Show 1 r The Men Dead DeadMans DeadMan's Mans Man's Chest on th the theby v. v q vv V r. r r by CLIFFORD RAYMOND RAYM D F I Sf m cw-m w u Copyright Th The Tb Bobba Dobbs Co r 1 L' L Ln n r CHAPTER 11 I 1 1 1 Dead Man Miln Number One DUNN r CLA CLAYTON was shot September September Sep Sep- 1 29 1928 at midnight Its is he sat at nt a table In the Dutch Mm dance restaurant on the near North side of Chicago It was Saturday Saturday S-nt- S Sat Sat- night with Its usua usual filling Oiling of the Mills Mill's space but because of Unusual unusual un un- usual circumstances of which the murderer evidently c took quick advantage advantage ad ad- vantage only one person was found who could or would say he had seen nn anything of the man who tired the I shot It was assumed that whatever Its Intention or o. motive the murder stood alone which It did not It was not strange to people who knew Clayton that his life Ufe should end with a pistol shot but there was no apparent reason for the place or orthe he the time of l lt It and such an explanation tIon Ion as ns arose from the circumstances circum I stances and the coincident events could not be sufficient or tory ory The Dutch Mill was a place of ot es- es e amusement but it It and Its kind cind were ere too garish to have bave been In n Claytons Clayton's habit for at nt least a year ear car In post post-l post meridian life he had bad settled down n to an exemplary respectability re- re which was impressive against ng the turbulent background of his bis past He lie never ne had been known to o have much money until this apparent ap- ap parent retirement when he he Indicated by y his way of ot J living JIng the use of ot a considerable Income The relation I I of this to his death became apparent apparent ent later inter lie He was a powerful po handsome man of resolute and reserved ap ap- ap He lie had chosen a n good tailor ailor and a good hotel Be Ue had been seen occasionally at the opera only at the best prize figh tights ts and of ot a Sunday now and then when It was pleasant walking on the Drive at nt the Fourth Presbyterian terlan church If It he be was with a n woman companIon compan- compan Ion on at the theater she was In effect ef ef- ef- ef feet Irreproachable e. e Clayton was wasa a person of complete respectabilIty even If It were new ne as were his spats As the story of his death at the Dutch Mill was pieced together on the he spot and at the time it appeared that three men had entered the dance restaurant shortly 6 before t re- re midnight and had been given ghen a table able at the lie wall one by the waiters waiters' waiters waiters' wait wait- ers' ers door to the kitchen and beIng beng beIng be- be Ing ng In a poor position not acceptable acceptable accept accept- able to anyone who could avoid takIng tak- tak Ing ng It At an Interval between dances just as the dancers had returned to theIr heir tablets s and sand were again seated there here was a loud command for every everyone everyone one to remain quiet The three men had bad arisen from their obscure table able and with pistols In their bands hands were moving to the center of the floor All AH of you put your arms on the he table said the spokesman n. n Both hands Dont Don't move them Dont Don't an anyone one be dumb or fresh and no one will be hurt All Alt of ot the guests and employees questioned later hater by the police pollee said that their first thought was of enforcement enforcement en en- officers Even that was disturbing Evidences of liquor law mw violation were yere on nearly every table This conjecture was ImmedIately Immediately Im Ira- mediately proved pro wrong The shot which killed Clu Clayton ton was fired not by one of ot the three men who had the he center of the scene but by a fourth man who had been almost entIrely en en- Irely unobserved It was probable that no one had seen him The TIme diversion was startling and Its ts effects Instantaneous There were screams the breaking down of ot a tension a n shifting of many bodies bodles bod bOdo les ies Involuntarily and the men with pistols as ns yet unexplained broke broJe In Ina Ina ina a run for an exit A police squad car was passing as three men without overcoats or hats ran from froni the lie restaurant door to an autOmobile m In which a fourthman fourth fourthman fourthman man sat at the time wheel The Time en engine lne was running but the time police were I able to stop the car and ond hold all nil four men 4 One of ot them excitedly tried to explain explain ex ex- ex- ex plain plan that they were getting away from a fight In the restaurant dance i hall hal hall hall-an a 1 an n explanation nun ion not without v I plausibility but plausibilIty but It might not have hn been satisfactory even If It at that moment moment mo mu- ment merit the door of the Dutch Mill III had hadnot hadnot not become the v vent nt for people In hysterical fright Women without their wraps and men without their helm overcoats or hints hots rushed forth as ns If It popped out by pressure ran a few tew I feet or n a half block and then stood uncertainly conscious of needing i the po possessions they had left be be- hind Also waiters walters and other oilier house I employees ees In their work clothes I were soon outside shouting The palice police po pa- lice took toole the