' " , rftf r V. i" X '" u, i ,' V .rf. 1 ! -1. cs A 1 s'. EVENING PUBLIC LEDGER PHILADELPHIA, MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 1920 f HE MIDDLE TEMPLE MURDER A Vetective Story by J. b. Fletcher , 1 1 it "nil 1 "e ? ii,'J Ty. TWtf GUMPS (hi With the Dance .. :- Copyright, 1020, by Tha Trlbuno Co. Bu Sidney Smtfliij I wns eomo professionalism Id Spargo'a curiosity, but thcro wo ulso a natural dlsllko that a fcllow-belng should have cn so unccrctnonioualy smitten out of ho world, Thcro was nothing very remarkable about tho dead man's face. It was that of a man of apparently (sixty to' slxty- fil?',CarS i nBOi, pIaiu' cvcn homely of (t h,c, cI?,n-shavcu, except for o fr ngo of white whisker, trimmed, after " oW:ftieh!oncd pattern, between the car and the point of tho jaw. Tho only remarkable thin? nliniit if m. h,i- u v? 'ftlrtn. IUU Uiwi'"n - 1. --,., i. ..., . '" ".. fcMv . this o3So ' i.o stopped longer man "" '"" iinca una seamed: tho wrin- Innc. '."T.'i .ritii Hneket. who had klcs wero many and decn aroimrl t!i rnr. maul viiirl'.",f.. . nuMbi I.rdatr Co. v ,. firran of Gray Paper wile sparg0 lcIt th0 Walcbman 1 at 2 o'clock. The paper had 0ffico at - hothlnc mM "recently promoted to a sub or ?i'n to do after ho had. passed tJitorbim. . j h ho n8 rcspon- " .matter of fact ho could haTo .iMc: is a matter ULmelllnC8 bcKan W ffiter. But ho .generally hung their cJafiiff until 2 o'clock -came. On ibout, trP'Sg,i o morning of the 22.1 of , 1.'"-'. .- Ill, WnrVo-. who lind 11C3 WWO inaDT nnii (fnKIl nrnmiJ !, nf. ' If the foreign news, nnd whoprs of tho lips and the angles of tho tWi Jvillns him about u telegram We . S iust come .through .from '". What Ilnckct had to tea was Dan",i?' Snargo lingered to hear alt '"flnml to discuss6 it. Altogether bou. 11 bejond 2:30 when he went .Mrf h office? unconsciously puffing out 01 "". ,'. i, rinrhpd tho ejes; this man, you would have said to jourself, has led a hard Hfo and wcath creiJ storm, mental as well ns physical. Driscoll nudged Spargo with a turn ?,fhis elbow. Ho gave him n wink. Better como down to tho dcadhouse," u..,'.v.",v.eu connKenuaiiy. ""., UOIKU UUUriTU, JK nund the high silence of St r3',e." . n,l in TUnnmslitirr. Oil the 'P?5s. f Tiimsell sauare. Every night d nW ,nornlnB bo-waked to and from the Watchman office by the samo oute-Southampton Row, Klngsway, JTsirnnd. Fleet street. He carao to jow several faces, especially among Ih, police: he formed tho habit of ex changing greetings with various ofliccrs whom he encountered at regular points j, he went slowly homeward, smoking his ripe- And on this morning, ns ha 3rew near to Middle Teraplo lane, ho taw a policeman whom h9 knew, one DrUcoll, standing at the entrance, look tog about him. Further away another Miiiwman aDncarcd. sauntering. Dris coll raised an arm and signaled ; then, turning, be saw Spargo. He moved n step or two toward him. Spargo baw iicws in bis face. "What is it?" nsked Spargo. Driscoll jerked a thumb over his shoulder, toward tho partly open door of the lane. Within, Spargo saw a man hastily donning a waistcoat and iackct. "He sajs," answered Driscoll. "him. there tbo porter that there's a man King in one of them entries down the lane, ana no minus he s dead, liike w, lie thinks he's murdered." spargo ccnoed tne word. "But what makes him think that?" ho asled, peeping with curioitv beyond Itoseoll's burly form. "WiiyV" "tie tays tncre's blood about him," aaswerod Driscoll. He turned