The evening world. Newspaper, April 1, 1905, Page 12

| tateremted lest wight, Mr. Holmes, so I thought perhaps you would 5 ta be present now that the affair has taken a very much-grayer turn,” “Wat Tax tt turned to, then?” oo murder. Mr. Harker, will you tell these gentlemen exiuctly what other people’s news, and now that a real piece of news has come my way I am s0 confused and bothered that I can't put two words together, ed qome im here as a journalist I should have interviewed myself and ‘Uwe eolumna in every evening paper. As it is, | am giving away valu- engy bp telling wy story over and over to a string of different people, SB emp make no wee of it yeetf. However, I've heard your name, Mr. - almes, and if you'll only explain this queer business 1 shall be fer my trouble in telling you the story.” ‘Botmes sat down and listened “It all seems to centre round that bust of Napoleon which I bought for (iis very room about four months ago. 1 picked it up cheap from Harding \ies., two doors from the High street station. A great deal of my journal- work is done at night, and | often write until early morning. So it was . 1 was sitting in my den, which is at the back of the top of the houge, Mires 5 o'cluck, when I was convinced that I heard some sounds downstairs, bMetened, but they were not repeated, and I concluded that they came from je, Then suddenty, about five minutes Inter, there eame a most horri- t _. most dreadful sound, Mr. Holmes, that ever I heard. It will ps ee in my ears as long as [ live. 1 sat frozen with horror for a minute or Se Then I seized the poker and went downstairs. When I entered this en I found the window open, und I at once observed that the bust Fas gone from the mantelpiece. Why any burglar should take such a thing E my understanding, for it was only a plaster cast and of no real value er, "You can see for yourself that any one going out through that open ww could reach the fromt doorstep by taking a long stride. This was what the burglar had done, so 1 went round and opened the door. Ing out into the dark, I mearly fell over a dead man who wus lying 4 v" bie throat and the whole place swimming in blood, Ho lay on his back, Bis Brees drawn up and his mouth horribly open. I shall see him in my UJ dreams, 1 had just time to blow on my police-whistle, and then 1 must have )) @alinted, for I knew nothing more until I found the policeman standing over fe in the hall.” “Well, who was the murdered man?" asked Holmes. “There's nothing to show who he was,” said Lestrade. “You shall see ‘ee body at the mortuary, but we have made nothing of it up to now. He Hy dea val man, sun-burned, very powerful, not more than thirty. He is poorly a Mpeeeed, an’ yet does not appear to be a laborer. A horn-handled clasp- |) Baife was lying In a pool of bivod beside him, Whether it was the weapon Bich did the deed or whether it belonged to the dead man, I do not know. th ‘Where was no name on his clothing, and nothing in his pockets save an : (@uple, some string, a shilling map of London and a photograph. Here it 1a,” It was evidently taken by a snap-shot from a smaii camera. It vepre- @eeted on alert, sharp-featured simian man, with thick eyebrows and a very peoullar Projection of the lower part of the face, like the muzzle of @ baboon, ‘And what became of the bust?" asked Holmes, Mi picture. ) p, “We had news of it just before you came. It has been found in the garden of an empty house in Campden House road. It was broken ‘ante fragments. | am going round now to see it. Will you come?” after a careful study of Pag “Certainly, 1 must just take one look round." He examined the carpet i: Md the window. “Tho fellow had either very long legs or was a most active " paid he, “With an area beneath, it w: Weledge and open that window. Maple. Are you comin Merke,?” The disconsolate journ. 48 NO mean feat to reach that Getting back was comparatively @ with us to see the remains of your bust, Mr, meen alist had seated himself at a writing-table, “I must try and make something of it,” said he, @oubt that the first editions of the evening papers are out already with the fall details, It's my luck! You remember when the stand fell at Doncastet? Weil, 1 was the only journalist in the stand and my journal the only one that had no account of it, for | was too Shaken to write it, be too late with a murder done on my own doorstep,” As we loft the room we heard bis pen travelling shrilly over the foolscap, The spot where the fragments of the bust had been found was only a flew hundred yards away. For the first time our eyes rested upon this pre- @entment of the great Emperor, which seemed to raise such frantic and Maatructive hatred in the mind of the unknown. It lay scattered in splin- free @hards upon the grass. Holmes picked up several of them and exam- 4 , mea them carefully. I was convinced, from his intent face and his purpose- ag ‘pt manner, that at last he was upon a clue. “Well?” asked Lestrade, “though I have no And now I'll i Holmes shrugged his shoulders, y “We have a long way to Bo yet,” sald he. “And yet— thave some suggestive fucts to act upon, The - was worth more, in the eyes of this Strange