Newspapers / The Elkin Tribune (Elkin, … / July 11, 1935, edition 1 / Page 5
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Thursday, July 11, 1935 THE DIVORCE COURT MURDER SYNOPSIS ... Six persons are in an inner office of the law firm of Dawson, McQuire and Locke at Philadelphia. A master hearing in the divorce case of Rowland vs. Rowland is under way. M rs - Row land, represented by her lawyer brother, Mr. Willard; Mr. Rowland, the defendant, and his attorney, Mr. Trumbull; the court clerk and Mr. Dawson, the master, are the six persons. There is a new develop ment in the case. After failing to defend himself against the charge of acjjiltery in earlier hearings, Mr. Rowland digs up evidence and asks the court's permission to produce witnesses and resist the suit. Judge Dawson overrules the heated ob jections of Mr. Willard, and Orders Mr. Trumbull to bring in the first witness. Mr. Trumbull has just gone to an outer office to bring the wit ness. NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY. SECOND INSTALLMENT As they waited the door opened and Mr. Trumbull reappeared. But he was alone a different man from the shrewd, vigilant attorney who, only a brief time before, had left the office. He had difficulty finding his tongue. "Good God, come quickly, all of you!" he managed to gasp out. "I don't know what's the trouble, but something is seriously wrong in there . . . I . . He grasped the back of his chair to support himself, and Mr. Dawson cut in sharply. "Something wrong, Mr. Trumbull? What do you mean—what's the matter?" Allen Rowland was the first to spring to his feet. "What's happened, Tumbull?" he demanded, in a voice filled with anx iety, "Mrs. Kenith's all right, isn't she? There's no reason to worry about her?" The other shook his head solemn ly. "I'm afraid she's very ill, Row land. She's unconcious—comlletety out; she shows no animation and I can't get any reaction or rouse her. And she looks dreadfully white. . . . We had all better hurry." His excitement and agitation con veyed themselves to his listeners, as they hastened from the office. In his concern, Mr. Rowland pushed ahead, the lawyer immediately behind. Mr. Dawson came next. Mr. Willard made way for his sister, in whose eyes gleamed a light, had it been observed, that suggested an emotion more powerful than mere interest; while his own lips curved in a smirk. In this order, they all passed through the chamber adjoining Mr. Dawson's office, an anteroom into which his door opened. It was also the law library of the concern. Two other doors led from the library, the one in the left wall, opposite the windows, into the main office of the suite, where the employees—stenog raphers, telephone operator and law clerks —worked. The second door opened directly across from Mr. Dawson's. It was ajar, and, led by Rowland, the group crowded through it into still another office. It contained a dark oak table, oak chairs with leather seats, and plain, dull green carpet. From the hall, the inscrip tion read, "1505. Law Office. Daw son, Mac Quire and Locke. Entran ce at 1507." A woman sat in the swivel chair, but in a peculiar position that promply revealed something was wrong. She was slumped rather than rested in it, her weight pushing it back on its pivot. Her head, barely protruding above the rear support, was thrown back against a cush ion, so that she stared at the ceiling. Her left leg stretched out straight, while the right one was bent at the knee, drawn against her body. Her mouth was open, but stranied and thin, rather than loose, in a sugges tion of mortal agony. The sight of the recumbent, mo tionless figure caused the group to pause on the»threshold for an in stant. Anxiety was written in every face, except Mrs. Rowland's "First I thought she had just fallen asleep," Mr. Trumbull re marked. "I spoke to her, and when she didn't respond, I tried to waken her. Then I •discovered that .'