and jlanced at the oncoming constable, and then turned again to Spargo. "You're t newspaper man, sir?" he suggested. "I am," replied Spargo. "lou'd better walk down with us." taid Driscoll, with a grin. "There'll tc something to write pieces in tho "iper about. At least, there may be." Spaigo made no answer. lie continued to look down tbo lane. vondenng what secret it held, until Ihc other policeman came up. At the fame moment the porter, now fully (lotlicd, came out. "Come rn!" bo said shortly. "I'll thowjou." UrUcoII murmured a word or two l; I ho newly arrived constable, and linn turned to the porter. "How camo jou to lind him, then?" lit ."cited. Ihc poller jerked his head at the ito'iv wliK'h they nere leaving. "Nieartl that door slam," ho replied, irritably, as if the fact which be men li"iiU caused iiim offense. "I know I ili'l! So I got up to look around. Then -will, I taw that!" lie raised a hand, pointing down tho rtn 'I ia K.n . .ii iuc uuLu uiun louowcu nis out lane, Stretched tineer. And Snnrcn H,n t,.,,. a man'b foot, booted, gray-socked, pro- " " entry on tne lett hand. Making out there, just as you see it now, said the porter. "I ain't to'icbed it. And bo " He paused nnd mnrtn n crimnno te lit the memory of some unpleasant thing. Unscoll nodded comurehendlnpli-. And so jou went alone and looked?" lie SUffffPStlwr T,ich o .. i.. in no it belonged to, as it might be." UUjt iu sec wnnt tlicre iwas to . aCffprl tlin Tinrlni. TI.U T . there was blood. And then well, I ",, ,"l tI,e Iane t0 tcl1 onc of you "I5et thing jou could hno done," w;d Druepll. "Well, now then -" ..iu iimc procession came to a halt 2i ent,r'; . Thc cr,tr-v 'ns n cold ?,? J?rm-al ,""ns o itsclf 5 I10t no face to liu dead m, having glazed white " ur us wans and concrete for its iiwuntr: eoinethinir nhn,,t it., n.. .. mi e in that gray mornius air suggested ,t'.i B0 tho ",,Pa of a mortuary. And the man whose foot projected over be step was , load ho had no doubt; '"'limpness of his pose certified to it. 1 Or a mnmonf nnnn .nf tl.n .... mcd or biioki. Tt,n ,. n m:. !';'.(0-n-.t'1.0Ui'Iy Muck their thumbs in twt-L .i "1"1 lna(Ie )'Itty wi' their ffi:. ( Porter nibbed his chin t?ufrifMlS,,'!rs') "nicmbcred nt on. il '? ,n?'inS und of this ne S'.tl . h'at"U 1,ut Ilis 1,ttnt3s in his Md i.w ld besAn ,t0 ingle his oney fhouri,7.kcsi Each mQU ha1 his own t Inn3, "3 llc ,contcmplated tho piece JUiuiuan wreckage which lay before Dr'i'i'nil'11 no,,i!'e'" suddenly observed a nu, l110tlce tbat hcs lyiuK there in W t"ii!'sal"0c ns if-ns 'f he'd a-inJU,Vtlerc" Sort oi Propped up Cjile" ' at f'rSt' nd Uad slid MlhaJfaSItak,ins in a11 the detaiN f iJ hfeis,,ional ye" IIe sa t his fareno.b,0(ly,o a i' nnn ; the 'a acjln.' l",n,C(1 a,,vay frora him. crushed iS' V11' Klaze of the wall, but of 5.C(1,th.e' man, to bo elderly because " ia, Jl!Vir ,an,'1 itening wliisker; Mil ",f c'otil,(,1 in, t'00'!. well-made '. Rray rhcek cloth-tweed-and 1,, i .,',ff T. ?00,,i J"0' t00' w"s the lrr LV'k'h ,l1pctoil from thc n imr i ''."."H eo limply. One leg 'liVu '"."'W Vm,or.the body; the t ',!,, ls "1,n't,;h'd htraight out across thioUl; the trunks as twisted ta ra t ih;fiV!litl ?,n?e ot thu rdul i 'Jf a,ml t,, shoulder to C ' ;h '' (1,a(1 B,l,nk were rriiRhed .WinJi".0,,?1?.""'' 'tnins of blood. 1 kit , , " ..l"K",s ''.""' ut of his 'tn. . bit nt tnem. ir,:iTir.i.W& "If 'lt I ii '. uuillO out 01 fonshfd! oU,cr Policeman ti,'i1!et.l7 wt tin- insnector horn" i, , :-'1 "Ani II, .l-.x- . .. ". ' t W i,", "". "ocior am dha nmm. !