The evening world. Newspaper, October 5, 1922, Page 28

| THE YOUNG - Ace Club a Group of Men Who Played With Dangerous Drugs, Says Willie Dixon MAN GROWS CONFIDENTIAL Tells Capt. Stuart His Theories of the Van Cortland Murder; Detective. Furneaux Is Still Non-Committa THE STORY TO DATE. : ROWN, the butler of the Fifth Avenue mansion of Anthony Van Cortland, finds his employer dead and twelve guests unconscious around a table where the thirteen had gathered for a convivial celebration of the Ace Club the night before. A goldfish in a bowl in the room pervades the room. is floating, dead. A strange odor Capt. Stuart, an army officer, calls for van Cortland to go for a ride in Central Park and discovers the state of affairs. After talking with Morrison, the chauffeur; Roberts, the valet; Marie, the maid, and Brown, Capt. Stuart calls Police Headquarters and in a few minutes a queer-looking little man duces himself as Mr. Furneaux of appears at the mansion and intro- the detective force. After looking over the ground he orders that Dr. George Bright of East 83d Street be called. Capt. Stuart, chosen by Furneaux to notify Miss Mary Dixon, his fiancee, of Van Cortland’s death, performs the disagreeable task, but is impressed by the fact that she shows no deep grief. Meantime Willie Dixon, Mary’s young brother, one of the unconscious group, awakes after Furneaux has emptied the pockets of all the Ace Club members and taken their fingerprints. ‘ CHAPTER 1! Mary Dixon Remains Inscrutable. NE of the recumbent figures was trying to rise. Fur- neaux sprang a8 a weasel might tackle a rabbit and shook the drowsy boy almost vio- lently. . “Pull yourself together, Dixon,’ he eried shrilly, ‘Tell us how it is you are in this state, and why yur friend, Antnony van Cortland, should be dead." ° “Dead!"" repeated the other va- cantly. ‘'Tony dead! What bunk! An’, who the? “I am Inspector Furneaux of the New York Detective’ Bureau. Mr. van Cortland was killed during the drunken orgy you have taken part in. Who did it?” “Look here! Leg-go my yarm or Vl punch you betwen those black eyes of yours, pronto. Why should any one kill poor old Tony, you—you little cockatoo?’* Willie Dixon, now that returning animation lit up his features, bore a family resemblance to his sister. He rose unsteadily and Furneaux loos- ened his grip. Not yet were those addled wits completely restored. He gazed around at his prostrate com- vades and, for a second, a sheépish grin Indicated a growing conviction that he and his friends had certainly made a night of it. Then he seemed to remember the detective’s strange words, and gazed at the place at the head of the table where he evidently remembered last seeing van Cortland, Slowly his thoughts took cohesion, and he turned to look at Furneauy. “You said you were a detective and that Tony was dead, didn't you?" he muttered “Yes. Was he all the ghost? right when you Was there any "Cf course he was all right. Never “iter. And what was there to quarrel bout? We had the best time eve: t, bar jokes, Mr.«Policeman one—what's this al! abou! “Try and answer my questions. You'll know the whole story soon enough. What was the last thing you had to drink?" “Punch! A piinch."" "Who mixed itt’ “Tony himself. ut T gneoss we all helped. Dash it all, what time ta it? Dixon, nearly in his normal senses, wes aware of the sunshine flpodl the room; the day-long roar of traffic perfectly glorious in Fifth Avenue camo through the open windows. “Never mind the time," chirped Furneaux. ‘What was it that punch “Are you serious?” came the some- ‘what strange question. “Absolutely. IT want you to remem- ber now. “Well, well. Tony—Mr. van Cort- tand—Tony is short for Anthony, you Sa0w—shoved in two bottles of cham- pagne. and Monty Straus added a bot- tie of white wine, and I contributed balf a decanter of liqueur brandy, and Buddy Owen shot three syphons of soda into the bowl, and Billy Bolton cut the lemons, and Harry Holgate—" “Hello! Contact!"" A bleared fuce raised itself slowly from the carpet, ..d u pair of blood- shot eyes gazed reproachfully at the speaker. Then the eyes rolled about the room, und an indignant voice de- wnande!: “Whut the bluzes has been going pn here?" “Asie me anothery Billy. cop, this gentleman, wants what you put in the punch “€ome Curacoa, of course. That's what gave it the right tang. Anyhow, Willie, for the love o' Mike, wise me up. What put all our crowd on the blink Wish I could tell you. Just woke myself to hear someone saying some- thins about my sister. Hoi, you!" and Dixon's angry eyes found Fur neaux. “It was you. What were you saying about my sister?"’ “That she had requested Capt Stu..rt to take you home.” “How could she do that? Does she know him?" - A policeman in uniform, whom Stuart hgd not) seen before, came in and guve the detective a alight nod. Furneaux screwed up his cyes and examined young Dixon as though 4 were some museum specimen labelled “the Neanderthal Man."’ I've changed my mind about you,’ he said. ‘Captain Stuart, if you wish to oblige this young Idiot's family again, take him away. ‘Then return here, if you please, as I want you to meet Mr. Winter, 4 Dixon was ubout to make some But this know acrimonious retort when Stuart in- tervened. “I believe there is a patrol wagon the door,” he suid in a low tone, ff you don't ome with me in van Cortland’s cur you will be taken to u police #tation.’* The sight of a uniform had startled the boy and he made no further pro- test, As the two went out stu overheard Furneaux telling one of his aides that Bolton was to be sent to his own home tn a taxi, This prompt volte face on the detective's part was singularly illuminative. It was clea: that he would be swayed a good dea! by the disjointed utterances of eac: member of the party when aroused from a strange stupor as to whether that particular individual should be interned or not, Knowledge of this fact, joined to the fin -printing operations and Furneaux's most diz turbing guess at certain oddities, in Mary Dixon's words and behasto when told of Van Cortiand’s death, caused the soldier to harbor a new, if temporary, respect for the official, “There's no reason why you should keep mum, is there?" muttered Dixon while they were crossing the 1h “What game {s everybody playing Is poor old Tony really dead? A you a friend of his “Wait til we are in the car," Stuart, He looked for the police wagon and saw that it was drawn up by the curb nearly half a block away. A few idlers, those nondeseripts always pro- duced*instantly by a great elty at any hour of the day or night, were hang- ing about awaiting developments. ‘Thus far the police had hoodwinked them effectually. During the short run to Park Ave- said nue Stuart gave his companion a brief but accurate resume of the morning's remarkable happenings, and Dixon's wits were now sufficient- ly restored that he should appreciate not only their sinister import but also his own close escape from being held in custody as a material witness. he cried, seizing Stuart's hand, “you seem to have done me no end of a good turn, I'm tremen- dously obliged, You must have some pull with the Police Department “Not the least, I am beginning to understand Mr. Furneaux's ways, I es ie pas THE EV WING WORLD, THURSDAY, it? . . . However, I'm through with that kind of stuff now, for keéps, Here wo are! Come along and hand me over to Mary,’ “Surely that ts not necessary,” pro- tested Stuart, who had the strongest disinclination against thrusting him- self a second time into the girl's presence, “Oh, yes. I'm under your escort, you know. I learned that much in Fyance, anyhow. As @ prisoner I'm not out of your charge till I’m signed for.” Stuart was well aware that this light-headed boy counted on escaping the first burst of family displeasure by returning home in the company of a stranger. “T'll take you as far as the door,” he agreed, and would have held strictly to his pact—indeed, he asked the attendant to keep the elevator waiting—had not Mary Dixon herself admitted them. She appeared to have been on the alert for their arrival. Please come in, Capt. Stuart,"’ she said. “I was sure you would rescue this bad brother of mine, and I suppose you have had nothing to ext this morning. Breakfast ts ready, and then Willie must go to bed."" Now, there was nothing new for Stuart in the discovery that life Is made up largely of trivialities. He remembered that at dawn on a bitterly cold morning tn October of COPYRI think. You persuaded him that you knew nothing of the actual crime. So did Holgate. That is why he freed the pair of you. Moreover, he can lay hands on you again, if nec- essary." Some of Dixon's new-bofn enthu- siasm for Stuart evaporated under this cold douche of common sense. 