Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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He looked ?t the clock, and wai ? i. ? i (I to find It was not yet mid might Ht lelieved It wai at least ftee o'clock n the morning. It was evident that Underwood had never gone to bed. Tbe shooting had oc? curred either while the angry dispute * r going on or sfter the unknown visitor bsd departed. The barrel of the revolver was still warm, showing that it could only have been dts gha:g d a few moments before. Sud dan'v It flaahod Bpon him that Under fjaod oVght have rent litted suicide. I ' I* was u?el? ss to stand there thtorUir.g Berr.cthlag r ust be done. ? t slsr: ,r l people or call the roller H? felt himself turn fco; r cold h. turn as be realized gba S?i'our 1i ??? ent In which he himself wa* r!aced< If he aroused th ' ??' would (in ' iiim here a'Ofte wit! a desd man. Suspi? cion ejarl il t DCS be directed at him, gad It m**M h"1 very difficult for him to 'atsb'1 h hl* innre nco. Who would tell?**; I hat re could have fa'len aawcT I I i while a man killt d ft4g?**lf h the tome room? It sounded prc]Cf' The wisest course for hir ? :ld be to get away before any tOd' C ? Qt !ek?y he picked up bis hat and sjatl? (or thrt door Just ss h ? was aboSi to lav hand on the handle there was Itv click of a latchkey. Thus teed* d off. and not knowing what to do. ho halted in painful suspense. Tb ooened and a man entered. Fl looked as surprised to see How? ard as the latter was to see him. He wes Hr an shew> .ind neatly dressed, yet did not look t*e auntie man His gpnearance war rTth*?r that of a serv? ant All thes?- details flashed before How *d ? 1 b fore he Marled out: "Who the 4 \ I1 ar ? you?*' The r is itoalabed ;?r the question hi d eyed bis interlocutor closely, as IX in d; r.Jt ss ?o his identi? ty, la a cockney accent be said loftily: "I am Ferris. Mr. Underwood's man. sir." Suspiciously, be added: "Are you a friend 01 Mr. Underwood's, sir?" He might well ssk tbe qm <dlou, for Hcward's disheveled appeal iuce and ghastly face, still distorted by urror. sraa anything but reassuring. Tak>sj by surprise. Howard did net kn what to say. and like most people questloaed at a uisaavantugc. he an \ awered foolishly : "Matt?r? No. What makes you think anything Is tbe matter?' Brushing past the man, be add*d: "It's Ute. I'm going." | 'Stop s i gel d the man eervant There waa something in Howard's manntr that he did not like. 'Passing quickly Into the sitting room, be called out. "Stop a minute!'* Uut Howard did not stop. Terror gave I him wings aud, without waiting for tbe elevator, be was already half way down tbs first it i.ru?h" aucii ha heard ?hoita behind :.im. "slurdc that ease' Stop Ihut nt There was a feet and bum 01 vosoee, whuu iuau? itoward run all the faster. He leaped down four stepe st a time in his enxiety to get away Hut it was no easy matter de? scending so many flights of stairs, it took htm seversl minutes to rtach tbe main floor. By this time the whole hotel was aroused. Telephon" calls bad quick? ly warned tbe attendants, who had promptly sent for tie police Hy the time Howard r tt hed the main en? trance he was intercepted by a mob too numerous to resist. Things certainly looked black for him. As he sat. white and trembling, under guard in a comer of the >n trance ball, waiting for the arrival of tbe police, tbe vah t breathlessly gave the sensational particulars to tbe rap Idly growing crowd of curious on? lookers. He had taken Ms usual Sun? day out and on returning home at midnight ss was his cu-'om. he had let himself in with his latchkey. To bis astonishment he bad found this man. tbe prisouer, rbout to have th? premises. Hi* n ..mi r and remarks were so peculiar thut th y at once aroused his su>ph on Hi I riled Into tbe apartment and fonad his ?aittf ?ylng desd on the floor in a pool of blood in his hurry the assassin had dropped his revolver, which was lying near the corps*. As far as he could ace, noth'n* had b ? n taken from the apartment KvWbnt'y the nan was disturbed at his work and. when sud denly su.prlud. had made the bluff tbst be was calling on Mr I nder v*v? They had got the right man, certain He was caught red bam snd in proof of what be said, I pointed to Howard's right ilih was ?tili covered witn I \At?TkA Mow terrible'" exclaim* d a woman bystander, averting her face. "80 young, too!" s all a t I t ,k, 1 t ]) r,,u us all a mistake cried Howard almost panic strh lien "I'm a friend of Mr. Underwood's." "Nlc*? tri? nd'" *n? . red an o looker. ' Tell that t<? th*? police." laughed another (>r to the marines!' triad a third It s tbe chair for his n' opined a fourth. hy this time the main entrance hall was crowded gfHfe people, tenants ana Bgeser*by attracted b> the un? wonted romu \ *< mdal In high rife Is alwsys caviare to the sensa? tion seek* r ex< it? dly in qulrrl of his nc'tr? bor I' Whs* Is It? What's the matter?" l'r?