criminal than a human life Phat ts one point. Then there is the singular fact that he did not break it the house, or immediately outside the house, if to break it was his sole and yet—well, we possession of this trifling bust “He was rattled and bustled by meetin mew what he was doing.” + #Well, that’s likely enough. ‘theularly to tho position of this i ‘Meatroye Hy ). Lestrade looked about him. “It was an empty house, and so he knew th: the garden.” “Yca, but there is anothe ig this other fellow, He hardly But | wish to call your attention very par- house in the garden of which the bust was ‘at he would not be disturbed " empty house farther up the street which he have passed before he came to this one. Why did he not break it . Since it 1s evident that every yard that he carried of some one meeting him?” ‘T give it up," said Lestrade it increased the Holmes pointed to the street lamp above our heads, “He could see what he was doing here, and he could not there, is reason.” That Dr. Barnicot's bust woe ofuaen not far from his red lamp. Well, Mr. mes, what nro we to do with that tact?” To remeriber ato aocket it We may come on something later which . upon it, What siepe uv you propose to take now, Lestrade?” Ay Ma “The most practical way of getting at it, in my opinion, is to identity the dead man. There should be no difficulty about that When wo havo found who he {s and who bis associates are, we should have a good start in learning what he was doing in Pitt street last night, and who it was who met him and killed him on the doorstep of Mr. think so?" “No doubt; and yet it {s not quite the way ia which I should approach Horace Harker, Don't you “What wouhi you do, then?” “Oh, you must not let me influence you in any way! I suggest that i — Top of the Head. you go om your line and I on mine, We can compare notes afterward, and each will supplement the other,” “Very good,” said Lestrade. “If you are going back to Pitt street, you might see Mr. Horace Harker. Tell him for me that I have quite made up my mind, and that it fs certain that a dangerous homicidal lunatic, with Napoleonic delusions. was in his house last night. It will be useful for his article.” Lestrade stared. “You don't seriously believe that?” Holmes smiled. “Don't I? Well, perhaps I don't’ But I am sure that it will interest Mr. Herace Harker and the subscribers of the Central Press Syndicate, Now, Watgon, I think that we shall find that we have a long and rather complex day’s work tefore us. I should he glad, Lestrade, if you could make it convenient to meet us at Raker street at 6 o'clock this evening Until then I should like to keep this photogro~*, found jn the dead man’s pocket. It #8 possible that I may have to ask your company and assist- ance upon a small expedition which will have to be undertaken to-night, if my chain of reasoning should prove to be correct. Until then, good-by and geod lwek!” Sherlock Holmes and I walked together to High street, where we stopped at the shop of Harding Bros., whence the buat had been pur- chased. A young assistant informed us that Mr. Harding would be absent until afternoon, and that he was him- self a mewcomer, who could give us no information, Holmes’s face showed his disappointment and annoyance, “Well, well, we can’t expect to have it all our own way, Watson,” he said at last, “We must come back in the afternoon if Mi Harding will not be here until then. | am, as you have no doubt surmised, endeavoring to trace these busts to their source in order to find if there is not some- thing peculiar which may aceount for their remarkable fate. Let us make for Mr. Morse Hudson, of the Ken- nington road, and see if he can throw any light upon the preblem.” A drive of an hour brought us to the picture dealer's establishment. He was a small, stout man with red face and a peppery manner, “Yes, sir, On my very counter, sir,” said he. “What we pay rates and taxes for I don't know, when any ruffian can ¢ Yes, sir, it was I who sold Dr. Barnicot Nidilist plot ‘ome in and break one’s goods. Disgraceful, sir! A No one but an anarchist would go Red republicans—that’s what 1 call ‘em. Who did I get the statues from? | don’t see what that has to do with It Well, if you really want to know, I got them from Gelder & Co., in Church street, Stepney. They are a well-known house in the trade and have been this twenty years. How many had I? Three—two and one aro three—two of his two statues, thit's what I make it, about breaking siatues, He Picked Up His Hunting-Crop and Struck Napoleon a Sharp Blow en the ie TNR TE RIL LRAT I ORTHO ic | PYRITE THE WORLD: SATURDAY EVENING, APRIL 1, 1905. ) Dr. Barnicot’s and one smashed in broad daylight jon my own counter. Do 1 know that photograph? No, I don't. Yes, I do, though. Why, it's Beppo. He was a kind of Italian piece-worit man, who made himself useful in the shop, He could carve a bit und gild and frame and do odd jobs The fellow left me last week, and I've heard nothing of him since. No, I don't Know where he came from nor where he went to, I have nothing against him while he was here, He was gone two (lays before the bust was smashed.” “Well, that’s all wo