Nick Carter and The Crime of the French Cafe, Pt 5

Transcript

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Hi, everyone.

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Welcome back to another episode of forward into the past.

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I'm your host and narrator JC Rede And today we'll be finishing up the last two chapters in the first Nick Carter mystery for our podcast, the crime of the French cafe, which was written way back in 1893 for the weekly story paper, the New York weekly.

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Nick Carter was conceived and fleshed out in 1886.

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That's seven years before our story was published and a full year before the first Sherlock Holmes story was published in the UK.

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At that time in the late 18 hundreds, about 15 years after the United States civil war.

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The us was in the beginnings of the second industrial revolution.

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One of the main byproducts of the technology created during this time were faster printing presses, which led to several competing publishing houses being born.

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In 1855, francis street and Francis Smith purchased a small floundering weekly paper called the New York weekly dispatch.

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By retooling the weekly as a story paper and simply calling it the New York weekly.

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They hit upon a gold mine.

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Street and Smith employed editors that were very hands-on with their story writers, dictating plots character type and storylines to those writers.

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The stories were often credited to a house pseudonym.

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Usually employing about three writers at a time for each pseudonym.

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But more often than not, several writers helped each other out with additional plot lines, characters and story arcs that fit within the guidelines of the editors.

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Nick Carter as mentioned in several other podcasts.

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And my blog was one of street and Smith's earliest hit characters resulting in Nick having his own weekly magazine, which lasted until 1915, when street and Smith ceased publication of that magazine.

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Figuring that the era of detective stories had run its course.

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That did not.

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Happen.

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In October of the same year, 1915 street and Smith released detective story magazine.

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Which was a collection of different stories in each edition.

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Instead of focusing on just one character like they did for Nick Carter.

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The magazine, which was what was known as a thick book in the common language.

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Was very popular.

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So much so that the Nick Carter character was revived in 1924, but he only lasted three additional years in detective story magazine.

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Overshadowed by then, by other stories, Nick was at this point a Relic from the past.

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In 1930.

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To boost the sales of detective story magazine street and Smith decided to adapt several of the stories featured in the magazine into radio dramas.

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It was decided that the radio show would be narrated by an unknown person who was given the name of the shadow.

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His very famous tagline was who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men.

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The shadow knows.

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The radio drama was a hit and soon readers wanted to know where they could buy the shadow stories.

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The shadow.

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Very quickly became his own leading character and developed a mass following street.

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And Smith also began rapidly to develop other characters to capitalize on the popularity of the radio program.

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Creating another very popular character by the name of doc Savage, who was given Nick Carter's backstory almost completely, although with a few minor updates for the 1930s.

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Nick Carter was again, revived by street and Smith in 1933.

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Due largely to the success of the shadow and doc Savage.

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But since doc Savage was now essentially the original Nick Carter character, the 1930s, Nick Carter was recast as a hard-boiled detective in the style of the upcoming film nor movies of the 1940s.

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This version of Nick Carter only lasted until 1936.

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Nick eventually was given his own radio program in 1943.

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Although again, he was cast as a hard-boiled detective.

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So although our hero did survive many changes, I feel he could and probably should have been as big a literary figure as Sherlock Holmes.

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Or at the very least more well-known.

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I'll let you be the judge.

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As we conclude our first Nick Carter story, the crime of the French cafe.

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When we left the story last time.

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Nick had confronted Gaspard, the headwaiter at the French cafe where the murder of a still unknown woman had taken place moments before this.

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However, two trunks containing the remains of the missing waiter.

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Corbett had been delivered to Gaspard's flat.

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Nick and his assistant Patsy had traced the trunks to a boarding house on 57th where the cab man Harrigan had said a French lady had instructed him to take them to Gaspard's.

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After some keen investigating, Nick had seemingly solved the case and called for Patsy to round up all the suspects at the police station.

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While revealing pieces of the puzzle to the group.

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And beginning to point the finger of blame on Mr.

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Jones, Mr.

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Hammond, exclaimed loudly that not only is Jones innocent of the crime, but that he Hammond committed the crime itself.

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Is Hammond telling the truth.

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Is Jones completely innocent.

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And who was the woman murdered at the cafe?

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Join us for the exciting conclusion of Nick Carter and the crime of the French cafe.

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Chapter nine Hammonds story.

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The effect of the statement can hardly be exaggerated.

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It shook the very foundation of the case against the prisoner.

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If Gaspard's identification could be disproved, it seemed almost sure that Jones was saved.

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Even though it could be shown beyond a doubt that Corbett had been murdered in a flat, which was rented by Jones.

