td the floor, he closed the dead fingers round the gun, "You see, sir, ,he knew, the house- hold habits very well, He knew Mad- der had been gieeen a day off, would return just before ten, but would net disturb his master. He knew that he had all the day in which to manu- facture his alibi. It was a very clever scheme. When his uncle was appar- ently shot he intended to be a hun- dred miles away --at Neweastle. "You're a mining engineer, aren't you, Wilson?" He had turned abruptly to the young man. "Yes, but—" "That explains how you under- stood the uses of a detonator. It must have been a pretty tricky job fitting it up. Still, you Were an ex- pert at that kind of thing, and you Managed it—with a length of thread attached to the vibrator of the tele- phone so that the slightest movement would explode the detonator in the cashbox. You didn't think it likely anyone would ring up before you did. "That was all you had to do --ex, cept to build up a huge fire se that the dead body of your uncle would not cool noticeably before ten o'clock. You had little 'fear that anyone would suspect murder in this ease. It was unlikely that the black thread would be noticed. In all probability it would be broken—as tt actually was -by some one••moving about the room after the death was discovered. In ,any case, you intended to be back yourself to remove the detona- tor," "You're talking the wildest rub- bish!" cried George, "You don't ex- pect anyone to believe—" "Not just yet" said Morlant equ- ably, "I haven't quite finished. It was necessary of course, for your un- cle to be locked in the room; but that was easy. A' pencil pushed through THURS., OCT. 31, 1935 BY " ETH ERITE CANADIAN LEGION TO CO-OPERATE; WITH RADIO COMMISSION IN PRESENTING SPECIAL HOUR-LONG ARMISTICE DAY PROGRAM--WILLIS TO READ ANTI -WAR. POETRY ON HALIFAX PROGRAM—OTHER RADIO NEWS In a special hour-long broadcast to be produced by the Canadian Rad- io Commission with ,the oo-operation of the Canadian Legion of the Brit- ish Empire Service League, in com- memoration of Armistice Day, na- tional network listeners' will,. 1 on November 10, from 9.00 to 10.00 p.nr. EST, hear the voice of Brig. -General Alex Ross, bDomanion President lof the Legion, as well as military bands, bugle calls, massed choirs, and a dramatization. Eight cities will contribute to this continent - spanning program, which begins' at Saint John, N.B., speeds westward to Vancouver, and returns east to end at Ottawa. Saint John will contri- bute a five minute dramatization de- picting the departure in 1915, of a Canadian troop -ship for France, there will be military music and singing from the western studios. Toronto will offer. a brief interlude the bow of the key and fastened to a bit of string pulled underneath the door to the outside would turn the lock after you had gone out." With a quick movement Morlant removed a silver-plated pencil front the young man's waistcoat pocket. "Yes," he murmured, banding it to Goring. "You can see the dent in it caused by the pressure of the key. And on the key itself is a speck of silver-plating which will match up with this." George Wilson .rade a sudden movement. But Goring had been watching him; and in a moment handcuffs were snapped on the young fellow's wrists. "Come on, my lad!" said the su- perintendent. "Are you accompany- ing us, sergeant?" Mordant shook his head, "I'd like to see if I can find a copy of old Henry's will, S.W. I have an idea it will show sufficient motive to make the case watertight." "Of course, sergeant," Goring grinned, "Carry on.,, "Very good, sir," Meticulous Michael saluted and watched the superintendent lead George away.—London Answers, with soldiers at Christie Street 1tos pital, and Ottawa will present Brig. General Ross, bugle calls and masse singing, Anti -War Poetry Readings from the works of Scig- fried Sassoon whose three volumes of Terse are amongst the most vita and unsparing volumes of the Grea, War, wilt be featured on "Atlantis Auguste Desearries the not- catlecl to Armis lice Day; is broadcast ever the national net- work of the Can- adian Radio Conemession o.n November 10, at 10.00 p.m, Read by T. Frank' Willis, , whose unusual voice has made him famous a "Canada's Poe. of the Air," th Poetry of Sas scon will be in corporated with that of other an ti -war write and throughou, 'J. Frank Willis the program a back -ground of •org- aid violin music will predominate. Sassoon's three volumes of vers: which oppose bitterly the folly o war and which are the most pacific tie of any written, synthesize i poetry what Barbusse's "Under Fir on the Western Front" spread ou in panoramic prose, or what Sher iff's "Journey's End" depicted 1 stripped tragedy. The program i designed to further tl)e .cause a goodfellowship and peace on earth. War -Time Songs 'Remember those old war-tim songs that originated in London an (Continued on page 3) Friends of the Family •a 4b` Look at the packages on your pantry and bathroom shelves, and sen whata multitude of brand names you recognize. Some of them have been familiar for years. You may have made the acquaintance of others only a few weeks ago. But even these are not suspected strangers. You have bought them confidently because they were advertised. And it is the same with your sheets and towels, your .shoes and clothes, your electric appliances, the car in your garage— nearly everything you use. Advertised products have a standing that commands respect. They are not nameless, but vouched for by responsible firms. Tho fact that they are advertised is in itself an indication that their standards of quality are strictly maintained, that they represent honest value. As soience acid discovery go on, newly developed products are constantly being advertised—ready to help you save money and im- prove your standard of living. Every advertisement of such a pro. duct you read in your. newspaper is a letter of introduction to a new and possibly useful friend. It will pay you to read the advertisements in this paper. By so doing you will meet many choice products—worthy to become friends of the family. The Clinton ) owsB000rd A FINE MEDIUM FOR ADVERTISING -BEAD ADS IN THIS ISSUE. PONE 4