*?e!ttly the rsttle of wheels was besrd and a heavy \ h < h driven furl ously. drew up at the .sidewalk with a Jerk It Was the police patrol wagon, and in It were the captain of the precinct and a hnlf <lo?'?n polit e men and d?t? nveM The crowd pushed forward to get a tftatf \lew of the burly representatives of the |aw mm fnll nt ?nthoHtv tK?>v ?.??.. . I Job wor'. laolf way unceremoi.'.ously lurougu the throng. Pointing to the leader, a big man In plain clothes, with a square, determined Jaw and a bulldog face, tley whispered one to another: "Thar's Capt. Clinton, chief of the preclnc:. He's a terror. It'll go hard with any prisoner he gets In hia etatchaa!M PtoUowed by his uniformed myr? midons, the police official pushed his way to the corner where sat Hqward, . da?.' (1 and tr^mbli:::?. and still g"ard ed by the valet and elevator boys "What's the matter here?" demand ed the captain gruffly, and looking from Ferris to the white-faced How- ) ard. The valet eagerly told his story: | "I came home at midn ght, sir, and found my master. Mr. Robert Under- | wood, lying dead in the apartment, shot through the head." Pointing to Howard, he added: "This man was In the apartment trying to get away. Tou see his hand is still covered w ith b'.ood." Capt. Clinton chuckled, and expand? ing his mighty chest to its fullest, licked his chops with satisfaction. This was the opportunity he had been looking for?a sensational murder in a big apartment hotel, right in the very heart of his riecinct! Nothing could be more to has liking. It was a rich man's murder, the best kind to attract attention to himself. The sensational newspapers would be full of the ca?ie. They would print col? umns of stuff every day. together with his portrait. That was just the kind of pcbliclty he needed now that he was wirepulling for an inspectorship. They had caught the man 'with the goods"?that was very char. He promised h'.nscii to attend to .he ist, Convict'on was what he was 'er He'd ?:?? 'hi no 1 ' ! v lawyer got the btst of bin: O aling as 1 well as he could, his satisfaction, he drew himself up and, with blustering show of authority, imnn diut. ly too".. command of the situation. Turning to a police sergeant at his side, he said: "Maloney, this fellow may have had an accomplice. Take four officers and watch Stiff exit from the hotel. Ar rest anybody attempting to leave the building. Put two officers to watch the fire escapes. Send one man on the roof. Go!" Yes, sir," replied the sergeant, as he turned away to execute the order. Capt. Clinton gave two strides for? ward, and catching Howard by the col? lar, Jerked him to his feet. Now, young feller, you come with me! We'll go upstairs and have a look at the dead man." Howard was at no time an athlete, and now, contrast*"' with the burly policeman, a colossus in strength, he seemed like a puny boy. His cringing, frightened attitude, as be looked up In the captain's bulldog face, was pathet lc. The crowd of bystanders could harcr ly contain their eagerness to take in every detail of the dramatic situation. T'ae prisoner was sober by this time, and thoroughly alarmed. "What do you want me for?" he cried. "I haven't done anything. The man's dead, but I didn't kill him." 'Shut your mouth!" growled the captain Dragging Howard after him. he made his wiy to the elevator. Throw? ing bis prisoner into the cage, he tifrned to j;lve orders to his subord? inate. "Maloney you come with me and bring Office* Delaney." Addressing the other men. he said: "You other fellers look after things down here. Don't let any of these people oine upstairs." Then, turning to the elevator boy, he gave the co nnmnd: "Vp with her." The elevator, with its passengers, shot upward, stopped with a ierk at 1 tie fourteenth poor, and the captain, once more laving a brutal hand on Howard, pu: bed him out into the cor? ridor. If It could be said Of Capt Clin'on that he had any system at all, it w;is to he as brutal as possible with every I odv unlucky enough to fall into bil hands. Instead of regarding his n i Oneri as Innoe nt until found ir llty, as they are Justly entitled to he re? garded under the law, he took th< di? rectly opposite stand. He considered