tue back Into the Dutch Mill The fhe hoar floor was In n a n disorder of overturned Jubes and charM chairs evidence evi evl- dence of tt be e fright which had bad emptIed emptied emp camp tied the room room The Time body of ot the dead man man had bad slumped out of ot the u 1 i Rt t t sight th there e was 1 L' L not nothing bIng visible except the litter of the rush to the outside said the Honest Chief one of prisoners to the lieutenant of police police po po- po lice Uce who was holding him we didn't do It You 1 ou didn't do what the lieutenant lieutenant lieutenant lieu lieu- tenant asked We didn't kill him We didn't do It he lie talking about t the lieutenant asked of the head waiter wait wait- I er who had come upI upI upI up I think there may be a dead manover man manover over here said the time bead head waiter walking toward the wall vall There the body was found But nut we didn't fire a shot Chief Cross my heart beart we hadn't even loaded our guns We weren't going to have any such thing as ns this Please look at our guns Where their lieutenant lieutenant lieu lieu- are guns the time tenant asked They threw them away as they ran said a sergeant Were Weve picked some of them up Get them all nIl Mike said salt the lieutenant and call the wagon Honest Donest to G G-d G d Chief said the bandit spokesman Take them bums outside said the lieutenant and Ild straighten out this body so I can look 1001 It over The frightened guests were returning returning re re- re turning to claim their checked i clothing Let them all In said the lieutenant lieutenant lieu lieu- tenant but dont don't let any of ot them theta out again lignIn Go Co out on the street and If L I j J Both Both Hands Dont Don't Move love Them gather them In When the time wagon comes take those four bums to the I station Let me see those gu guns s. s Mike How flow many you got ot Five Fh-e said the sergeant t. t Honest to G G-d G d. d Chief Shut up sal said the lieutenant Mike take a n piece of paper Take that menu card curd Write this down Colt 38 number not loaded and not not fired Ired Smith and I number 18 not fbi loaded and not fired Colt 38 33 number i no loaded and not fired Colt 45 number lS 85 not Dot loaded and not not fired Smith and Wesson 32 number 1 not loaded and not fired Now give me that card And dont don't plant anything In these guns suns I Chief honest to G G-d G d youre you're a I square guy Take these bums burns away said the lieutenant and get et me Dont Don't plant this case I like it as It Is And another thing these fellows arent aren't gold fish Throw them tn In tn but let them alone Have naye you searched the time car Any more guns No uNo said one of the policemen No what No more guns Then dont don't find hind any more when I get back to the time station I like this case Let It alone Now lets let's see sec who this guy Is Chief honest t to G G G-d. d. d Mike lIke If It that bum calls me Chief again you ou can sock him but that's personal If It he lie shuts up Ill I'll bust the man that touches him or any an of them Ill I'll take talc care of them Lets Let's see the guest of honor at nt this hits party The body had been lifted away from froni the tue table talie Dunn Clayton 1 I the time lieutenant ex et claimed Well Ill I'll be d d-d d dl I Keep those people back and und get me something something something some some- thing to cover coyer this body with Take rake a tablecloth He lie bent over oyer the bo body y gently straightening the arms As he lie did so be he reached readied Into the pockets of the time dead lead mans man's coat cont I and from one of them took what he chanced upon a n letter envelope which be tie put In his pocket A po- po brought a cloth which was spread oVer the body Theres a capable le citizen gone I said the lieutenant Whoever er got him was goo good Stay b by him Mike i Im I'm going outside for n a minute i There were five guns found on the pr premises and examined by the time lieutenant Later he be examined the pistol of ot Buck Trembly Time The five as the time hold up men had bad said had bod not b been n loaded Trembly's was loaded Ln n but It bad had not been fired The lieutenant lieutenant lieu lieu- tenant It will d later did not assure bIms himself lf that Trembly did not have or bad J not had bad two pis He lie did d assume sume that two of the robbers ml ht have had bad more than one gun l is As As none had been loaded It was of ot small smail Importance Irresistible deductions soon forced the frightened up hold men com corn completely completely out of th the picture of the crime ed The gun which was used was vas not found That left It forever ever undetermined whether Trembly committed the murder or procured the th commission of ot out It The Time lieutenant went out passing passin Indifferently the m-e excited groups of guests who returning for Cor their wraps found that they were de de- tamed From tI th the e e sidewalk he looked to see what places of or business were open There was a drug store on one corner jand a tobacco store on another In In the middle of the block there witS wb was a n moving picture theater with aT nT tall negro doorman In the same lJ buding with the dance restaurant was was wa a n small candy shop with a n pop corp popper by Its Us one large larce window Across the street the late