. . she wasn't well." * "But what is it? What's the mat ter with her?" the clerk queried breathlessly. "She looks so strange —so pale and stiff." In two quick strides Allen Row land crossed to the swivel chair. He placed trembling hands on Mrs. Keith's shoulders. His voice sounded tense and ap palled. "Barbra! What is it, Bar bara? Answer me. ..." Receiving no reply, he recoiled visibly, looking up in distress. "It's really serious," he whispered swiftly. Mr. Waw son. isn't there a doctor in the build ing?" The lawyer followed him to the woman's side, grim lines of worry changing the more genial aspects of hit countenance. He took her right By Milton Propper wrist, and as he felt for her pulse, he became still more grave and seri ous. "Yes we should- call a doctor," he agreed, after a moment of utter still ness, painful and pregnant, "but I fear it's too lati to do anything for her." He shook his head. "She isn't just ill or unconscious; she's already dead." • * • • • It was four o'clock, that same Wednesday afternoon, when Tom my Rankin, at the Central Detective Bureau in City Hall, received instruc tions to proceed to the law offices of Dawson, Macquire and Locke. Cap tain Thomas took the message and relayed the assignment to Rankin. The detective had just reached the Bureau with the completed report of hts most recent case, an investi gation of the gem robbery at the aristocratic Wentworth home in Mount Airy. "Here's a new job for jrou, Tom my, The captain informed Rankin "It was old Henry Dawson himself who phoned, and he was worried; and everyone in the city knows his reputation for keeping his head in almost any crisis." "Say, captain, why don't you let some one else handle it?" Rankin protested, without too much empha sis. " I've just finished a puzzling one and I guess I deserve a vaca tion." He shrugged in comic help lessness. "Oh well, I suppose it's all in a day's work, Thomas. Where do I go?" Primarily because of his youth, he fitted in few respects the typical conception of a detetive. Only thirty, he looked twenty-five. In appearance considered handsome, he had a Jiigh forhead, surmounted by curly dark brown hair. His lips were thin, and. usually set together beneath sensitive nostrils; he had a determined chin and dark, piercing eyes, constantly alart. He was broad-shouldered, of medium height, and powerfully built. As usual, when the captain knew Rankin was about to undertake a fresh inquiry, he could not resist his customary quip. "Who would you like along with you in this case, Tommy?" he in quired, his smile thinly veiled. "You probably need plenty of help before this business is over." For he was aware that ordinarily it was Rankin's policy to work as a lone wolf. He preferred to have exclusive charge of an assignment, even in its rountine features, until compelled by its complications to enlist outside aid. Recognizing the captain's jibe, .Rankin grinned, but his reply brought a stare of amazment to his colleague's stout features. "You're probably right, captain," he said; "that's why I think I'll lug Jenkins along, and a couple of cops." He collected Jenks and two uni formed officers and set out. Rankin located on the directory board the firm of Dawson, Mac Quire & Locke; and they boarded an express eleva tor to the fifteenth floor. The offices they sought were di rectly opposite the cage, as they stepped from it. Three doors fronted the corridor, marked respec tively 1505, 1507 and 1509; and the glazed front of 1509 also instructed visitors to enter at 1507, the central door. Entering thp main office of the firm, 1507, the detective and his companions at once realized the sub stantial size and prosperity of the lawyers' practice. Several people waited in the chairs lined against the inner wall, on both sides of the door. Six desks were arranged be hind the rail, with as many -em ployees—stenographers, law clerks and students. But extraordinary enough, no one worked, nor was the usual clatter of typewriters heard. They all watched the new arrivals silently, with bated breaths, from which Rankin sensed their anxiety and suspense. He noted all details before an elderly man came forward and greeted him In obvious relief. "You've come from Headquarters, of course?" He extended his hand. "It's good of you to be so prompt. I'm Dawson—Henry Dawson. I think we had better step into the library, where we'll have greater privacy." The detective posted his two uni formed men at the main door, 1507; then ordering Jenks to remain' out side as well, he followed the lawyer into the library. Two other men awaited them there. Mr. Dawson introduced them. "This is Mr. Simpkins, clerk of Common Pleas Court, Number Three. Dr. Samuel Clark, whose offices are on the twelfth floor of this building; we summoned him im mediately, although it was too late for medical aid. Mr;—" "Rankin, Thomas Rankin." the detective supplied, and shook hands. "Qlad to meet you. Then it is a matter of death, requiring the at tention of the police?" Gravely nodding, the lawyer pro- THE ELKIN TRIBUNE, ELKIN, NORTH CAROLINA ceeded to explain. "I regret it's quite serious enough for that. Brief ly, here is the situation. I have been holding a series of hearings in a divorce action in my office, in a contested case. This afternoon, the first testimony for the defense to prevent the granting of the divorce was to be presented. The complain ing party offered some opposition to the introduction of Mrs. Barbara Keith, the first witness for the de fense. And when Mr. Trumbull, counsel for the defendant, went to bring her in, he found she was dead. . . . There are indications that her death was neither normal nor acci dental." Rankin's eyes widened in interest and he asked sharply: normal? That leaves only mu'iiw oT suicide? Where was she r a sine died, Mr. Dawson?" i. - lawyer inclined his head to ward the door leading from the library into 1505, adjoining. "In that office," he replied, "where, I understand, she was wait ing until she would be called to give her testimony. On being informed by Mr. Trumbujl of his discovery, we entered and naturally assumed she had suffered a stroke or heart attack or something of that sort. But Dr. Clark's examination sug gests she met her end by violence." "I believed she was chloroformed to death," the physician volunteered. Rankin focused a penetrating gaze on the doctor. "Chloroform, Dr. Clark? Are you positive of that? What evidence supports your diagnosis?" "The woman's eyes were dilated, which is a dependable sign of death by some such irregular means," Dr. Clark returned. "I've had no op portunity to examine her blood, but I don't doubt it will be darkish and fluid. In addition, there are red marks on her arms and wrists as if some one had had a powerful grip on them. "Then your opinion of what oc curred is that some one seized her and forcibly administered chloro from through her nose until she succumbed." The physician nodded. "Yes, the symptoms, her position, pushed back like that in the chair, and the rough handling she must have re ceived all point to it." "Well, unless mor* than one per- TZ.Zi r^" n v 8 IMI T TENRY FORD is a practical farmer himself. He JLi knows the transportation requirements of the * JL man on the farm and he has built the Ford V-8 to meet them. 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We can give you a better trade THESE FEATURES REPRESENT Extra V./uo HI UK FORD *-8 %£%£ &SvTa^w'^uT^" AT NO EXTRA COST TO YOU you will find that you can't beat a Ford for the farm. aSS bsriesMwer, ¥-type, 8-eyDndar an- • Big, paaHfee brakea with 12"dram awl gtne with akmrnoM cylinder heada awl Mara braking aurfaaa par paaad af ear % m * dual, down-draft carburetor. weight tban any ether ear ander (IMS. B-j Ilßj BM \f a 123-inch *pringfca«e for ridiageaee on a 4 hydraalic double-acting aateaiatle B |1 I IU% I I |/"7^ •**.*«•«. W L v/ 111/ ? u a Torque-tube drive. ( it g||t« battery. • Front coetMH"wMe...aatple luggage ™ . - .. ._ - ON THE Al*-F«d space hi aH mM at mextra oaat ,U,,M *■ ■■»■■ tret. Ba*yT«rin» Through Wm.«.T».Jay■!» a AB-steei body welded into aaa piece. eSafety Ciaeg aB reaad. WimtiHl ~°^* >b> ' "T"* LOW FIRST COST . LOW MAINTENANCE • HI&H RESALE VALUE ELKIN MOTORS, Inc., Elkin, N. C. m* Son was concerned," Rankin com mented, "a man was probably re sponsible. Dr. Clark, how quickly does chloroform act to prove fatal?" "The time is uncertain, and varies with the person," the other responded; "perhaps two minutes, and at most, a few seconds longer than that. On the other hand, it might kill in even less time than a minute. Administered with a satu rated cloth or cotton, it would be very efficient. (Continued Next Week) Mattie Mae Powell NOTARY PUBLIC Building & Loan Office Main Street IICE ICE I i •••••» —' REFRIGERATION ■ , | jpgOgjjP& days more bearable! S e PrniSiif See our line of small I SAFEST KNOWN! d [PB \ ice appliances and I Cold, moist, circulat- \~7~ SIX learn how you may I ing Fresh air keeps. \j U NJ transform discom your food safely g ee these Attractive fort into cool enjoy- I new Ice Refrigerators ment! Andeconom- I health protection! 1 EASY PAYMENTS! [ ically, too, with Ice! I I Carolinalce &Fuel Co. I Pure Ice Phone 83 Good Coal I NOTICE Have moved finished lumber to the old Veneer Plant as it is more convenient and can be gotten to from all directions with out crossing railroad. W. S. Gough - Elkin, N. C.
The Elkin Tribune (Elkin, N.C.)
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July 11, 1935, edition 1
5
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