ill hl*p? i" dlty a h. 1! until they had succeeded in proving them* lelvet Innocent. Bros then h< had his douias w h n a jury brought in a verdict of acquittal, be rhooi bli h??d and growled. He hail the great il contempt for a Jury that would SO* quit and Um w arme 1 regard for a Jury which convicted Hi bullied and mal 'rented hhl pHsonOTI because he firm? ly believed In undermining the'r mor? al and physical resistance When by depriving them of sleep and food, by Chohing them, clubbing them and frightening them he had reduced them to a state of nervous terror, to the ! order of physical collapse, he knew nv si perlenes that they would no longer be In con lltlon to .instand hin morel looa cross siamtnatlona, Do moralised, unstrung, they would blurt out the truth and so convct them Helves The ends of Justice woul ' th? s be served Cnp4 Clinton prided hlmsHf on the thorough manner In which he conduct? ed these examinations of pe-sons un? der arrest It was a laborious ordeal, but always tneOOSfnl He owed his f SJi position on the force to the skill wbh which he browbeat his pris oners into Hcoufeeslona.M With his "third degree" seances h?> arrived at rOOuHl better and more cpilcklv than tu any other wny mi m-< convlctloni bad bot I ?Scored by them The press and meddling buoy bodies called his syst< m barboroua, 1 revival of the old Hm? torture chamber Wl at ?1 i?i be care what th ? pet pis said as long as he aoni toted bl mnn? Wa ml Uiat what be wai paid for* He was there to find th" r oirderer. and be wai go 1 Ing to do it. I s Herd us your Job work. ment, followed c'osoly by Maloney'anrt the other policemen, "who dragged along the unhappy Howard. The dead man Mill lay where he had fallen. Cnpt. Clinton stooped down, but made no attempt to touch the corpse, mere? ly satisfying himself that Underwood was dead. Then, after a casual survey of the room, he said to his sergeant: "We won't touch a thing, Maloney, till the coroner arrives. He'll be here any minute, and he'll give the order for the undertaker, You can call up headquarters so the newrp^por hoys get the s tory " Whlli ?he sergeant went to the to]e. phone to carry out these orders, Capt. Clinton turned to look at Howard, who had collapsed, white and trembling, in? to n chair. . "What do you want with me?" cried Howard appoa'ingly. "I assure you I had nothing to do with this, fy wife's expecting me home. Can't T ?o?" "Shut, up!" thundered the cfcptrin. His arms folded, his eyes ?t^rnly fixed upon him, Capt. Clinton stood confronting the unfortunate youth, staring .it him without saying a word. The persistence of his stire made Howard aqullTi. It was decidedly un? pleasant. He did not mind the deten? tion no much as this man's overbear? ing, bullying manner. He knew he was irnoc?nt. therefore he had nothing to fear. But why was this police captain staring at him to? Whichever way ho sat. whichever way his eyes turned, he saw this bulldog-faced policeman . taring silently at him. Unknown to him, Capt. Clinton had already begun the dreaded police ordeal known as the "third degree." CHAPTER IX. FUteen minutes passed wi bout a word being spoken. There wai deep lllcnoi in the room. It was so aultt .hat once eouid have heard a pin drop (lad a disinterested spectator been .here to witness it, he would have beta at once impressed by the dra natic tableau presented?the dead -nan on the floor, his white shirt front mattered v.ith blood, the cringing, frightened hoy crouching in the chair, the towerins Rgure of the police cap ein sitting sternly eyeing his haplesi prisoner, and at the far end of the room Detective Sergeant .Maloney busy tending hurried messages through the telephone. ?What did you do it lor?" thundered the captain suddenly. Howard's tongue clove to his palate. He could scarcely articulate. He was Innocent, of course, but there was KMM thing in this man's manner which made him ftar that he might, after all, have had something to do with the tragedy. Yet he was positive that he was asleep on the bed all the time. The question is, would anybody believe him? He shook his head pathe tically. "I didn't do it. Really, I didn't." "Saut your mouth! You're lying, and you know you're lying. Walt till the coroner comes. We'll fix you." Again there was silence, and now be? gan a long, tedious wait, both men re? taining the same positions, the cap? tain watching his prisoner as a cat watches a mouse. Howard's mental anguish was al mot! unendurable. He thought of his poor wife who irtust be waiting up for him :.ll this time, wondering what had beco' ie