The Key West Citizen Newspaper, December 17, 1940, Page 3

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17 , 1940 Chapter 22 Real Clue a THINK that’s sort of silly,” I said as he came down the lad- der, and they helped me up. “Where is it? Oh yes”—and with shaking fingers rerhoved the calf-bound volume from the shelves and climbed back down again. The book opened easily in my hands. The pages thus revealed showed plainly the imprint of a marker or paper which was there no longer. I shook the book in a kind of frenzy, ruffling the pages. thing fell out and a joint sigh Telief went up. Bob picked up the fallen paper. It was only a loose page of the book itself. I sat down on the sofa, wit! Alice and Claire on either si and examined the page minutely. But we were forced to admit that we could find nothing to suggest the clue Aunt Maggie had inen- tioned. Tears were very near the sur- face as I handed the book to Bob to replace in its n had been so high. all go down to the game room and| 8°: have a little ping-pong?” I sug- gested. “It’s sweet of vou to help, but I don’t believe we are going to find anything and it is g: be bad enough for eve with the police and every’ Understandingly Claire shaled them out. “Till just fold this ladd for you,” said Bob, linge hind. As he bent over an_exclama “What's this 1e asked. I walked over to the table and looked at the slip of paper he held. Written on it in Aunt Mag- gie’s hand were the words, “Din- ing-room closet.” “Where asked. struggling for calmness. “Here, in the table. You sce, the ladder folds over it.” Excitedly I pull. “Find Mr. Bill and tell him to come to the dining room.” I told Andrew when he appeared. “Tell him to hurry. False Lead OB and I decided Aunt Maggie had found whatever clue was contained in the book on_ wills, had made this note and had dropped it as she climbed down the ladder. We were in the dining room itself before I realized there is no closet in the room. There were the ogany side- boards, the end tat wall, the breakfast china cab- inet, the fireplace, the two win- dows opening out over the side driveway, the three doors open- ing respectively into library, hall and butler’s pantry, but no other door. No sign of any closet any- where. Bill joined us in the st of this fruitless inspection. “What’s wrong?” he asked, glancing from one to the other of us. “We thought we had _ found something,” I sai hibiting the note and exp! Bob dis: covered it. ‘ eems to be just another blind alley.” te.” said Bob. “Perhaps it is not meant to be visible. Claire and I did look in here for signs of a hidden room, but found nothing of interest. Sce, there’s no break in the wallpaper. Such rooms were usually placed near the fireplace. No. nothing here.” His eyes roamed around the room speculatively. “I've got it!” He-snapped_ his fingers. “It's back of that chin cabinet.” “What_ma asked Bill, voice some of Bo tement “Because, don’t you see, a door could be concealed behind it. Une of those doors cut into the wall and without any frame. You know. like somebody cut through the painting of The Last Sup- per?” The two men heaved and pushed. I held my breath as pricel china tinkled on the shelves slid back and forth against leaded panes of glass doors. Bes- sie came in to see what was going on. “Sweet Jesus, Miss Sally, they gonna break all vo’ gran’ma’s china!” she gasped. At last th away from th had ever been a door be! t no trace remained. The wallpaner covered an unbroken surface. Bill and Bob rubbed their hands acr: es hen used to ie knew that,” hy would m if she mean itche I couldn’t answer that; but we all moved back through the but. ler’s pantry. and it was immedi- PASS 100 MARK THE HARD WAY (By Associated Press) DETROIT. Dec. 17.