1918, while repelling a German coun “And you tell me he sent you to ter attack on the trench held by hit break the news to Mary, my sister?" cumpany, his ‘chief concern was les he cried. a kettle should boil over and extin “Yes.” guisn a charéoal fre which hag wit “Had you met her before?” difficulty been kindled in a ig-OU fo."” “Queer little cuss,.ain’t he?” But I recollect now hearing of him in some attack by Chinks on a down- town banker. Ho's a holy terro:, they say, on the war-path after a bunch of crooks. But how did Mary take it?” “I fear I blundered badly in my part of a miserable errand,” said by the efforts of three devoted men and two matches, the remnants of the last box owned by a whole platoon. Similarly, when confronted unex- pectedly by the girl whom he had left in tears, or nearly so, he recalled Furneaux's impish comments on tht varying beauty of the female sex at different hours of the same day. Mary Dixon was dressed in black, but ‘YES, CAP,’ CAME THE GREETING. ‘IT'S ME, ALL THAT 1S LEFT OF ME—LEFT OF TWO HUNDRED POUNDS,” Stuart, “Your sister behaved ex- not even the pallor of her face o} ceedingly well. She was dre the wearied expression of her eyes upset, of course, but she kept her could conceal the full tide of life that self-control wonderfully, and was pulsed benenth her skin, more than anxious that I should en- It was pleasant, too, to see the deaver to rescue you from an un- maternal severity of her sérutiny of pleasant predicament."* brother Willie, ‘That young scape- Dixon winced at this. grace, of course, scoffed at the notion “T supposé you look on me as an of retiring to rest infernal fool."’ he Suid. “Well, I cannot imagine any your and sane’ American, with all lis life before him, going in for wild orgies “I’ve slept soundly for the past five hours," he said ruéfully, “but a cup of hot coffee is a bully idea. Tell you what, Mary, although we're all Uke that of last night, even though awfully sorry about poor old Van, they took no tragic turn. Please don’t it'll do no good if we talk things over misunderstand me, I'm out for an during breakfast, Let's eat first and occasional good time as much as any fellow with red blood in his veins. But, as one who served tn France, | hate the false pretense which labels a gang of boozers by an honorable name; and, In any case, the present is no time for flouting public opinion in such fashion."* “Every aingle one of us protested Dixon hotly. Stuart did not answer, and the younger man went on, with a shame- fuced smile: “I see you don't know what the V'll tell you everytamg I know after- ward Stuart smiled involuntarily, and found the girl's eyes dwelling on bin in a rather searching way, He smiled again, and she seemed to read his meaning, which was simple enough for one of her acute mentality, as he only sought to convey that, she was far better posted already in the de- {a‘ls of the tragedy than the boy who, had unconsciously taken part in it, So Stuart joined the two at break- tast, ‘there being no sign of the elder ad flown," Ace “lub really stood for. It had nothing Dixon, As a good soldier he had not todo with downing Fritzies. Alcohol, the slightest difficulty In disposing of Chloroform and Wther D'you get me? a) Pretty mad, wasn't &n egg and some toast, on the prin- ciple of the immort Capt. Dugald Ssieaaeaiiiiainaall ANS <4 wh CTOBER 56, 1922. TR Cc WARD J. Daigetty, who held that when a cava- Mer finds an abundance of excellent food_at his disposal he does wisely Lo victiial himself for at least three days, since there is no knowing when he may come by another mess, As might well be expected, Willie Dixon himself was the first to break his own ordinance of silence on the one topic on their minds, “They talk about somehody having done for Tony,”’ he said, after a re- treshing draught of coffee. ‘Do you believe that, Mary? Who could have such a grudge against him as to take bis lite?’ “Why is it assumed that he did not @ie from natural causes?” inquired the girl, and Stuart did not fail to note that she neither answered her brother's question nor admitted that her own first thought had been of a crime. “*Well, I can't say exactly. Some- one told me—oh, the detective—Fur- maux his name is—queer little duck. h eyes like a parrot—said * ¢ © ‘o, he didn't, now I come to think of it. Wasn't it you, Capt. Stuart, who suggested tht Anthony had been killed ?"" "T belle wo are all jumping at conclusions,” said Stuart. “There is no-proof whatsoever as yet that van Cortland was—well, there is only one word for it—murdered. It is tl mosphere of suspicion created by presence of detectives and pol makes one look for the worst planation, The butler the fire by dead goldfish.” goldfish!” broke in Dixon, las that little beggar croaked, too?” Yes. He was found dead in the bowl when Brown enteréd the room this morning.” , “Poor little thing! I tried to feed him with some crumbs last night, but Tony stopped me. He said Brown gave him ant-eggs. He was lively as a cricket at 10 o'clock—skipping around merrily.” “That fact, plus Mr. announcement that he meant taking the twelve of you to the police sts ex- added fuel to his annoyance abeut the Furneaux's If HOUSE OF PERIL AC Y Story of New York LODE “A man can pass away in such an extraordinarily easy manner if the heart or ‘brain is affected. Van Cort- land crashed twice In France, to my definite knowledge. How can we tell that he then escaped some vital dant age which may only now have re- vealed its existénce?” There was a slight pause. Dixon said with fort: ‘Will the police want to examine me again?” ‘That is quite certain. They will delve into every bit of history ‘vith “regard to the Ace Club, and especially as to last night's gathering. If I may venture to add my advice to your sister’s *“{ would recommend a hot bath and a few hours’ proper sleep. Then obvious discom- You may need your wifs later in the. day." “Is the police inquiry likely to go beyond the bounds of the actus! crime, if {t be shown there was one?” put in Mary. ‘ “You may take that for granted, too, Miss Dixon, Judging from what T have seen of Mr. Furneaur’s methods I am sure he will: not hesi- tate to cable the Pope if he thinks the Holy Father cun throw light on any branch of the investigation.”’ “Will the whole story be published in the newspape ot yet, not for some time. Fur- neaux seems more than anxious that nothing should appear in the press maturely, that is. Of course, the death can be camouflaged for a little while, but full publicity cannot | withaeld at the inquest.’* The girl nearly, but not quite suc- cessfully, repressed a gasp of terror at the sound of an ominous word. “T had forgotten the inquest,’ was all she said, yet Stuart was so con- vinced that she was yielding again to stress of misery or, though he hated to admit it, or fear that he excused himself on the ground that he aimse!f was a witness of some importance and that the Chief of the Detective Bureau wished to see him, Mury Dixon accompanicd doo! him to th tion, has led us to suppose yan Cor’ “I feel that in you my prot land's death was not merely untimely jaye a reliable. friend,” s or accidental. But it is early days to «y°\1) you tell me where we build any so theory. We must yoy% await events, police will Inquire “ye gaye iis private address and. nto the affair fully. 1, for one, hope (nat of his glub. This thine thel the mystery may turn out to be no hands met mystery. : “Lam heartily sorry fo: “What do you mean?” sald the Dixon,” he contrived to oul grutily, since men of Dis type find it i . ‘Life more than difflcult'to express sym- pathy. fj “f know it," she murmured, with such a piteous quivering of her lips that he wa# relieved when the door closed, ° He was beginning to hate the van Cortland mansion in Fifth -Avenue. Outwardly a thoroughly respectable house of fine proportions in the best Georgian style, it now revolted his every sense. It had become a morgue rather than a millionaire's residence, He hoped that this time he would get away from ®& speedily. A limp youth, whom he failed to recognize, was being assisted into a car when he reached the door Less robust, probably, than either Dixon or }/ gate, this unfortunate felt very ill, and his face had a yellowish green tint which brought jeers from a group of onlookers. The belief was spread- ing that the police had raided a resort of aristocratic dope «fiend: indeed, this version of the affair was en- couraged by those who Krew the truth. So strangely constituted ‘s social life in the chief city of America that not one in a thousand personé passing that morning the