--; ucnu uin't he?" 1 Jj'teallv05" I? "I!0, '&' h0 rcmark IS il',.lii,','"AmIStiff' t0- w". iaitolJ'fiV,''1',1 ' lcctor nr. I'?' Mor." ' tl,B '"""I-amhiilaucc R'imovM I'yi'men rniuc with it; W'ml ,C1, ,,?;1LfLtla!"'f"nce1tu Srl'JIiK i .&,'ho.l'olU"i- nrrituged IQ II 1l -'T wondering itSa'A'ft Ka.WHl'nt. Low LA r.,. .X i.,""V IVMt u. l. ' t -".- r."vj.J fftttr. .,,.1 .:"?'. " the? time who ESTS VuiIP1",..! . .rrMtness. and tho first SO on. Hcln to wrltn thnt nWo ,"n fV, ir,D'au.,i.;n,tn dawn was breaking I pupcr. eh?" V 01 l"K "", .1 1.1-1, ..ilnnoft nf Rf Hlml-i-n l,n.!lt.J TT. t , , . , .... i Ifli "v""cu' "c nnn nan a sun; .?, i? !wor,k.', nnd untii his encounter with Driscoll ho had cherished warm an ticlpation of the meal which would be I8'? ?".t for bim nt his rooms, and of the bed into uhich ho would subsequently tumble. Besides a telephone messago would send a man from tho Watchman to tho mortuary. This sort of thing was not m his lino now, now You'll bn for trntUnc nn H.mr, big play-cards out with something about n. mystery on it," suggested Driscoll. "lou never know what He3 nt the bot tom o' these affairs, no moro you don't." xnat last observation decided Spargo; moreover, the old Instinct for getting news began to assert itself. "All right," bo said. "I'll go along with you." And relighting his pipo he followed the little corteec throtich thr streets. Btill deserted nnd quiet, and as ho walked Denina no rctiectea on tno unobtrusive fashion in which murder could stnlk about. Here was the work of murder, no doubt, and it was being quietly car- rieu aiong a principal Liondon thorough fare, without fuss or noise, by officials to whom the dealing with it wns all a matter of routine. Surely My oniuion." Raid a rnirfi nt Spargo's elbow, "my opinion is that it was uono elsewhere. rot there! tie was nut there. That's what I ear." Spargo turned and saw that the porter was at nis side, lie, too, was accom panying the body. "Oh !" Baid Sparge. "You think " "I think be wan struck down clse whero and carried there," said the porter. "In somebody's chambers, may bo. I'vo known of some queer games in our bit of. London! Well bo never came in at my lodge last night I'll stand to that. And who is be, I should like to know? From what I see of him, not the sort to be about our place." "That's what we shall hrar pres ently." said Spargo. "They're going to search him." But Snarco was nresentlv madn aware that thc searchers had found nothing. juiu ikjuuu surgeon saiu mat me ueau man had, without doubt, been struck down from behind by n terrible blow which had fractured the skull nnd caused death almost instantaneously. In Driscoll's opinion, tho murder had been committed for the sake of plunder. For there was nothing whatever on the body. It was reasonable to sunnose that n man who is well dressed would possess u" watch and chain, and hao money in his pockets, nnd possibly rings ou his lingers. But there wns nothing valuable to be found ; in fact, there was nothing nt all to bo found that could lend to identification no letters, no papers, nothing. It was lilain that whoever had struck the dead man down had subse quently stripped him of whatever was on him. The only clue to possible identity lay in the fact that a soft cap of gray cloth a'ppeared to have been newly purchased at a fashionable shop iii the West End. Spargo went home; there seemed to be nothing to stop for. He ate his food