movie crowd was coming out The lieutenant lIeutenant lieutenant lieu lIeu- tenant crossed over HYou You saw of ot this didn't you be lie asked the door man You know this shooting Ir lr didn't se see T no no shooting No uNo of course not But you saw the people running out You saw us take those f fellows i Did Old you see them when they drove up at the curb over there Yes I saW sav that That's all I saw I see nothing Walt a minute How now many men got out i i 1 Three j t Sure there timer wasn't four ourt Im not to be sure about anything Dont get this wrong said the lieutenant In a n friendly way Noth Ing's Ings going ong to happen to you You'll n not t b be brought Int Into ll It I I Just wanted wanted wanted want want- ed to v knoy W who who- at the of f car was car got out t tor tr or r If Ii he he tie t get get out No Now do you know Id say he You think lie he sat t there Tha ts t's what Id I'd ha have ye to say what I think said the time lieutenant All AlI right boy He lIe d d the time street to the sm small 11 c candy n store torp rind and found a more assured witness In a white Jacketed young oung man nina at tI the pop-corn pop popper He ne had been standing at nt the time win vin- dow He lie saw the he car when Jt cameto came cameto to time the be curb Three c men got ot out of ot It The Time fourth remained In the tIme drivers driver's seat n He fl was there when the time three rushing out The Time young oung n was positive e. e The Time fourth man nian had bad not DOt been out nut of the time drivers driver's seaL seat The Time lieutenant went to the lie cigar store The Time tobacconist had seen the car as ns It was driven Iriven to the time curb but that was all nil He lIe did lii not know what its occupant had done lie Ic had been behind his hits counter The Time driver dr-cr could have been In or out The lieutenant lieutenant lieu lieu- tenant re-entered re the dance restaurant rant t where t the h guests who bad ball been heen at first startled and amid then panic panic- stricken were now only nervous Indignant or anxious to get away from a s cne ene e which was unpleasant In fact for Cor some sonic and In possibility for others Im so sorry so-ry to keep you ladles Indies the time lIeutenant lieutenant said as ns the time crowl crowd turned toward him Not so sorry for you ou men Inca but no one will be hurt hum The Time quicker I l' l get et answers to some questions questions ques ques- Lions the time sooner well we'll all nil be out omit of herC No one will be he held now as a a. a witness s. s and probably bl none of ot you ou will nibe be me bothered later The Time Theman Theman man who has been killed sat at this table He lIe walked d to It and touched It It Now If anyone who saw the time man sluing here and amid who saw the tIme man maim who vho shot him will tell me mime lie he saw yom ma may nil all go If no one will volunteer this Ill I'll call the time waiters valters and find timid out omit who was seated near here You tOU know he lie said for n a awhile while you ou ha haven't ent any rights be be- cause you cant can't get any lawyers lawers and because you are nil all reasonably sims sus us- us Some Sonic one who was In this tills room shot the time man maim I dont don't think lie he Is here now but he lie was here he or she and youre you're here Any takers taker r The Time people opie shifted position and looked about them There was a n mom moment rit of Indecision broken by aman a aman man maim who wt stepped forward I 1 saw everything you want to know lie he said I 1 mean menn as to what happened I dont don't know who shot him or wh why but I saw how and when ft It was done I saw It so distinctly dis dis- dis that hat It was Impressive e Time The volunteer was of robust middle mid amid die dle Ills black hair age was sas grayIng gray gray- In lag Ing at the temples but he was apparently ap tip In the time prime lame of vigor muscularity He lie was well dressed and entirely ely self possessed II Al yone with you ou 1 the time lieutenant lieuten lIeuten- ant linked d looking him up and down No he said and that Is one reason renson that I saw er e everything Another Another Another An An- other Is that lint I sat at the m next table between him and the door Then also I 1 was Interested In him It occurred occurred occurred oc oc- oc- oc to me that he tie was In the same boat 1 I was and that amused me So 1 I was observing him and speculating The Time lieutenant beckoned to the sergeant Take the time names and addresses of ot these people and then relea release e them Take all the license numbers numbers num num- bers hers before you let their cars go We c may want some of these people people peo- peo pee peo pie to check up with But mister mister mister mis mis- ter Ill I'll take n a chance with you ou The rest of you may go but remember If one of you ou tries to cheat client It may ny be unpleasant Play fair and I 1 will A place like this do doesn't ba have e so many Innocent people In It night by night but ordinarily that's not my business PI Play fair an and you'll probably probably ably never hear from me again Try ry to cheat me and your husband or wife or your cousins and aunts may learn of It Let them go Mike MIster Mister Mis MIs- ter will VIII yo you come Into the office here with me met Im I'm taking a |