cession of minor palaces titute upper Fifth Avenie could usime ac- curately the owners of a dozen, Yet, like all democracies, the Now Yorlk crowd is ever ready to uneer at tue {dle rich. . “Search me!" guffawed one of the unwashed, noting Stuart's trim ap- pearance. ‘Here's a guy who missed the party! “Shut your mouth!" said another. If that gentleman doesn't do it for rou T will!” Stuart would have left the jibe un- heeded, but he could not help glanc- ing at his unexpected champion. He turned, and looked again. A tall, thin, scarecrow of a fellgw grinned, squared his shoulders and saluted. “Yes, Cap," came the greeting. “It's mo, all that is left of me—lett of two hundred pounds. Tuckily, Stuart recalled the man's name, a trooper in own regiment, “That you, Benson?” he asked, with surprise that was not .as- stfmed, since he had last seeh this old comrade in arms doing certain noteworthy stunts while engaged in the congenial task of mopping up a rman trench. “Yes, sir. It was greatly to Benson's credit nd ultimate gain that he did not em- bark on any hard luck story. His ragged attire and poor physical con- dition told wretched enough tale. “Why did you leave the service?" said Stuart. “Disability. lost all I hed scheme.” Stuart had the soldierly faculty of prompt decision, He wrote something Discharged. Then I in a get-rich-quick on a leaf torn from his note-bool and gave it to Benson, with a ten- dollar bill. “There!” he “Call on me at 8 o'clock, and we'll talk things over.” he man’s tanned face grew low with emotion. ‘ “You've halted me at, the gallop, ‘an I do any- Shift this bunch, sir,’* mutters thing for you now for Instance?” “You can handed.” “If there's another young spark in- side who looks as sick at the list one, send him out right away, an’ leave the rest to me. No rough house stuff, Benson?’ Not one short-arm Jab, ail Beyond the glass door Stuart ‘mot the butler and a detective escorting another much disturbed yotth. down- stairs. Sheer curiosity led him to step into a yestlaire which had a smal! wipdow commanding the street. The moment the sufferer appeared und was practically lifted into a wait- ing car Benson skipped hurriedly, into the middle of the roadway and, after whispering confidentially to some man lounging thi ade off ut a sharp pace. The others imitated his example. Within five seconds the crowd had vanished utter hardly do that single Stuart was mystifie to wuit some hours for explanation enson, It appeared then, had told the sightseers t several bad cases of siIpox were t taken to the pital for Infectious Di kwell’s Tslanc seases on It was disconcerting to learn from Brown that Chief Inspector Winter, head of the Detective Bureau, had not arrived as yet. In the first place, the soldier had no wish to hang that plague-stricken mansion Secondly, he did not want t dratvn into further conne with the inquiry as to the cause of van Cortland’s deat! 3 lagtl was afraid that at any moment he might be led into open dentinciation police methods, Furneaux, possibly an erratic genius, was the sort of man he, Stuart, would have intrusted with an affair of this magnitude, und it certainly did man amazing thing that the Chief of the Bureau had not been summoned urgently. ‘True, his assistant had announced that he was on his way. But what prior gation tt could have apparent young milliona investi- stronger murder of a teh, ‘Ten vo full hours had elapsed o'dlock since he telephoned Police Headquar- ters “Sharp work, Captain,” came a high-pitched voice from the top of tho stairs. : sneaux's quite uncanny trick of thought reading rendered Stuart chary of open critigizm, But he could not help saying: “ly that what you call it, Mir, Pur- neaux?” ‘No. No. For me it’s merely nor- mal, but you now, a smart soldier, clever young chap, and-all the rest of it, what do you really know about this business? You were here first— barring Brown — always barring Brown—a heaven-sent specimen of a bald-headed butler to be in charge of the exhibits in a case like this—yet you passed clue after cluo as though you couldn't see or smell or touch. There must be something gravely lacking in the curriculum of the Army School of Scouts if you even possess such a thing. Come and join me im some breakfast and I'll discourse," “T'll join you with pleasure, and perhaps profit, but I'm dashed if I eat a third breakfast,’’ said Stuart, fol- lowing the detective into a room overlooking the street, which Brows designated as ‘the morning room, * “Three! Where did you have the first two?" Stuart told him. “Good!"