— of Detroit football te won 101 games since Charles E. “you find it?” a 5 | grabbed the bell against the| ee By MEDORA FIELD YESTERDAY: Aunt Maggie was murdered in the early hours of the week end party Sally and Bill were giving to celebrate the engagement of Claire ana Bob. But the house was cut off from the world all night, and even mow, in the morning, the police have not yet arrived from At- lanta. The whole party is looki.g for a clue to the secret room Aunt Maggie mentioned before she died. In a book in the It- brary, the trail begins to look hon ately apparent to anyone with an observing eye that a double wall about five feet wide separated the entire length of the kitchen and dining room and that only a part of this inside space was used as the butler’s pantry. In fact, I had always known this, but had not connected the fact with our search for a hidden room. “But this here space is all took up,” Bessie pointed out. “This here’s a supply closet,” she add- ed, opening a door about midway the length of the room. “And this—” “Let me see,” said Bill, crowd- ing Bessie aside and entering the supply closet. “Yes, but that still loesn’t take up all the space. Now what—” “Bessie, show him.” I said. Bessie stepped to the left-hand side of the supply closet, touched a hidden spring and a wall of shelves pivoted around, leaving space for passage. “It’s the silver closet.” she explained. “They’s a |lock to lock it with. too. But no- body never would find it, no way.” Bill and Bob crowded into the small room, which contained |nothing but the family silver not j already in use, some broken china ide for mending and sev- les of old wine ch had been there goodness knows how long. here’s your secret room,” disgustedly. “And all Mabaloo about nothing. are you going to do now, vith your big idea that the m would solve the mur- “But I knew about this one all time.” I said. “I can’t be sure Aunt Maggie did, though. She and my grandmother didn’t get along }so well and Aunt Maggie hadn’t seen much of the house before andmother’s death.” “Well, your grandparent who the house seemed to have a flair for this sort of thing,” Bill dryly. “He never was d up in the smuggling busi- he?” house literally was . And he had to have s to put things.” “Such rooms were not at all un- “|usual.” Bob backed me up. “The tendency is reflected in the furni- ture of the era. Desks and tables and chests of drawers nearly all had their secret compartments, j we found this morning.” “What I can’t see.” said Bessie, if they had the kitchen in the vard. how did they get them | les and hot breads and tt ‘Ss | he dining room without ’em | n’ cold?” ed in spite of myself. “T understood the .cook’s |v hildren acted as runners,” The Law | "M, nodded, then a look of horror spread over her features. “Sweet Jesus, Miss Sally, do you hear that?” “Of course, I do,” I answered | crossly. he siren of a police car. And why they should be sounding it as though they were going to a fire. in broad daylight out here in woods with not a sign of traffic anywhere, I can’t i want to be sure the criminal has a chance to get away.” said Bob. “You wouldn't want them to run into him unex- pectedly. would you?” Then the law walked in with heavy tread. “We sure had a heck of a time | finding the place.” said the older jof the two patrolmen. who intro- duced himself as Hendricks and his partner as Adams. “Nobody in R ell could tell us where the Stuart place was, but they knew when we remembered it alled Wisteria Hall.” | as my grandmother’s hou I apologized. “That’s why body recognized the name of | Stuart. We only came out for the | week \_“W | Hen FS fa ejaculated Officer . “and this is what you tadio said it was murder.” SY aid Bill, giving an out- f what had taken place iust dinner the night before and vering a few routine questions ut by the two policemen. Then three of em went in to w the body.” as Officer Hend- S expressed it. Soon afterward I heard his voice the telephone. “Better. send ebody out to make a complete ion on this call you told look into at Roswell. Yes. nd no evidence so far as I_can see. No. Nobody here but Mr. and Mrs. Stuart and 2 house {full of company. Mr and Mrs. Stuart live in town but they were | all out here for the week end. |. “Yes. I'd say get in touch with jthe solicitor’s office. Tell ‘em to k for Wisteria Hall at Roswell.” at d Bill. “I gather the case is not quite ip their alley.” he said. “Some- that was open and shut and the ing lay of the land, they want to re ody some preliminary | que order to file a report jand, I suppose. to have some- ng to turn over to whoever 3 out later. Better round up everybody rary. “I don’t think Eve has dressed yet.” I sai ‘Mavbe I had better ‘o and tell her, though, of course, she must have heard that siren.” To be continued (CotsrizMt. 