of him. She would imagine the \ ortt, and there was no telling l h be might do. If only he could gel Word to her, Perhaps she would Dt aide to explain things. Then he :rhf of his lather. They had quar? reled, it was true, but after all it was his own flesh and blood. At such a critical situation as this, one forgets. Hit father OOUld hardly refuse to come to his assistance. He must get a lawyer, too, to protect his Interests. r'*os police captain had no right to de ?iln him like this. He must ge* word ro Annie without delay. Summoning up all his courage, he said boldh : '"You are detaining me here without warrant !n law. i know my rights, i the ken of one of the most in Hut nllal men In the city." "What's your name?" growled the captain. "Howard Jeffries/' Bon of Howard Jeffries, the bank' tr?" ! loward nodd< d. l es. Tb ? captain turned to his sergeant. ". Hot v. this feller says he's the -on oi (loward Jeffries, the banker." Maloney leaned over and whispered something in the captain's ear. The OS plain smiled gi imly. "So you're a bad character, eh? Fa? ther turned you out of doors, eh? Where's that girl you ran away with?" Sh.tr ply he added: "You see I know your record." "I've done nothing I'm ashamed of." replied Howard calmly. "I married the girl, she's waiting my return now. Won't you please I it me send her a nessage?" The captain eyed Howard BUS* plclously for a moment, then be turned to his sergeant: "Maloney, telephone this man's wife. What's the Dumber?" "Kighty-slx Morning. Ide." Maloney again got busy with the telephone and the wearying wait be* gan once more The ( lock soon struck two For a whole hour he had been subjected to this gruelling prOCeSB, and still the lyni-eyed captain . sat there watching his quarry. if Capt, Clinton had begun to bare taj doubts when Howard told him who ins father was. Maloneya Infor? mation Imim dinti ly put him at his Sase, If was all eh r to hint now. The youth had never been any good. His own father bad kicked him out. He wai In desperate financial straits. II*' bad come to litis man's rooms to make a demand for mom y. Under? wood had refused and there was a quam I snd he shot him. There was 1 ibly a dl i? ite over the woman. Bei nfl, *yeS, lie reHn'eniberdTl now. Tula girl he married was formerly a sweet? heart of Underwood's. Jealousy was behind it as well, besides, wasn't he caught led handed, with blood on his hands, trying to escape from the apartment? Oh, they had him dead to rights, all right. Any magistrate WOUid hold him on sueff evidence. "It s the Tombs for him, all right, all rigiit," muttered the captain to himself; "and maybe promotion for nie." Buddenlj there was a commotion at the door The coroner entered, followed by the undertaker. The two m< n advanced quickly into the room, and took a look at the body. Alter oklcg a hasty examination, the cor? oner turned to Capt. Clinton. "Weil, captain, I guess he's dead, ail right" "Yes, and we've got our man, too." The coroner turned to look at the prisoner. "Caught him red-handed, eh? Who is he?" Howard was about to blurt out a re? ply, when the captain thundered: "Silence!" To the coroner, the captain ex? plained: "He's the scapegrace son of How? ard Jeffries, the banker. No good? bad egg. His father turned him out ot doors. There is no question about his guilt. Look at his hands. We caught him trying to get away." The coroner rose. He believed in doing things promptly. "I congratulate you, captain. Quick work like this 01 to do your repu? tation good. The community owes, a debt to the officers of the law if they succeed in apprehending criminals quickly. You've been getting some pretty hard kr.c ? lately, but l guess yoe. grow your t jsiustas." The captain grinned broadlyl "i gm ss 1 do. Don't we, Maloney?" "Ye^, cap.," laid Maloney, quietly. The coroner turned to go. "Well, there's nothing more for me lo do here. '1 he man is dead. Let jUGtlce take its course." Addressing undertaker, he said: "You can remove the bony." The men set about the work lm . diately. Carrying the corpse into Hie Inner room, they commenced t?e work of laying it out. "I suppose," said the coroner, "that you'll take your prisom r immediately to the station house, and before the magistrate to mo; row morning?" "Not just yet," grinned the captain. "I want to put a few questions to him first." The coroner smiled. "You're gring to put him through the third degree,' eh? Every ones heard of your star-chamber ordeals. Are they really so dreadful?" "Nonsense!" laughed the captain. "We wouldn't harm a baby, would