Boy's Cinema (1939-40)

Jivery Tuesday Tim lieadliiics tlmt actually flaniod across llio front imgti of tho " IJco ("larioii " iioxt inoriiiiiK wcro quite sensational : IIERKIMKirS DEATH UNEXPLAINED. BOY'S CINEMA MOW I Ik- iiiipirs are, liis acccsa (o those county liavo lourncil (he trulli "i!EE CLARION " DEMANDS INQUIRY. Was eccentric rccluso niurdoipil? Who was last person to see Tiul Ilerkimor alive? Samuel Q. Lawson, Fanesvillo's C"lii«'f of Police, was in liis office at the lop of Main Street, causing a chair to creak beneath his ■weight, when liis deputy brought him a coi)y of tho paper. Samuel's moon of a face crinkled at sight of the headlines, and ho adjusted his spectacles to read the smaller type. He had read half a paragraph when Dr. Tyler burst in upon him with another copy of the p;ipcr in his hand and Tucker Tyler, his son, close behind him. Tucker Tyler, Deputy County Prosecutor, was tall but extraordinarily like his father in ajipearance; lean-faced, spectacled, and generally unpleasant looking. He also had a nasty little moustache. "Have you read this?" stormed Dr. Tyler. "Just roadin' it." said the Chief of Police complacently. "'Morning, Tucker." "Did you see tho coroner's report on Herkimer that I tiled last night?" demanded the doctor. "Yes, there it is on your desk!" Saiiuiel Q. Lawson swung round in his swivel chair and peered over his spectacles at the report he had read sonic time before. "Oh, yes, yes; seems all right to me, doc," he nodded. "All right?" bellowed Dr. Tyler. "Great heavens. Sam, don't you understand?" "Father," ititerposed Tucker, "let mo handle this." He put his hands behind his back and adopted an ofBcial manner. "Father's report is now part of the county records, and the ' Bee-Clarion ' is inferring that Herkimer was murdered." "Oh, you know sintigged Sanniel. " Hut Sieve Lewis records. He could from (he report." "Truth?" Samuel |)i(kcd up the report. " Lot'.s see. Cause of death chronic alcoholism —angina pec—pec—pectoris. Ditl you make an autopsy, doc?" "No, I didn't," snapped Dr. Tyler. "I had no rea.son to. I've known JJerkitner for lliirty years—known him like a book. I told him ten years ago he had only six n>onlhs to live." Samuel grinned. But Tueker demanded thai Steve Lewis be arrested inwuediately. "Ami that young (|uack. Peter Sparks," added his father, wlio hated the idea of any sort of profossioiuil rivalry. "What in the world for?" inquired Sanmel. " Ji'or maligning and libelling a public oflicial," Tucker replied. "To wit, the coroner." "Yes," raged liis parent, who was tho coroner. "Steve for printing it and Sparks for putting him up to it." "Hold on—hold on. doc," protested Samuel. "Now you don't want to stir up no fuss about a silly newspaper story. I've got a lot of other things to do." "Other things can wait!" Dr. Tyler snatched a liaf from a peg and handed it to the reluctant Chief of Police, who raised him- self from his chair, put the hat on his head, and told his deputy to take care of head- quarters. The two Tylers did not accompany him to the offico of the "Bee-Clarion," however. On tho pavement the younger enjoined him to remember that the charge was one of malign- ing and libelling a public officiaK and the elder told him to see to it that Steve and Peter were in jail within fifteen minutes. "I know my job," said Samuel non- committally. "I'll see Steve, but nobody's going to take stock in that story." He was mistaken. His progress down the street was interrupted by numerous people who had taken stock in it. One of them wanted to know if he needed any deputies to help find the murderer. Obadiah Wickens buttonholed him to ask if he had made any arrpslti. Henry rturloii Htopped him near tho poKt, ofllce to M!iy : " You don't really believe Tajl was killed, do you ?" "'rtcnse tiie. Henry." Sariiiicl freed bin arm and hurried pa:ft oilier excited gossipers. It seemed (hat FancHvillc had como to life. "CLUES ! " STEVE was in (he ollice part of the print works, going through ()uite a collection of telegrams with Mary Lou, Howard, and Peter, when the CUifl of Police bustled in at the door, sent the litthr gate in the mahogany rail swinging, and advanced to the table. "Steve, I've got to talk to you," he boomed. "Look at these telegrams. Chief," said Steve, and he pushetl Samuel into a chair and displayed the flimsy sheets of paper. "Uiu'ted Press, A.s.sociated Press, Now York ' Times-Herald,' ' f'hicago Daily News '—all asking for more news about the Herkimer murder! We're going to make P'ancsville fattious I" Samuel, who liked Steve and was himself an opportunist, stared at the telegrams, pur.sed his lips, rai.sed his brows, and said: " How did you know I had Herkimer's deatli figgered as a clear case of murder?" Four dumbfounded young people gazed at one aiiolher. "Como oil. tell me—tell me!" insisted Samuel. "To tell you the truth," stammered Steve, "we—er—we saw the clues." "Yes, Chief, the clues," confirmed Howard mendaciously. "They practicallv .shrieked murder," said Peter. "We know you wouldn't have 'missed them," gushed IMary Lou. Samuel threw up his hands. "Boys." he confided in a sepulchral voice, "don't say anything to anv'one, but I ain't been out to tho farm yet." "You haven't?" Howard profes.sed to be shocked. "But I'm a-goin' right away, and you're comin' with me to help point out those clues." Steve said he would like to do so, but had to get the paper out. Samuet stood up. ' "Tucker wanted me to arrest you for Collins eyed the notes with avaricious eyes. " Well, gents, how about it ? " he drawled January 20tli, 1940.