Part 5 (1/2)
”Everyone remain in his place until after the police have arrived,” he ordered.
The office boy, who had gone to summon a policeman, now returned with the bluecoat. The latter examined the dead man an instant, then, following the usual custom, summoned an ambulance and notified the coroner.
”Looks like a suicide,” he declared over the telephone.
The ambulance was the first to arrive and the young surgeon, after listening vainly for a promising flutter of the heart, officially p.r.o.nounced the merchant dead. When the coroner arrived, he was a.s.sured that nothing in the private office had been disturbed, after which he proceeded with his investigation.
Almost the first object which he noticed was a s.h.i.+ny revolver lying on the desk, about an inch from the dead man's fingers. As he lifted the weapon, he observed that the merchant had been shot in the side, and, turning toward the policeman, said:
”A plain case of suicide.”
More as a matter of form, rather than with any hope of discovering anything of value, the coroner opened the revolver, and, as he did so, an exclamation of surprise escaped his lips. His eyes fixed themselves on the loaded chambers of the barrel in a puzzled stare until he was convinced that his senses were not deceiving him.
The revolver was fully loaded. It had never been fired.
Switching on the electric lights, the coroner examined the clothing of the victim. There were no powder marks where the bullet had entered.
”Officer, this is murder!” he exclaimed excitedly. ”Notify the detective bureau. And don't permit anyone to leave this building.”
CHAPTER V
While awaiting the arrival of the Headquarters men, the coroner busied himself with a preliminary examination of the clerks. The coroner was a small, fussy individual, smooth-shaven, with reddish-brown hair brushed back in pompadour fas.h.i.+on. Because of his small stature and insignificant appearance he was compelled to adopt a brisk air of command, lest witnesses presume to trifle with his authority.
”Gentlemen, I am Coroner Hart,” he announced, stepping into the outer office and addressing the a.s.sembled clerks. ”I shall immediately begin a preliminary inquest and you will all regard yourselves summoned as witnesses. The policeman will permit no one to leave the room without my permission.”
The clerks, unfamiliar with the legal proceedings attached to a homicide case, exchanged puzzled glances. In the presence of their beloved dead, this man's unsympathetic att.i.tude seemed almost a profanation. The policeman, in pa.s.sing through the office on his way to the door, had let drop the remark that murder had been committed, yet none of the employes could bring himself to believe that an alien hand had fired the mortal bullet. No visitor had entered Whitmore's office; none of the clerks had been within. Who could have done it?
The coroner called one of the clerks who had sat within a dozen feet of the door all morning.
”Did you see anyone enter the office?” he asked.
”No, sir,” the clerk replied.
”Could anyone have entered without pa.s.sing you or without your noticing him?”
”Absolutely not.”
”Did you hear the shot fired?”
”I didn't hear a sound after Mr. Whitmore entered the office.”
”And your hearing--is it good?”
”Perfect.”
After putting the same questions to half a dozen other clerks and obtaining similar answers, Coroner Hart decided to save time by addressing himself to the employes in general.
”If anyone saw any person enter that office this morning or heard a shot, let him come forward,” he called.