we, Maloney?" The sergeant quickly indorsed his chief's opinion. "No. cap." Turning to go, the coroner said: "Well, good-night, captain." "Goodnight, Mr. Coroner." Howard listened to all this like one transfixed. They sec mod to be talk? ing about him. Tin y were discussing some frightful ordeal of which he was to be a victim. What was this 'third degree' they were talking about? Now he remembered. He had heard of in? nocent men being bullied, maltreated, deprived of food and sleep for days, in order to force them to led what the police were anxious to find out. He had heard of secret assaults, of midnight clubbings, of prisoners being choked and brutally kicked by a gang of rutlianly policemen, in order to force them into Borne da. ng ad? mission. A chill ran dow: ' spine as he realized his utter In i. \ . m ss. If he could only get word to n yer. Just as the coroner was disop; ring through the door, he darted p . ,ard and laid a hand on his arm. "Mr. Coroner, won't you llctcil to me?'' he ex< laimed. The coroner startled, drew bl !:. "I cannot Interfere," he said coldly. "Mr. Underwood was a ftieud of mine," explained Howard. "I came here to borrow money. I fell asleep on that sola. When 1 wol. p he was dead. 1 was frightened. ) iried to g< t away. That's the trut'j, so nelp me Hod!" The coroner looked at him sternly and mad*' no reply. No one could ever reproach him with sympathising with criminals. Waving his hand at Capt Clinton, he Bald: "Good-night, ca? tain." "Goodnight, M Coroner." The door Blammod and Capt elm ton, witi a twist of his powerful aim, | yanked nil prisoner back Into his seat. Howard prot< st< d. "You've got no right to treat me like this. You exceed your pow< ra. 1 demand to be taken before a magis? trate at once." i h ? captain grinned, and pointed to the clock. "Say. young feller, see what time it is? Two-thirty u. m. Our good mag 1st rates are all comfy In their virtu? ous beds. We'll have to wait till morning." "Hut what's the good of sitting here in this death house?" protested How ard "Take me to the station if 1 must go. It's intolerable to sit any longer here." The captain beckoned to Maloney, "Not so fast, young man Hefore we go to the station we want to ask you a few questions, Don't we, Ma loneyT* The sergeant came over, and the captain whispered something In bis ear Howard Bhivered Suddenly turning to bis prisoner, the captain : boated in i!e s?eru tone of com? mand '? "Got tii)'" Howard did as he was ordered. He felt he must. There v. as no resist tig that pow< 11 ill bruto'f. uH;orl i - r>< ? ?!- ? 'o the ? ?' ? ? e GEORGE H. HURST, UNDERTAKER AND EMBALMER 124 N MAIN STREET Day Phone 539 :: :: :: Night Phone 201 LIME, CEMENT, ^J^^w TTav Cirnin Mow. sinn stuff. Bran. axay , vji am. Mixed low and Chicktn Feed. Horses, Mules, ISa"^8' h**?? TS No Order Too Usrjce Or Too Sinnli. Booth-Harby Live Stock Co. SUMTEK, SOUTH CAROLINA. We approve of the Rock Hill plan. Use LESS fer? tilizers. Plant less cot? ton and get MORE mon? ey for it. The Farmers' Bank and Trusft Co. r Undertakers and Embalmers, and Private Ambulance \X U - V > I vi \\ h> IT AM> COLORED Ix;11 or 251? Day or Night prompt Service J. D. Craig Furniture Company 8, 10, 12 West Liberty Street. Little Banks. If you feel anyways timid about bringing small sums of money to the bank, we tan 1?>;.n you a little safe. This safe may he kept at home where you ran drop in small amounts from i time to time. When y<?u have accumulated a goodly sum you I can bring all to the hank. Call at the hank ; :id inquire about the matter. SAVINGS DEPARTMENT THE BANK OF SUMTER. SUMTER, S. C. Why hot bank your own money ? If you fail to bank your own money another will do so for you. Have thought of it in this way ? THE PEOPLES' BANK Froeft Proof Cabbage Plants. We grow only guaranteed plan tu. true i?? name, recommended by all wti?> hare used tbcm. Our price* an ** id lows: 1.000 lo plant? al $1.25 per thousand:5.000to?.0H?hi $I.M p i maud; 10.000to 15,000 certs per its n nand. A Kent s wauled In ever j 1 ? >v v ritu u >i bonklei on cull ure, etc. V art* etics: I AKI Y Jfc-RSKY, known by nil as the i L pointed In I: CHARLES? I ON WAKFFIKI.D one type, er em ?< ' SUCCESSION, largest and earliest of all Hat varieties; M \l i>l I t II. oui large, (let. tale cabnego and a leader. We guarantee full count Inererj box. eafo delttery lo v our ex press office, and satisfaction or monei refunded. I'lanta shipped when , ? (i i i ? i ? o .... ,i i ?.t tKxpretw Money Order or I'.-t Orth p ..- in?) <m ? r. The Carr-( arlton Co., :< I vc & tts, S. C.