1939. Medora Field Perkerson) Derias became he: art of the 1926 season. victory was a 0 win over Texas Christian on No- vember 9, th (Gi d coach 3 te only Ted the in 100 won by a field goal. Pavelec. tackle, delivered winning kick. tan victory fi Pytlak Set New| THE KEY WEST CITIZEN IN FACT, Tee Good MORNIN MAILt Major Errorless Fielding Record Handled 571 Chances Without Miscue ; Dickey Ahead In- Most Games Behind Plate j (iy Associated Press) NEW YORK, Dec. 17.—The out- stan fielding feat to crop up in the erican League during of 1940 probably the performance of Frank Py lak, Cleveland . in estab- lishing a new major league rec- ord for most consecutive chances without an error. In games from September 10, 1938, to September 18, 1940, inclusive, Pytlak handled 571 chances without a slip. This eliminated the former record of 452 consecutive chances without an error set by Charles Leo Hart- nett of the Chicago Cubs. Pytlak’s clean-cut work served to keep him at the head of the catchers in fielding with a figure of .996 for 58 games in which he accepted 265 chances with only one error. In 1939 he played er- rorless ball in 51 games while tak- ing care of 251 chances. For the 100-game catchers, Rollie Hems- ley of Cleveland was the high man in fielding with an average of .994 for 117 games—a mark that was equalled by Bill Dickey of the Yankees for 102 games. Dickey’s fielding precentage in 1939 was .989 in 126 games. Dicke count of 102 games in 1940 broke a tie he held with Ray Schalk and Mickey Cochrane for 12 straight seasons of catching a hundred or more games. During the season of -1940, George McQuinn of St. Louis equalled the major league record for participating in most double plays as a first-baseman with 157 —a record he now holds along with Lou Gehrig of New York who had the same number in 1938 McQuinn participated in five of his twin-killings at first base against Boston on July 27—a stunt which was equalled by Joe Kuhel of Chicago against New York on July 14. In this same game, Luke Appling of Chicago Al © et. Orders we picked up on our /equalled the major league record by taking part in five double F s in a single game at short- stop. Although hitting 37 points less in 1940 than in 1939—with a bat- ting average of .316 in 1939 and .279 in 1940—McQuinn retained his lead in fielding among the first baseman in 1940 with an average of .992 for 150 games, which was just a point under his 1939 figure. In 1939 Hank Green- berg of Detroit equalled Me- Quinn’s league-leading percent- age. only to be switched to the outfield in 1940 to make room at first base for Rudy York. York hed fourth among the regu- semen in fielding in igure of .990 for 155 bby Doerr of Boston rose to the top among the second base- ith a fielding average of 9 for 151 games—a figure equalled by Don Heffner of St. Lo for 125 games. Joe Gor- don « e Yankees was only two peints lower, with Charlie Geh- ringer of Detroit, the 1939 leader, carried on with a figure of 972 despite the handicap of ailing s. Doerr led in double plays h 118 e se i wit sational first-year man. Lou Boudreau of Cleveland: set Pace among the league's is fielding with the splendid average of 968 for the fr of 155 games. It took perb work to displace the Frank Crosetti of ‘the who lost the lead while ng .954 in 145 games. Croset- et the pace in 1939 with an average 968 for 152 games. Dick Bartell helped Detroit win Y. a S. of Tip-Offs On— GOOD BASKETBALL 2. COORDINATION By CLAIR BEE Long Island University Coach ‘You don’t shoot baskets with your feet—but you won't get a chance to shoot many unless you learn proper coordination in foot- work. That’s why these paragraphs | come before we even mention ; shooting technique. You must have footwork to be able to get | around the floor properly, both on offense and defense, and there | are certain exercises which will ; help you get proper coordination. ! Before