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That would not prove that Jones had done it.

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The murderer was evidently the man who had written in the cab with Corbett and Harrigan, the only witness.

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I had failed to recognize Jones as that man.

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The suspicion must instantly arise that a plot had been carefully laid with the purpose of putting the crime upon Jones.

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Some enemy had signed his name on the register.

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And the same cruel wretch had decoyed Corbett to the vacant flat and murdered him there.

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It was easy to suppose that the criminal knew the flat to be empty and had obtained a key.

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It might've been by the secret enemies connivance that the trunks were removed and sent to Gaspard.

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But if Hammond was the wretch who had done all this, why had he confessed?

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All these and many other thoughts must have rushed through the mind of the superintendent in the pause, which followed Hammons declaration.

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Burns looked at Nick for an explanation.

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This is an extraordinary statement, Mr.

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Hammond.

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said Nick.

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Have you any evidence to support it?

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I have ample evidence.

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I was seen in the company of the woman, now dead, not 50 yards from the restaurant on the night when she met her death.

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I can call one of the most prominent and respected men in this city to prove that.

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The Reverend Eliot Sanford is the man.

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This name produced a great impression.

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Why has he kept silence?

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Ask Nick.

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He promised me that he would do so as long as his conscience would permit.

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I called upon him on the morning after the crime.

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He believed me when I asserted my innocence.

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He agreed to be silent for the sake of my family.

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But who is the dead woman?

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Ask Nick.

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I have not the least idea.

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You did not know her.

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No.

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Uh, let me tell the full story.

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It was a chance acquaintance.

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I met her on the street that afternoon.

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I was walking behind her on 20th street.

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You know what wonderful hair she had.

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I was admiring it.

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Suddenly I saw her drop a little purse.

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I picked it up and handed it to her.

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And somehow we fell into conversation.

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Her manner mystified me.

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Sometimes she seemed to be laboring under some secret grief, which nearly drove her to tears.

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In another moment.

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She would be apparently as merry as a school girl.

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She showed no reserve whatsoever, but something in a manner warned me that she was a lady.

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And I did not presume upon her confidence.

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We walked together a long while.

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And at last we found ourselves near that restaurant.

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How we came there.

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I do not know.

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I paid no attention where we were going.

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I was too much fascinated by my companion.

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Suddenly she said.

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It is late and I am hungry.

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Let us go to dinner.

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I thought it a strange thing to say, but I was glad enough to comply.

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We went into that restaurant because it was right before this.

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I signed the fist name that came into my head.

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And then Colbert showed us into the private dining room.

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I ordered a dinner.

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But before it was served, I began to be a good deal.

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Surprised that my companions behavior.

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She paced up and down the room and every now and then she listened at the door, which was between us and room a.

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I have all a woman's curiosity.

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She said, I'd like to hear what those people are saying over there at dinner.

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I tried to make us sit down and playfully took hold of her.

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Then I made a discovery, which frightened me.

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The woman had a pistol in her pocket.

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Suddenly she turned upon me and exclaimed.

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Oh, what shall we do after dinner?

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I'll tell you what I'd like.

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I want to go to the theater.

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Let's see something real funny.

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Yes.

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I must go.

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You run out now and get the tickets.

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There's a place just down the street where they're sold.

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You can get back before your theater is cold.

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Of course, it was perfectly plain that she was trying to get rid of me.

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Well, I had no objection that pistol had scared me badly.

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I didn't want to be mixed up in a scandal.

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So I took my hat and cleared out.

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But once on the street, my courage came back and also my curiosity, I wanted to know more of the strange woman.

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I bought the theater tickets and hurried back.

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I opened the door to room B.

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You know what I saw, she sat there dead with the pistol by her side.

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She had committed suicide.

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I rushed out with the intention of calling for help, but fear overcame me, I looked around into the hall.

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This man Gaspard was at the desk.

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I dared not summon him.

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I turned and ran.

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Hammond ceased and a sigh ran around the room.

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Nick could read relief in all of the faces.

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The mystery was solved.

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The innocent man was no longer to suffer under unjust suspicion.

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That was what could be seen in the faces.

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Hammon's words had the ring of truth.

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Neither the superintendent, nor Nick, nor any other person there doubted a single statement of his story.

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When Gaspard identified me as the man in Room A, Hammond continued.

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I thought I saw chance to save Mr.

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Jones very easily.

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And so I told a falsehood.

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It was a foolish thing to do.

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Sit Nick.

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The truth is always the best.

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If we had known at the outset, what we know now, mr.