could reasonably expect from Morse Hudson,” gaid Holmes, as we emerged from the shop. ‘We have this Beppo as a common factor, both in Kennington and in Kemsington, so that is worth a ten-mile drive, Now, Watson, let us make for Gelver & Co., of Stepney, the source and origin of busts, I shall be sur- Driset if we don't get some help down there.” In rapid succession we passed through the fringe of fashionable London, hotel Londoa, theatrical London, literary London, commercial London, and, finally, maritime Lon- don, till we came to a riverside city of a hundred thousand souls, where the tenemen! houses swelter and reek with the outcasts of Berope. Lore, im a broad thoroughfare, once the abode of wealthy City mearchants, we found the sculyture works for which we searched. Outside was a consid- erable yard full of monumental ma- sonry. Inside was a large room, in which Afty workers were carving and moulding, The manager, a big blond German, received as civilly and gave @ elear answer to wll Holmes's ques- tions. A reference to his books showed that hundreds of casts had been taken from a marble copy of Devine's head of Napoleon, but that the three which had keen seut to Morse Hudson a year or 80 before had been half of a batch of six, ihe @ther three being sent to Harding Bros, of Kensington. There was no veason why those six should be dif- ferent to any of the other casts, He could suggest no possible cause why any one should wish to destroy them in fact, he laughed at the idea ‘Their wholesale price was 6 shillings, but the retailer would get 12 or more. ‘The cast was taken in two moulds from each aide of the face, and then these two profiles of plaster of Paria wore joined together to make the coniplete bust. The work was usually done by Italiana in the room we were in. When finished the busts were put on a table in the passage to dry and afterward were stored. That was all he could tell us. But the production of the photograph had a remarkable effect upon th» manager, His face flushed with anger and bis brows knotted ovr his blue Teutoaic eyes, “Ah, the rascal’” he cried. “Yes, indeed, I know him very well, This has always been a respectable establishment, and the only time we have ever had the police in it was over this very follow. It was more than a year ago now. He knifed another Italian im the street, and then he came ty tho works with the police on his heels, and he was takem here. Beppo was his Holmes Had Just Completed His Examination When the Door Opened, name—his second name I never knew. Reve me right for engaging a man with such a face, But he was a good workman—one of the best.” “What did he get?" “The man hved, and he got off with a year. I have no doubt he is out now, but he has not dared to show his nose here. We have a cousin of his here, and I dare szy he could tell you where he is,” “No, no," erled Holmes, ‘not a werd to the cousin—not a word, I beg of you, The matter is very {mportant, and the farther I go with it the more important ft seems to grow. When you referred in your ledger to the sale of those casts I observed that the date was June 8 of last year, Could you Give me the date whea Beppo was arrested?” ‘ . “Tt could tel! you roughly by the pay-list,” the manager answere@. “Yes, he continued, after some turning over of pages, “he was pald last on May 20." “Thank you,” said Holmes, ‘I don’t think thet I need intrude upon your time and patience amy more.” With a last word of caution that he should say nothing as to our researches, we turned our faces westward onoe more, The afternoon was far advanced before we were able to snatch a hasty luncheon at a restaurant, A news bill at the entrance announced “Kensing- ton Outrage. Murder by a Madman,” and the contents of the paper showed that Mr. Horace Harker had got his account {nto print after all. Two col- umns were occupted with a highly sensational and flowery rendering of the whole incident. Holmes propped it against the cruet-stand and read it while he ate, Once or twice he chuckled. “This is all right, Watson,” said he, “Listen to this: ‘It ie satisfactory to know that there can be no difference of opinion upon this case, since Mr. Lestrade, one of the most experienced members of the official ferce, and Mr. Sherlock Holmes, the well-known consulting expert, have each come to the conclusion that the grotesque series of incidents, whieh have ended in so tragic a fashion, arise from lunacy rather than from deliberate crime, No explanation save mental aberration can cover the facts.’ The Press, Wateon, is a most valuable ir stitution, if you only know how to use it. And now, if you have quite finished we will hark back to Kensington and see what the manager of Harding Bros. has to say to the matter,”’ The founder of that great emporium proved to be a brisk, crisp little person, very dapper and quick, with a clear head and a ready tongue “Yes, sir, | have already read the account in the evening papers. Horace Harker fs a customer of our. months ago. Stepney, Mr, We supplied him with the bust some We ordered three busts of that sort from Gelder & Co,, of They are al! sold now. To whom? Oh, I dare say by consulting our sales book we could very easily tell you. Yes, we have the entries here, One to Mr. Harker, you and one to Mr. Josiah Brown, of Laburnum Lodge, Laburnum Vale, Chiswick, and one to Mr. Sandeford, of Lower Grove road, Reading. No, | have never seen this face which you show me in the photograph You would hardly forget it, would you, sir, for I've seldom geen an uglier. Have we any Jtallans on the staff? Yes, sir, we hive several among our workpeople and cleaners, I dare say they might get a peep at that sales book if they wanted to. There is no particular reason for keep- ing a watch upon that book. Well, well, it's a very strange business, and T hope that you will let me know if anythng comes from your inquiries. Holmes had taken several notes during Mr. Harding's evidence, and | could see that he was thoroughly satisfied by the turn which affairs were taking. He made no remark, however, save that unless we hurried we should be late fur ovr appointment with Loetrade, Sure enough, when we reached Baker street the detective was already there, and we found him paring up and down in a fever of impatience. His look of importance showed that his dav's work had not been in vain. “Well?” he asked, “What luck, Mr. Holmes?” “We haye had a very busy day, and not entirely a wasted one,” my friend explained. “We have seen voth the retailers and also the wholesale manufacturers. | cen trace each of the busts now from the beginning.” “The busts!" cried Lestrade, ‘Well, well, you have your own methods, Mr Sherlock Holmes, anf it {s not for me to say a word against them, but I think I have done a hetter day’s work than you. I have !dentified the dead man.’ “You don't say 807" “And found a cause for the crime.” “Splendid!” “We nave an Inspector who makes a specialty of Saffron “Hill and the Tta‘ian quarter, Well, this dead man had some Catholic embi#m round his neck, and that, along with his color, made me think he was from the Sonth. Inspector Hill knew him the moment he canght sight of him. His name is Piero Venuccl, from Naples, and he is one of the greatest cut-throats in London, He is connected with the Mafia, which, as you know, is a secret pofitical society, enforcing its decrees by murder. Now, you see how the affair begins to clear up. The other fellow is probably an Italian also and a memrer of the Mat, He has broken the rules in some faehion, Ptetro is set upon his track. Probably the photograph we found Im his pocket ts the man himself, so that he may not knife (he wrong person. He dogs the fellow he sees hiin enter a house, he, waits outside for him, and in the scuffle he receives his own death-wound. How 1s that, Mr. Sherlock Holmes?’ Holmes clapped his hands approvingly. cellent, Lestrade; excellent!" he cried. “But T didn’t quite follow your explanation of the destruetion of the busts “The busts! You never eam get those busts out of your head. After all, that is nothing; petty larceny, six Months at the most. It 1s the murder that we are really investigating, and T tell you that I am gathering all the threads into my hands,” “And the next stage?” “Ia a very simple one. 1 shall go down with Hill to the Italian quarter, find the man whose photograph we have got and arrest him om tho charge of murder. Will you come with us?" “L think not, I fancy we can at tain our end in a simpler way. I can't say for certain, because st all depends—well, it all depends upon a factor which is completely outside our control, But I have great hopes—in fact, the betting is exactly two to ono -~that If you will come with us to- night I shall be able to help you to lay him by the heels,” “In the Italian quarter?” “No; | fancy Chiswick is am ad- dress which {8 more likely to find him, If you will come with me to Chiswick to-night, Lestrade, I'll promise to go to the Italian quarter with you to-morrow, and no harm will be done hy the delay. Amd now I think that a few hours’ sleep would do us all good, for I do not propose to leave before 11 o'clock, and it is unlikely that we shall be back before morning, You'll dine with us, Les- trade, and then you are welcome to the sofa until it is tinfe for us to Start. In the mean time, Watson, I should be glad if you would rimg for an express messenger, for I have a letter to send, and it is important that it shonld go at once.” Holmes spent the evening in rum- Biuiging uumong the files of the old daily papers with which oae of our Jumber-rooms was packed, When at last he descended it was with triumph in his eyes; but he sald nothing to elther of us as to the result of his researches, For my own part, I had followed step by step the methods by which he had traced the various windings of this complex case, and though I could not yet perceive the goal which we would reach, I understood elearly that Holmes expected unis grotesque criminal to make an attempt @pem the two remaining buets, one of which, I remembered, was at Chiswiek. No dovbt the object of onr journey was to catch him in the very act; and I could not but admire the cunning with which my friend had inserte:| « wrong clue in the evening paper, #0 as to give the fellow the idea that be . L was not aurprised whee Holmeg One