you ever pick up a ball in practice sessions at the start of the season do a little shadow box- | ing, rope skipping, and practicing} of sprinters’ starts. Fencing ex- ‘ercises also are a help in strength-} ening leg muscles. To loosen and strengthen your arms for their strenuous basket- ball duties a little medicine ball throwing each day is a big aid. You'll be surprised how easily a basketball handles after tossing those weighted pills around. the pennant by fielding .953 in 139 games. Luke Appling, Chi- cago White Sox star, slipped two points to .949 for 150 games, while Joe Cronin, Boston’s manager, was off 11 points to .948. Al Brancato of Philadelphia, who placed just between Appling and Cronin in the fielding tables with a mark of .949, which was just equal to Appling’s, three errors at shortstop in the fifth inning of the second game of a doubleheader with Chicago on September 13, tying the ma- jor league record. Four outfielders were bracket- ed together in high figures in fielding. Walter Judnich of St Louis topped the circuit with a fielding average of .989 for 133 games followed in order by Bar- ney McCoskey, Detroit, .938; Mike Kreevich, Chicago, .982, and Joe DiMaggio, New York, .978. Mc Coskey and DiMaggio were also well up in the 1939 fielding aver- ages with figures of .986 each. George Selkirk of the Yankees, who set the pace in 1939 with -989, was less consistent, turning in a figure of only 962 in 1940. Thirty-one pitchers in the league had 1.000 fielding aver- ages, as compared with 17 in 19- 39. Vernon Kennedy of St. Louis was the leader with 63 total chances in 34 games without an error. In 1939 Al Milnar of Cleve- land was the leader with 43 chan- ces in 37 games, but in 1940 Mil- nar made 4 errors while handling 32 chances, which dropped his fielding percentage to .875 and left him eighth from the bottom of the standing of the pitchers who appeared inten or more games. Fielding on the whole picked up a single point in the American League in 1940, rising from .969 to 970 with New York and Cleve- land leading in team fielding at -975. Double plays increased 12 to 1,195. Triple plays remained unchanged at two. One less pass- ed ball left a total of 102. There were 22 fewer errors, with 1,443, and total chances increased 415 to 48,177. (Compiled by Howe News Bureau, Chicago, Ill.) committed ‘e jtion made Oliver | Open. ja romp for Dick Chapman, a well- j Herrick 194 NEW YORK, Dec. 17.—The big scoreboard at Cleveland showed three low scores of 287 as the National Open ended last June and golfing sentimentalists were divided in their backing. Some were puiling for Gene Sarazen, the stocky little veteran who had won the Open nearly two decades before, to tack a perfect playoff finish on his grand come-*————__________. back. Others were on burly Lawson Little’s side. The youngster with the fullback physique had dom- inated the amateur ranks but had had litlte success as a pro. He had kept battling though, and now he had his big chance. Many sympathized with Ed (Porky) Oliver, whom they con- sidered the victim of a bad break. Porky, virtually an unknown fat boy, had come out of nowhere to join in the triple-tie. But because he had started his final , round ahead of schedule he was dis- qualified. The unfortunate situa- an overnight sports page figure and he cashed in for more in exhibitions than he would have made by winning the behind to win one match but the others were easy. In the final he dealt W. B. McCullough, Philadel- phia “week-end golfer”, one of the worst defeats in amateur history, 1l and 9. Bud Ward, defending champion, was beaten in an early round. Of all the 1939 crown-winners only pretty Betty Jameson of San Antonio, Texas, repeated. She whipped Jane Cothran of Green- ville, S. C., in the national finals, 6 and 5. Patty Berg, who would have been a co-favorite with Miss Jameson, could not compete. She had turned professional a short while before. Miss Jameson won the western women’s, Elizabeth Hicks of California took the west- ern women’s derby and Mrs. Babe Didrikson Zaharias won the western women’s open. Champion Wins Easily The amateur championship was to-do