* cackled Furneaux. man cannot, think eat." “It @ Tet him at least have met people who looked as though they did neither." The detective lifted the cover off! a dish of bacon and sausages, which ie sniffed with much gusto, “You're riding for fall, young man,” he announced. ou are now going to see me cat, and, when the gross claims of appetite are satisfied I'll make your cerebral outfit loo like a thin dime,"* “Let me pour out the coffee, any- how,” said Stuart good-humouredly. ere was no sense in quarrelling with this vainglorous little man, whe evidently prided himself on showi off the few professional tricks whica he could hardly help gleaning from the varied experienc ‘How do you like it? Half mili “No, sir. No milk. On the rate occasions when I need a draught of coffee to stimulate the brain, and this is one, I do not dream of spoiling aa excellent tonic by clouding and thick~ ening it with mill: cream. Now ‘ou, I suppose, smoke “By Jove! I never thought of It. But I'll hold off till you've finished your breakfas' “Well, that is quite nice of you. i'll take your offer. The fumes of that beastly mixture of chloral hydrate nearly overcame me and [ don't think I could stand the noxious odor of nicotine now on an empty stomach. sweet peas in the backyard which he consuming his second Havana since of the Bureau, leaving Brooklyn, where he grows sweet peas in the backyard, which he calls a garden, Sweet peas! Ye gods! Was ever delicate flower tended by so bulky a mortal? You, I sup- Dose, are a cigarette fiend?"" ‘0; pipe."” Stuart was girding himself for # battle of wits with this strange little man, Now the two were together again that dMsplay of intellectual dominance by. Furneaux over others, which the soldier resented and which really accounted for his slight fecling of petulance, made itself felt oncs- more. He had a queer notion that his thoughts were printed legibly on his shirt front and that Furneaux could read thegi at a glance, “A pipe, ch?” repeated the detec- tive. ‘Strange thing, but scoundrels hardly ever smoke a pipe. You canm- not picture a murderer or a forgor enjoying his baccy, can you? Cigar ettes, now—they’re criminal if you like. They cover the whole gamut of rascality from the defaulting bani President to the peccant bellhop. [ can almost classify the crook by his brand’ of cigarette. Cigars are mora cosmopolitan. A man mry remain a decent citizen and indulge in a good Havana. Of course i pay no heed to the wretched fei'ows who polson the air with a home-grown tufa—they are beneath contempt and seldom rise to any height, even in villany, But beware of the big, blond, bullet- headed, round-eyed caballeros who puff glant clouds wf smoke out of im- ported Cubans, ‘They”"— = “What's the trouble, Frog? Some- hody or something worrying you? You) always pitch into me when the pleces of the puzzle won't fit.” A tall, strongly built man, whose sical characteristics Furneaux had cribed aptly, came in, and, smiling out a hand to Stuart, was utterly at a loss to know the diminutive detective wus ware of his chief's presence or cheerfully, hel who how could so time his caustic comments that (he latter must overhear them. t let our funny Iittle friend a you, Capt. Stuart,"’ continued Winter. “He alway¥ gives tongua n on the chase. Stop Furneaux talking and a wonderful bratm die of sheer atrophy.” : 8 the ief's great new word,” snapped Furneaux. digging a fork viciously into a second sausage “He dallied with co-ordinate and dif- ferentiate, passed through bad attacks of meticulous and connote, and is no “Going to ask Ca me uart to Join n an tmported Cuban.” knew it," almost shrieked Fur neaux. “Here have { been saifing ammonia during the past hour an antidote to chloral flavored with” Glyl Rosaec, and now | cannot be allowed even to eat in peace.’ “Are you sure of the flavoring?" put in Winter quietly, “Yes. De. Bright recognized it too," “hat helps some. Van Cortland nit had th up two days ago at the next block! On the Western Front ry acting as infantry took the infantry f 1 Clo: To-morrow — Furneaux bi make deductions. Prescription mado the drug store on