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Jones, might've been sped.

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A great deal of trouble.

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Since the woman committed suicide.

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Hold on, cried the superintendent.

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How do you account for the murder of Corbut.

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He must've found the body and robbed it.

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Probably he took some money and a diamond ring.

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There was the mark of a ring on her finger, but the ring was gone.

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Colbert fled with these things.

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He engaged Harrigan's cab.

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He was decoyed to that flat by some woman, probably who knew that nobody was in it.

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And was there murdered.

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Of course.

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Uh, neither Mr.

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Nor Mrs.

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Jones had anything to do with it.

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Now.

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If Mr.

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Jones would only explain how he happened to be at that restaurant, the case would be clear.

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We know positively that he was there.

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A great light of hope had shown in Jones's face while Hammond was telling a story.

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And when Nick added his explanation of Corbett's death, The prisoner nearly laughed for joy.

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It's true.

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I was there.

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He said my wife and I dined in room a and fool exclaim the woman in a terrible voice.

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Don't you see that this is a

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trap.

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In her wild excitement.

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She covered Jones's mouth with her hand to prevent his speaking further.

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Hmm, that is true.

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said Nick.

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It was a trap and the wretch has fallen into it.

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Jones, you have put the halter around your neck.

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No.

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It is a lie exclaim Jones, freeing himself from the woman's grasp.

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I tell you that I was in room a, the crime, if there was a crime was committed in room B.

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No, it wasn't said Nick.

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It was committed in room a.

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Chapter 10, the true story of Mrs.

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John Jones.

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Jones fell back into his chair.

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The woman bit her lip till the blood spurted out.

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Then suddenly the color left her face.

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She sat up staring straight before her.

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And she did not move during the explanation which Nick gave.

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While he was speaking, the detective watched her narrowly.

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Certainly she was meditating.

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Some remarkable action.

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He wondered what it could be.

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Yes said Nick turning to the superintendent.

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We have at last straightened out the matter of those two rooms and their occupants.

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As to the spot where the crime was committed I have not been in doubt from the first.

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You will remember that the fatal wound was visible on both the woman's temples.

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The bullet passed entirely through her head.

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But where was the bullet?

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That was the question, which I asked myself at once.

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I could not find it in room B where the body lay.

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Then I tried room a with no better success.

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At this point.

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Chick took up the hunt and carried it to the end.

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The bullet.

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Was in neither room.

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It was just between them.

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You remember that there was a door, which I found fastened upon both sides.

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Chick opened that door and in its framework, the wood of which was old and soft, he found the bullet.

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The mark was covered when the door was shut.

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Therefore the door must have been open when the shot was fired.

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The position of the bullet shows that the shot was fired from room a.

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Then the woman for some reason had got into that room.

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She had unlocked the door on her side.

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And had managed to induce the persons on the other side to slip their bolt.

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Now, why did she do this?

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Of course, there is only one answer.

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Jealousy was her motive, the man and room A, was her husband.

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I have satisfied myself of that.

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She must have known that he was going to dine in that house with another woman.

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It is clear that she made the acquaintance of Hammond because she was determined to get into that restaurant.

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And women are not admitted alone.

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The dropping of the purse was of course a very simple trick.

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She had noticed Hammond behind her.

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And as he was evidently a gentlemen.

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She decided to use him for her purpose.

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You have heard how she led him into the restaurant?

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Of course, it was only by chance that they got the room next to that in which her husband was.

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Hammond has told how she listened to the voices and how she got rid of him.

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What followed can be easily understood.

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She got into roommate.

00:17:00.011 --> 00:17:05.281
She drew her pistol and attempted to shoot either her faithless husband or his companion.

00:17:06.001 --> 00:17:09.392
Jones disarmed her and shot her with her own pistol.

00:17:09.842 --> 00:17:14.041
Then he carried her into room B and put her in that chair.

00:17:14.821 --> 00:17:19.291
At that moment, Colbert entered for the door of room B was not locked.

00:17:19.951 --> 00:17:22.561
In some way, they bribed him to keep silence.

00:17:23.041 --> 00:17:27.152
They sent him into room a where he locked the connecting door on that side.

00:17:27.932 --> 00:17:31.231
Jones fastened it on the side of room B and fled.

00:17:31.771 --> 00:17:35.402
It was then that Gaspard saw him coming out of room B.

00:17:35.852 --> 00:17:38.461
And that's what mixed the case so badly.

00:17:39.092 --> 00:17:41.761
It gave us the wrong arrangement of men in those rooms.