and he went to bed. on'v fo do noor things in the way of sleeping. He was not tne sort to ue impressed by horrors but he recognized nt last that the morn' ing's event had destrojed his chance of rest; be accordingly rose, took a cold bath, drank u cup of coffee, and went put. He was not sure of nuy particular idea when lie strolled away from Bloomsbury, but it did not surprise him when, half nu hour later ho found that he bad walked down to the police sta tion neur which thc unknown man's body lay in tho mortuary. And there he met Driscoll, just going olt duty, Driscoll grinned at sight of him. "You're in luck." lie said. " 'Tiwm'i five minutes since they found a bit of gray writing paper crumpled up in the linni tllfln.L nlblnnn, n.!.tl 1 1. ,. .1 twv uiun a nuioaUHl liULtWtL It 11UU slipped into a crack. Come in ami you'll see it." Spuigo went into thc inspector's of fice. In another minute he found him self staring at tho sctap of paper. There was nothing on it but an address, scrawled in pencil Itonald Breton, Banister, King's Bench Walk, Temple. London. His First Brief SPABGO looked up at the inspector witli a quick jerk of his 1iead. "I know this man," lie said. The inspector showed new interest. "What. Mr. Breton?" he asked. "Yes. I'm ou the Watchman, you know, subeditor. I took an article from him the other day article on 'Ideal Sites for Campers -Out.' He came to the office about it. So this was in the dead man's pocket?" "Found ,in a hole in his pocket, I understand : I wasn't present myself. It's not much, but it may afford some clue to ideutity." Spargo picked up thc scrap of gray paper and looked closely nt it. It seemed to him to be thc sort of paper that is found in "hotels and in clubs : it lind been torn roughly frora the sheet. "What," he usked 'meditntiu'ly, "what will you do about getting this man identified?" The inspector shrugged his shoulders. "Oh. usual thing, I suppose, Theie'll be publicity, you know. I suppose jou'll be doing a specinl account yourself, fur your paper, eh? Then there'll bo the others. And we shall put out tho usual notice. Somebody will come forward to identify sure to. And " A man came into tho office a stolid -faced, quictz-mannered, soberly tittired person, who might have been n lespcctu blo tradesman out for a stioll, and who gave the inspector a sidelong nod as he upproached his desk, at the same time extending his baud towurd tho scrap of paper which Spargo had just laid down. "I'll go along to King's Bench Walk and sec Mr. Breton," he observed, look iuir at bis watch. "It's just about ten I daresay he'll be there now." "I'm going mere, too, rcmarhed Spargo, but as if speaking to himself. "Yes, I'll go there." Tho newcomer glanced nt Spargo, uutl then nt tho inspector. Tho inspector nodded at Spargo. (CONTlKUi:DTOJIOnilOW) Tlw continuation of "Tho Daugh. ter of Two Worlds" will bo found elsewhere in this Issue, ll-IMIWM I nil I " ' H b NiCaHr - iYs THU VNHrrE CAT THB ROBBER ON TH&OUD ftOUt &KADPPn acmu Amis itur i c. OlkA HAVrollo OOE CSPAOMY To SPRA.DA FEED FIV ONUt FOR KlNCjS N'T " FUNNN TO NAA.TCH THE OANt&PtS? EVER 60DV riAMMMd blEfcP.fePNYL.y- YWERE'SYHE itREAMEfc- TNfcN YHG WJCft RUSSIAN DANCEfe TUPM YMfc. PPMQVJ VJHO HINKi V. RoUINto VTONe CrATHERS MOMoSS- HE VTAV S I NON& PLACf -4-1- 'fc ' if"c LOOK AY YWAY WRESYUNGr MATCH - OMJ UOOUA.Y PAPA AND MAMA-EVeRWIMe PAPA YURN5 AROUND 'MC UMi wi return FOOY N YM AIR. LIKE ArWOUD SPAVIW&O H0R.5E SEC TrVAT Brtqr viVif TNCCt -HESCt0TAO PLAtE ON A CROWDED FUJOft NWrYM YHO&e F-EET HIS- WAS To STAND SID6WAY& QN YWS CUR.