young New Yorker who had spent most of his life on the links. Nelson Takes PGA After winning the qualifying! The professional golfer’s title round medal he had to come from went to Byron Nelson of Toledo, Today’s native is very enthus- iastic, and possibly given to ex- cessive indulgence in whatever is jin mind at the time. Fortunately ‘this is in the mental activities, and will probably carry the ne- itive far on the road to success. But in all events, cultivate mod- eration. AMEAD I Defeated High School Cordova Smith Last Night; Sol- Colgate diers Won 0-0 0-0 14 0-0 4-11 Totals— 14 Score by quarters: Lions a Lions Club five emerged as the! High School leading team of the Island City Basketball League last night by virtue of its crushing defeat of the High School varsity players, 58-32. Paced by Pinder and Saunders, the Civie boys, 1939-40 cham- pions, led ail the way. They al- lowed the Students just a single point in the first quarter while they rung up seven and continued to widen the margin with each succeeding period. Pinder led his teammates in scoring with a to- tal of 19 points, followed by Saunders with 14. The clubs were tied for first place with two victories each be- fore the second game in the High School Gym last night. Students, by virtue of their loss, dropped into a tie for second place with the Soldiers, who defeated the Plumbers in the opening contest last evening. McMahon starred for the losing School five. He accounted for 12 of his team’s 32 points. Box score: Lions Club 19 38 58 12 2 32 U.S. Army five, using all of its fifteen players, galloped to a 56 35 victory over the Pepper's Plumbers in the curtain-raiser of ‘the twin bill. Almeda, former CCC member of the camp at Summerland Key, led the Soldiers to their triumph with 26 points. White and Nelson Woodson topped the scorers of the Plumbers with 14 points. Peppers sunk deeper into the celler. The defeat was their third in a row. Box score: U.S. Army Player— FG White Foster Rhoden Almeda BooBwobsA 4 Player— Smith Pinder Saunders Knowles IL Carbonell Torres Waldo Baker coe®oovroouvsonmon Totals— ae cewonaend Bl monk ioy Bl ecocenes Player— McMahon Barber Roberts Rosam McCown F. Saunders P. Roberts COnmocoom ocovoonon were tied with 13 points each. etarted nearly all The Year In Sports TRIPLE TIE IN OPEN IS GOLF FEATURE ~ loser in the 1939 event 1939 Open champion one-up Snead who staged lant comeback finally was eliminated when the tirmg Sara advantage in the Ben Hogan 2 aret were « outs. Hogan « Carolina tourna: and copped the Goodal robin. Demaret won six t ments, more er. His triumphs included 1 Augusta Masters and the Western Open, but he played so badly im the National Open that he picked up. Hogan failed even t 2 ify for the O; alternate’s adr teur Fr: Strafac his favor. Wood Sets Record Craig Wood hole medal play winning the and paired take the Inter ney at Cora 1 caused cancellation of championships and the competitions. But a team” captained by gen beat azen's team. closir new score Ryder “Ryder € Walter Hi "IDL LL LL. LOUIS AWARDED {hl Fill HHT bye i Let it | | | i. [ hi i tj tt | lt ty it if4 ihe \ Ht f ‘ ec ec bet the Baise #: ~ CLASSIFIED | REICHEY AND MATUZA AL- TERNATED PAST SEASON (My Associated Press} MIAMI, Dec State’s powerfu as the equal of ar will get a Georgetown in the Orz Day wher Matuza the greatest cen try. Matuz cha of W. T on the United Press cna team thi: Reichey, the He center, was so goo as much action this year tuza did Both boys are weigh nearly 200 have played opposition virtually off their in their last three vears at Georgetown Until this fall, M ena shade ver severe University’s Hoyas Bow! New Year's as Ma- eT six feet tall pounds their and feet tuza was gi Reichey a he gam this season Reichey hit his stride with such improvement been alternated with Matuza since early in the campaign. LEAGUE STANDIN ISLAND CITY BASKETBALL “ LEAGUE Club— Ww. Lions Ciub High School US. Army US. Marines VP53 Pepper's P’ whem ee ef Som & (High School Gym. 7-09 p. m) TOMORROW NIGHT First Game—VP53 vs. Marines Second Game—Ph Lions. * FRIDAY NIGHT First Game—Army vs Second Game—VPS3 mers ws! he has ,