00:17:42.122 --> 00:17:45.571
That was the only reason why I ever doubted Jones's guilt.

00:17:46.051 --> 00:17:51.811
I was convinced that the man who'd brought the woman into the house was not the man who had shot her.

00:17:52.711 --> 00:17:53.882
You did not know Mr.

00:17:53.882 --> 00:18:01.531
Hammond, that when you told me in my house that you were the man in room A, that you practically confessed to being the murderer.

00:18:02.051 --> 00:18:05.382
At these words, hammond gave a dry and painful gasp.

00:18:05.951 --> 00:18:08.201
He saw what an escape he had had.

00:18:09.912 --> 00:18:10.991
As to the two women.

00:18:11.372 --> 00:18:12.011
Nick continued.

00:18:12.491 --> 00:18:14.261
It is easy to read the secret.

00:18:14.981 --> 00:18:22.152
Jones had two wives, the real wife now dead lived in the flat, the address of which Jones gave me.

00:18:22.842 --> 00:18:27.372
This woman lived in the 58th street flat where Colbert was murdered.

00:18:28.092 --> 00:18:30.342
Jones divided his time between them.

00:18:30.971 --> 00:18:33.942
He really loved this one and wished to be rid of the other.

00:18:34.731 --> 00:18:40.211
His true wife surprised his secret at last and it led her to her death.

00:18:40.991 --> 00:18:46.511
That night after the murder, the plan was formed by which this woman was to personate the other.

00:18:47.041 --> 00:18:53.491
The striking similarity in the hair, which was the most conspicuous beauty of each suggested the plot.

00:18:54.332 --> 00:18:57.001
Perhaps Jones had thought of such a thing long before.

00:18:57.541 --> 00:19:04.201
That may have led him to keep his real wife practically unknown in this city while he was frequently seen with this woman.

00:19:05.162 --> 00:19:06.241
As to the dresses.

00:19:06.541 --> 00:19:16.501
This woman who is a very clever dressmaker, as I am told doubtless had time to copy the other's costume in the night and the day following the crime.

00:19:16.892 --> 00:19:20.551
She did most of the work in Albany where she went as soon as possible.

00:19:20.942 --> 00:19:23.102
Then wearing the duplicate dress.

00:19:23.221 --> 00:19:27.271
She went to her friends in Maysville and afterward came here.

00:19:28.291 --> 00:19:29.281
Is it all plain now?

00:19:30.692 --> 00:19:32.192
It's as clear as a bell, Mr.

00:19:32.192 --> 00:19:33.932
Carter said the superintendent.

00:19:35.011 --> 00:19:35.642
Wait.

00:19:35.991 --> 00:19:37.112
a, moment.

00:19:37.491 --> 00:19:38.781
It was the woman's voice.

00:19:39.352 --> 00:19:42.231
She spoke calmly and look straight into Nick's face.

00:19:42.761 --> 00:19:45.221
You have made one grave error.

00:19:45.491 --> 00:19:48.821
She said, It was not John who killed that woman.

00:19:49.511 --> 00:19:50.501
It was, I.

00:19:51.102 --> 00:19:54.551
She tried to shoot him and I wrenched the pistol from her hand.

00:19:54.912 --> 00:19:55.961
I shot her dead.

00:19:56.261 --> 00:19:58.092
The plot was all mine.

00:19:58.301 --> 00:19:59.951
It was I who bribed Corbett.

00:20:00.102 --> 00:20:01.781
It was I who killed him.

00:20:02.172 --> 00:20:03.761
John brought him to our flat.

00:20:04.271 --> 00:20:05.741
I sent my husband away.

00:20:06.041 --> 00:20:09.402
And when he returned a few minutes later, Corbett was dead.

00:20:10.061 --> 00:20:13.001
John had no guilty hand in either crime.

00:20:13.632 --> 00:20:15.672
He fainted at the sight of Corbett's body.

00:20:16.392 --> 00:20:19.991
When he came to himself, the body was no longer to be seen.

00:20:20.412 --> 00:20:21.882
I had put it in the trunks.

00:20:22.061 --> 00:20:25.362
It was I who afterward sent them to Gaspard.

00:20:25.902 --> 00:20:26.741
These crimes.

00:20:26.801 --> 00:20:28.872
I committed for love of this man.

00:20:29.382 --> 00:20:31.541
I had been his wife for five years.

00:20:31.811 --> 00:20:35.682
And for three of them, I did not know he had another.

00:20:36.221 --> 00:20:40.422
And when I found out I did not do as this woman did.

00:20:40.842 --> 00:20:42.461
I simply loved him more.