&STONe WHEN WC'S WAlYINfcr FOR A SYREEY CAR- Yo KEEP YN& WACrON& OFF HSP-ET rU VMHAT WAVE WE HERE? GET VQURSELF A CAUCW YWiX K A MARfclEDCOUPlE ALL WC7HY- YHEWRE NOT L.VINC TO EACH 'oYHEfc YHEVRE TEU.INC YHE TRUTH ABOOT YhER DANUNta -YNtirRE WAY OUYOF &TEP - Y-HE-tR FEET CAN'T t BVEM (jETAtOHI V. I ARE VOO ( NICE- OP VOO ANDY I ?u":"r.- IBtT.. V.r' iprrs ASM.UCH VNORHL AbiTi-ooK; . rrWT won 1 1 "". 1 1-uwwo x .:.- r. ..- .... ..3 i r TrlbiijVOANCER. J v wjhx oorHT nbhvm. 1 v OFFHISF-EET iw" .ANtY?y r47S -H-K -- V 7T7Z77Z V step-- I AND OANCC -Sfm && , T" Y r Y-MEtR FEET CAN'T I 1 - ' ' PETEY The Landldrd Almost Got His Just Deserts -:- -:- -:- -;- V C. A. Voight SisYblvia has fe ( omeTw.ucoocmTeA 17m1 r P6 J j 3,PI"T ' 1 Vi WW AtflEMW4CAUE mMMV B3)0UeT0B4COtS. IfCoiMCToK V -IOK l"7 KEEP OUlT I WfffWf t "nTT WiOH.Tuz. ) The OMFoBTowAYe i J3cau.Nou A L VlKc' Vv V T s M IU ('W TTMtt V I S Poor guv U5 MEVJ uewtete. JPLCEWCC - in ' -? 1 r " M V N? Ar i , ' 'J T M- ..m i. m ISkV The Young Lady Across the Way Tlw Toonervillc Trolley That Meets All the Trains -:- By Fontaine Fox I "rAp" "-""?-.r'- Health Improved -: :- fly Edtoitm Wk 'WJIifll I J,ifIonT -y -u. , fogHRfid ASKBSY fe(S !: I iMwHWi fiNO IT 'RIGHT f ro acMoouiX I Jf he.-dovt you SFji Vf2l - 19 4fAT0- AWAY it's j.tABJ.6 f J , X- gagfr V.ei .!'. A&&d? IttSJ V Ml) " ()"0) F"" 'VjS II ,ffi (ANDTWAPTERfV007) I FEEL -BETTER NOw) t'WA MM P &v i jW i--u ' vV ? H.ij -ft tor wore! jf VeIcMOOL'.T !.1ai Lit, dW&$2& skipper Duo pP0 A rir sPfe-L "JPjl? " m ' !2-A 'S&ZyiJ HAUF DOJ.J.AR IN THE H"S &SPH WmYW Pk HH , " STRAW WHICH IS ABOUT frJk lOL U ' Hftf- &H s TWO FEET DEEP ON THa CAR TviA HS To9" 9 HRfej a "Um S FJ-ooT? MO THE CAK WAS HED ksS$ W&L ' V' HWB. 3 fj $J1 : i "i ziJ ii The young lady across tho way says half-soled shoes always look bad, but they have a way now of re placing tho cntiro tolur system so neatly that it looks like new. SOMEBODY'S STENOGShe Does Today's Strip All by Hersself ComrH-M in0 hr TnWf(. TArr Cfc. By Hayward n THERE! VLL I (SOT IMTO PRIA1T AMYHOW AAJbl PROBABLV SAVED THE CHIEFS OOB roR HIM TOO ! MOT THAT I'LL Set any Credit .. l 6boDAllHTTHECilEF W I nn Dcc'? UAC Crtuc-n.,,, ... . ,. ' I - t -ilk' - X CAAIT STAkir i-T- tL " Rll&v! VUpvf flnT .-?!. EWE AMD I HAVE. To PPau 0 "THE S H 5p T & f 7 - r r . .. 1 XlU'CiPI c "TXrxAtvl i-"-" C . I h y )0 uo Jufc.lHI46 Tf' i i-i iwa-i . ... i i--- i r jj S-- :-J s V . W$ - TODAY: I r - m- '(f LZ7- . ( -( in s v-s- J ! I A-E-HAYWARb- C) Zj t ' j I DOROTHY DARN IT Modesty Is Not Her Middle Name GEE SOAPY. YOU LOOK LIKE You WA'b PROMISED SOMETHING AMD THEN HAD TO GIVE IT BACK r kav - i .,-, f - i -- , VI --jr AW THERE L AIN'T MOUSE TELLItJ YOU THE CAUSE OP MY SAO MESS Y VMY"SOAPY'HERQoY HOW CAUYOO TALK THAT WAY? WHEN You wa5 Sick. who WA'a IT.YHAT HELPED YOU EAT THE FRUIT I PEOPLE BROUGHT I CANT DEHy IT, YOU DID, BUT YOORE NOT INTERESTED IN DREAMS l , ,- ' xr ttT Ml Y A i' U'20. by th Hell .Sjml.cate. By Cha8. McManua YES I Arl . didn't I DREAM THAT IWA'S A TELEPHONE, GIRL. A 5H0OTIW GALLERY? '. -- "vr "ht L ( -ro-., . n i I HARE rrSlT LAST" WHAI uiu f NIGHT! r3 1 5AV9 IN A 5H0OTIW r- DREAEDTHAT ' ? I GALLERY? p-5 I TALKED TO L-r L. !LA -K -riilSr' . k &! i .. fc. 'v-" " -V. PWiH " 1 Z ' ' 11 " " " A. I 'J ' 1 'MmiM -in- -iTiT'iTfi inffrri" U , . V VlJ 4 ; 55 lf SiM-Sf- ,,e -
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers