These facts were all verified.
Between eleven and twelve o’clock that night, John Skidder was murdered, and the only thing missing from his house was a note for ten thousand dollars signed by Mundy.
Skidder’s secretary said the note was habitually kept at the office and that she was very surprised when he took it home that evening.
Mundy declared he saw or passed no one on his hike, but under severe questioning admitted having been near Skidder’s house shortly after eleven o’clock.
A thorough investigation revealed that Skidder had no known enemies and no one, other than Mundy, had the slightest reason for wishing him dead.
Mundy was consequently arrested. As he knew Skidder lived with only an old man servant (who was out until after twelve that night), the police believed he had gone unobserved to the house, demanded the note, and, when refused, had murdered Skidder. No one but Mundy could possibly profit by the disappearance of the note. As it was due in ten days and he was in no position to meet it, they anticipated little difficulty in obtaining a conviction due to the strong motive and weak alibi.
Asked his opinion, Professor Fordney surprisingly said he DIDN’T believe any American jury would convict Mundy.
He was right— Now, don’t argue! There’s only one answer. Don’t peek! Figure it out.
69 _The Perfect Crime_
Peter Johannes had one burning ambition—to commit a perfect crime. After much thinking and careful planning, he chose burglary for his experiment and a large brownstone mansion for the scene of his action.
Learning its occupants had left town, he arrayed himself in a business suit of conservative cut, flung a light topcoat over his arm, picked up a Gladstone bag, covered with foreign labels, and set out.
He had ascertained, of course, when the policeman patrolling that beat was farthest away. At such a time he drove up in his swanky sport roadster, swung jauntily to the sidewalk, skipped up the steps, and fitted a skeleton key into the lock, which yielded easily. So far so good, he thought.
Inside, he adjusted a black mask to his eyes and silk gloves to his hands: the former for a bit of local color he couldn’t resist; the latter for more practical purposes. What a jolly thing this burglaring was!
He quickly filled his Gladstone with silver and other valuables. Hurrying out, he removed his gloves after closing the door.
‘Done, and not a single clue left!’ he said to himself.
As he was about to descend the steps, he saw out of the corner of his eye the policeman rounding the corner. Feigning disinterest, he quickly pushed the bell-button and stood there whistling.
‘Hey, you!’ shouted the policeman, now standing at the bottom of the steps. ‘What are you doin’ there? Them people ain’t home.’
‘Howdy, Officer. How goes it?’ said our hero blithely as he turned to greet the bluecoat. ‘I know they’re not home; been trying to raise someone for five minutes. Annoying, too, after running out to see them. Oh, well,’ he continued, ‘I’ll be going along,’ as he unconcernedly picked up his bag.
‘You bet you will—right to the hoosegow,’ bellowed the guardian of the peace. ‘Your story I might have believed, but.... Come on, now, I’m takin’ you down.’
Alas for the perfect crime! ‘What caused our hero’s arrest?’ asked Professor Fordney of his class.
70 _The Professor Sees Through It_
‘Let’s go in to dinner—it’s twenty minutes after six, and I’m starved,’ said Hawkins.
‘Right!’ responded Professor Fordney, his train companion, ‘I’m hungry, too.’
The two men had met only a few minutes before, as casually as travelers do, but already seemed to find each other agreeable company.
At dinner Hawkins explained he was a conductor on another railroad and bemoaned the loss of passenger traffic. Fordney, too, decried the depression and its effects.
When the conductor came through, Hawkins tendered a pass with a friendly remark, and Fordney, who said he had boarded the train in such a hurry he didn’t have time to purchase a ticket, paid a cash fare. Neither he nor the conductor having proper change, he borrowed fourteen cents from Hawkins.
After an enjoyable dinner, they went back to the club car for a smoke and continued their chat.
‘Ever been in Savannah, Mr. Hawkins?’ asked Fordney.
‘Why, yes. Several times. Why?’
‘Oh, nothing in particular. Charming city, isn’t it?’
‘Yes, it is, but I like the quaintness of New Orleans better, myself.’
And so they chatted through a pleasant evening until Hawkins, with a yawn, said: ‘Well, it’s a quarter to eleven. Bedtime for me. See you in the morning. Good-night, Professor. I’ve enjoyed knowing you.’
‘Good-night,’ responded Fordney. ‘I’ll give you the fourteen cents in the morning. Don’t let the fact that I’m aware of your deception keep you awake!’
‘What?’ cried the amazed Hawkins.
What did Fordney mean?
71 _The Kidnapers’ Cleverness_
‘There are times,’ mused Professor Fordney from the depths of the most comfortable chair in the lounge of the University Club, ‘when the criminal does show ingenuity of a high order. I recall a most interesting and baffling case on which I worked ten years ago.
‘A wealthy man whose daughter had been kidnaped had been warned that, if he appealed to the police, she would be killed. Consequently, it was difficult to get his coöperation in running down the criminals. However, upon receiving the following note delivered in an express package 12″ × 12″ × 12″ he sought my advice.
Send us, by the means herein given you, $5,000 in cash, at exactly midnight tonight. If you do so, your daughter will be returned unharmed.
‘My client did as directed and his child was returned safely next day.
‘Do you know, Jim,’ asked Fordney of his fireside companion, ‘what means the kidnapers employed that made trapping of them, or discovery of their whereabouts, absolutely impossible? There’s a nice little problem in deduction for a rising young attorney,’ he laughed.
After ten minutes of deep silence on Jim’s part, he said, ‘I can’t figure it out, Professor. What was it?’
SOLUTIONS
1. _A Crack Shot_
It was a dark, starless, moonless night. The nearest habitation was five miles. The eyes of no animal ever shine in the dark unless there is a light by which they can be reflected, and a man’s eyes never shine under any circumstances.
Therefore, Butler could not possibly have seen any eyes shining at him in the dark. It was clearly murder.
And thy deep eyes, amid the gloom, Shine like jewels in a shroud. Longfellow.
2. _On the Scent_
Not even a prohibition agent would use alcohol in an automobile radiator in or about Miami!
The oil and wine of merry meeting. Irving.
3. _Fatal Error_
The Professor knew it would take a keener pair of eyes than Bronson’s to see a nod in the dark.
The lights had not been turned on. Remember?
Darkness visible. Milton.
4. _The Poison Murder Case_
Unless Bob Kewley had returned home after telling the Professor he was going to the theater, he could not have known the library door was locked. The fact that he did, coupled with the strong motive, naturally directed suspicion to him. He inadvertently gave himself away.
Error will slip through a crack, while truth will stick in a doorway. Shaw.
5. _A Strange ‘Kidnaping’_
Had Johnson wound his watch immediately before 2 A.M. Friday, the time of his alleged kidnaping, it would not have been running Sunday afternoon when he recovered consciousness and said he heard it ticking.
No standard-make watch will run sixty hours without winding.
This act is an ancient tale new told; Being urged at a time unseasonable. Shakespeare.
6. _A Valuable Formula_
In a small room the intruder would _unquestionably_ have heard Hyde dialing Headquarters, and therefore could not have been unaware of his presence.
As Hyde had obviously lied about this, Fordney was convinced he had fabricated the entire story in order to sell the formula twice.
Don’t tell me of deception; a lie is a lie, whether it be a lie to the eye or a lie to the ear. Dr. Johnson.
7. _Strangled_
There had been a dry, hot spell at that place for twenty-two days. Irene Greer’s hair was matted with mud; therefore, she must have been attacked elsewhere.
The face of things appeareth not the same far off and when we see them right at hand. Euripides.