Newspapers / Wilmington Morning Star (Wilmington, … / July 31, 1941, edition 1 / Page 10
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tDEATHvmSWITCH I ^ R/CHARD HOUGHTON\ (©) WRITTEN FOR AND RELEASED BY CENTRAL PRESS ASSOCI ATION SYNOPSIS Hery Potter seeks shelter froir a rainstorm at long-closed Wild wood lodge, in whose big basemeni a model railroad club is operating its elaborate train system. A few miutes later John Ives, membei of the club, is found shot to death in the train dispatcher’s tiny room The next day, accompanied by a strager named Joh Jones, whom enry suspects is a policeman as signed to the job of shadowing him, Henry goes to Ives’ house and learns that the dead man lef1 a letter foretelling his own death. Mrs. Willett, Ives’ housekeeper, suggests that they call another meeting of the model railroad club. She says Ives will come back from death to point out his murderer. Henry eters the basement club room for the special meeting that ight. A flower-banked coffin rests on the table. CHAPTER FOURTEEN Henry stepped back involuntari ly, as other members of the club must have done before him when they saw the coffin, but the strong hand of a policeman clamped on his arm and gently but firmly propelled him inside. The door be hind him shut. “This—this is your doing!” Hen ry accused John Jones. The big man raised his eye brows. “Why pick on me?” “You were at the undertaker’s this afteroon!” Marcia put in indignatly, “I think it’s shameful! What would the poor man’s family say about such a thing?” “It’s downright sacrilegious!” declared Stanley King. His usually ruddy face was pasty ad his big hands were trembling as he tried to light a cigaret. “No smoking here!” ordered Po lice Chief Williams. He was a short, chunky man, but he domi nated the tall baker. "Why did you bring us here?” demanded Professor Bisbee. “Sure ly you don’t expect us to hold a meeting of our club . . .” “Frankly,” confessed the chief, “one reason for asking you to come here was to study your reactions.” Susa Blake sobbed, “How hor rible!” Laurence Harkness clenched his fists, but kept them at his sides. His face was strained. “You have no right to subject these women to this!” “I wish to remind you,” the chief told them, “that you came here of your own free will. No one made you come. We merely annouced a meeting of your club.” Spinelli’s Usually oily voice had a bite in it. “How could we refuse? How could any one of us leave now without looking guilty?” Mrs. Willett’s father asked, “How did Ives’ body get here of its own free will? Heh heh!” The chief chose to ignore the questions. “I am also reminding you that you do not have to talk. .” “Then Ay don’t talk!” declared Hans Sveson firmly. The chief stabbed him with nar rowed eyes. “That’s an interesting reaction. Those who have nothing to hide will naturally co-operate willi gly.” “By golly!” exclaimed Hans. “You mean Ay hide something?” “No, but why don’t you want to talk?” Hans could thing of no immedi ate aswer. Professor Bisbee an swered for him. “It’s because a clever questioner can make even an innocent man look guilty! You police are trying to make some thing too sensatioal out of this. John Ives killed himself!” “That’s another interesting reac tion” the chief told him austi cally. “Why do you insist it was suicide?” “Because the only moment when a gushot might have gone un heard—the moment that the two trains crashed in this room—was when Ives was alone in the other room.” John Jones .was listening intent ly. “Your argument makes sense, all right, provided you can prove that the bullet which' killed him was not fired from this room.” The professor turned on him snappishly. “Of course it wasn’t There were no holes in the walls. ' We know the door between the rooms was shut. Stanley King pointed to the ven tilator in the lower part of the door, just visible under the long train shelf that circled the room. “Couldn’t a bullet have passed the v/hirling blades of that fan, like machine gun bullets pass between the blades of a airplane pro peller?” Spinelli .was sarcastic. “What murderer woud take such a chance, firing through the whirling blades of a fan? And what victim would- lie down on the floor to be cace, iring hrough the hirling blades of a fan? And what victim would lie down on the floor to be shot that way—through the back of the head?” The police chief waved the idea aside. “We know from the position of the body that Ives fell out of his seat at the control panel after he was shot. And because he had been sitting at the control panel we know from the wound that the bul let was fired by someone who stood against the wall directly be hind him. We have examined the wall. We know it is part of the solid concrete foundations of the lodge, and that behind it is solid earth. There is no other answer but that the murderer stood be hind Ives and shot, then carried the gun out of the room and dis posed of it. That is another proof it was not suicide, despite what some of you think. There was no weapon in the room.” Professor Bisbee swallowed* The chief continued. "Can you all account for your actions while , Ives was i nthat other room? San you swear he was alone all the time? Obviously you can’t. He cculdn’t have been alone. And you were watching the trains. That is—most of your were watching the trains. Someone slipped into that other room!” “That be impossible!” asserted Hans, shaking his head. Henry,' too remembering that he was watching everything with the interest of a newcomer to modelrailroading at the time of Ives’ death, thought the chief’s suggestion impossible. “We reach the inescapable con clusion,” continued the chief, “that Ives was murdered by one of the persons in this room tonight—ex cluding, of course, Mrs. Willett and her father, who were not here last night.” Mrs. Willett, who had remained beside the coffin with one hand resting lightly on it, spoke up for the first time. “Wry don’t we ask the murdered man?” “Oh!” cried Marcia. “What a horrible idea!” Susan shrilled, “Don’t open that! I’ll faint” Chief Williams nodded to Mrs. Willett. “You think Ives could give Ud the answer? He was a Spiritu alist, wasn’t he?” Her deep black eyes seemed to swell in her white face. “Yes. He believed he could come back from death.” The other two women shrank to ward each other. “That’s nonsense!” breathed King. “Don’t be frightened, Susan,” Laurence comforted her. “Nothing will happen. They wouldn’t dare . .” “Fantastic as it seems,” said the chief , addressing the entire group, “we have given the idea serious consideration. A great many peo ple would say it possible, so we have arranged ...” “I protest!” cried Professor Bis bee. “You’re going - back to the Middle Ages -and the trial by fire!” The chief smiled. “On the con trary our trial will be ultra modern —so modern that we will use mini ature electric trains. We admit it may prove nothing. We hope, though, that it will point the direc tion of our search for the killer of John Ives. “If you please—station your selves at intervals along the main circle of track. All but you, Hans. I want you to start one of the trains running around the circle.” * To Be Continued _2 R( L SCHOOL 0 GDATE SET Principal H. M. Wells An nounces August 21 for Be ginning of Term ROSEHILL, July 30.—According to an announcement made this week by H. M. Wells, principal, the Rosehili High school will open on Thursday, August 21. The pre school clinic was held here yes terday. It is expected that the new gym masium will be completed by Sep tember 15. This is a W. P. A. pro ject, with the community and county sharing in contributions. Members of the High school faculty are Mr. Wells, Mrs. Verna T. Denning of Rosehil, Miss Mar garet Shaw of Rocky Point, Miss Helen McDaniel of Fairmont, and Charles Batten of Micro. John Dil day of Ahskie, the mathematics teacher and boys’ coach, recently resigned, and his successor is soon to be selected. Teachers in tne lower grades are J. T. Denning, Mrs. Elizabeth Vick of Colerain, Miss Mildred Staniy of Reidsville, Miss Lucille Pittman of Macclesifled, Misses Jessie Moore and Elizabeth fForlaw and Mrs. Louise W. Fussell and Mrs. J. M. Barden, of Rosehil. 3 Two Bicycle Thefts Reported to Police Two bicycles were stolen yester day afternoon in Wilmington, police reported. The bicycles were parked near First and Chestnut streets by Edgar Collins, 711 Castle street, and Ernest Bowden, 1210 Loves alley, and were stolen, police stated, while the boys were attending a show. The complaints on the loss of the bicycles were made separately. Morehead City Skipper Hurt in Boat Accident SOUTHPORT, July 30. — Captain Cicero Gutherie of Morehead City, master of the- menhaden boat, Lyn haven, sustained a broken leg and was badly bruised about the chest and side when he was knocked from the top of the pilot house to the deck of the vessel by a swinging bailer early this week. The vessel had about completed taking aboard a large catch of fish, the seas were rough and the loading bailer got out of control. The vessel is working here for the Llewlyn Phillips factory. U.S. BOMBER PLANT TO EMPLOY WOMEN Plans Announced by Consoli dated for Training of 400 in Plane Production SAN DEIGO, Calif., July 30.—UP) —The Consolidated Aircraft Corp. announced today it would train and employ 400 women for bomber manufacture in response to a re qu st from Sidney Hillman, co director of the Office of Production Management. Maj. R. H. Fleet, Consolidated president, said the women would be trained in lighter mechanical operations. “We have been planning this move for some time,’’ Major Fleet added. “Now that through the ex pansion of the aircraft industry the demands upon man power have become so much greater, we must look ahead to the point of planning for any possible emergency which might hazard the production of the all necessary bombers.” Fleet said one of the possible emergencies would be all out Unit ed States participation in the war through which many men employes would be lost to the armed forces. DAILY CROSSWORD ACROSS 4. Work 27. Not in i. Grate diligently 28. River in 5. Dull pain 5. Sum up Asia 9. Kingly 6. Jar for oil 29. Silk fabric 10. Comical 7. Native of 30. Vehicle 12. Elephant's Holland 31. Young cow tusk 8. Otherwise 33. Music note 13. Seaweed 9. Stream of 35. Italian river 14. Bright star water 36. Fit for J15. Snow 11. Guided tillage vehicle 18. Glacial 37. Slip away 16. Compara- ridges 39. Stone with ■tive suffix 19. Music note crystal-lined Yesterday’* Answer 17. Exclama- 22. Type cavities 46. Floor tion measure 41. Oil of rose coverings 19. Meadow 24. Sprite petals 48. Masculine 20. Music note 25. Moist 43. Enemy nickname 21. Body of 26. Structure 44. Goes astray 49 Perceive -water 23. Fresh 26. Froth 28. Not working 29. Cleanse 31. A crack ■32. Male red deer .33. Exhibition 34. Fortify 35. Comrade 36. Masculine nickname 38..Gone by 40. Music note 42. "Sun god 43. Festival 45. Snare 47, Constellation .49. Part of checkbook <pl.) 50. Wear away 61 s Bird of prey 152, To prune 53s Scottish Gaelic DOWN 1. To venerate 2 Eager 3. Mother of Isaac Vol CRYPTOQUOTE—A cryptogram quotation EMV CRNV CVL JNVFC. EMV GVHH EvMVQ OVGPVAV— CVLBUVL. Yesterday’s Cryptoquote: DEEDS ARE FORGOTTEN BUT THEIjFt RESULTS REMAIN—OVID. 0 DisUihutsd hv Klaa Features Syndicate. Inc. OUT OUR WAY By J. R. Williams OUR BOARDING HOUSE . . . with . . . Major Hoonk SF ONE OF THE TUER^nS I -TA^ll! fl MISSINO LINKS/ jMf DlDYOU V||L MUSS ON aTtc'=t W m ~~ WHERE'S J//f FIND HARRY POLB/^S mT?p !A V W THE OTHER VW^THE HALF-BREED'S] IF Vou'AlNTr--cATERY; 4V.SOPHER? J/L Pile of sold, l-~A"sTcg?^v) -OR WAS HE if CALL THE WAm2YT / ! V MW///M V °V GAVlNl(V 1 COULD woL^the- 1 / I ? Jffw V^wawutsr Rastrakh^SuA LITTLE ORPHAN ANNIE Through The Dark O’ Night GOOD IDEA. Y gee! PUN—ER^? CHIEF--ANNIE TH' CHIEF I nq AND I WILL REAL INDIAN I WAIT HERE ON COULD MOVE ANY " THE PORCH- QUIETER’N THAT I ^ GUV. I LL BETCHA-I WASH TUBBS Cut-Rate Squabs By Roy Crane ■ so I MARRIED CAROL T pi&HT *. \ ATTABOY OH, LOOK! A BLACK V WELL, SHE’S MY WIFE'S FATHER \$>ZI O, AMD I'LL THROW / (SEE WIZ* I 'V'WELL YES BU? FOR HER MOMEYiDID I? 7 =|ahT! IpeE-WEEV EYE. HE AND CAROL 1 LIVED WITH IS COMING TO DINNER, \ IN A PIECE Or BEEF- f LOST PART OF \X WOM'T GUARAMT ^ m MUST BE HAVING TROUBLE] HIM A WEEK. AN' X WANT THREE 1 STEAK FOR YOUR EYE MY MONEY DURIKJ’ \ THEY'LL S GASOLliNE ALLEY , One Step At A Tim< THE GUMPS x Hair To Millions 1/ GREAT fciusts; NAVE I "N I'VE GOT A BILLION . ^ I * J SEEN DUMB.' GOOD OLD I W DOLLAR PROPOSlTlON/lP 1 ■ Another / opportunity making \ _||my magic stew will grow! i / pRPciftujv \ kindling Wood out of 1 §1 hair on my head, why 1 !• PKKIOUi; \ DOOR, AND I NEVER, L S^VJOVVT IT DO TNe SAME M > i |L even tumbled to it Wi millions op other ij II BRICK BRADFORD Fthe'TrTghtened voyagers huddled for WARM WATER - STREAM °F I SAFETY IN IMPAK'S LITTLE WATER-PROOF
Wilmington Morning Star (Wilmington, N.C.)
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July 31, 1941, edition 1
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