00:20:42.912 --> 00:20:43.991
I love him still.

00:20:44.172 --> 00:20:47.112
And because I love him, I tell the truth to save him.

00:20:47.561 --> 00:20:49.721
Yes more because I love him.

00:20:50.021 --> 00:20:51.642
I will shed more blood.

00:20:52.092 --> 00:20:55.362
He shall not see me imprisoned or condemned to death.

00:20:55.781 --> 00:20:57.971
I will spare him up that pain.

00:20:59.442 --> 00:21:03.402
As she spoke, she drew a little ornamental dagger from her dress.

00:21:04.001 --> 00:21:05.231
It was a mere toy.

00:21:05.771 --> 00:21:08.261
Nobody would have supposed it to be a deadly weapon.

00:21:08.892 --> 00:21:12.821
However, Nick sprang forward to prevent her from doing herself an injury.

00:21:13.571 --> 00:21:14.592
He was too late.

00:21:14.892 --> 00:21:16.902
She plunged the dagger into her brain.

00:21:17.172 --> 00:21:26.721
So firm and true was her hand that the slender blade pierced the thin bone of her right temple and was driven in until the hilt made an impression on her white skin.

00:21:26.991 --> 00:21:28.751
like a seal upon wax.

00:21:29.352 --> 00:21:32.261
Jones uttered a scream of horror at the site.

00:21:32.622 --> 00:21:34.872
He too had attempted to stay her hand.

00:21:35.652 --> 00:21:37.092
But he had been too slow.

00:21:37.582 --> 00:21:42.862
As she fell, he plucked the dagger from the wound and attempted to drive it into his own brain.

00:21:43.311 --> 00:21:46.942
But Nick caught his arm and wrested the bloodstained weapon from him.

00:21:47.501 --> 00:21:50.142
Deprived, thus have the means for ending his life.

00:21:50.501 --> 00:21:55.061
Joan's fell upon his knees before the woman and covered her hands with kisses.

00:21:55.511 --> 00:21:59.561
Nor could he be taken away until the hands were chilled by death?

00:22:00.402 --> 00:22:03.491
And that was the strange end of the affair.

00:22:04.211 --> 00:22:05.291
The woman's confession.

00:22:05.561 --> 00:22:07.332
Though it may not have been true.

00:22:07.541 --> 00:22:09.761
Will doubtless save Jones's life.

00:22:10.781 --> 00:22:18.461
At the time of this writing the district attorney is of the opinion that a plea of murder in the second degree had better be accepted.

00:22:19.031 --> 00:22:22.152
There is no indication that the prisoner will fight the case.

00:22:22.781 --> 00:22:25.961
So Joan's will spend his days in prison.

00:22:26.412 --> 00:22:28.182
Though he will escape the death chair.

00:22:28.182 --> 00:22:32.031
A word should be added about the witness Gaspard.

00:22:32.622 --> 00:22:37.571
He has been cleared of all reproach and has sailed for France with his bride.

00:22:40.571 --> 00:22:46.422
Well gang, I hope you enjoyed my performance of the Nick Carter mystery, the crime of the French cafe.

00:22:47.471 --> 00:22:51.701
I got to tell ya, I had a blast doing it and I can't wait to do more.

00:22:52.211 --> 00:22:59.142
The next story on tap is taken from the same project Gutenberg ebook, the crime of the French cafe and other stories.

00:23:00.041 --> 00:23:01.271
The story is entitled.

00:23:01.451 --> 00:23:03.162
Nick Carter's ghost story.

00:23:03.521 --> 00:23:06.432
And it looks to be as enticing as this last one.

00:23:07.092 --> 00:23:13.662
As with our first story, it is 10 chapters long, and I will be reading two chapters at a time in each podcast.

00:23:15.402 --> 00:23:18.672
Hey, if you enjoyed the podcast, please tell your friends.

00:23:18.701 --> 00:23:21.251
I have plenty of shareable links on my website.

00:23:21.882 --> 00:23:25.152
If you didn't enjoy the podcast, please tell me.

00:23:25.602 --> 00:23:29.592
Send me a message on my website or on the podcast Facebook page.

00:23:29.951 --> 00:23:42.882
And if you'd like to hear more stories, why not consider supporting me by following the links to my, buy me a coffee page and signing up for a monthly or yearly subscription, or just send me a tip.

00:23:44.082 --> 00:23:46.721
Thanks again, folks you'll be hearing from me soon.

00:23:47.261 --> 00:23:48.281
Thanks for listening.

00:23:48.372 --> 00:23:51.672
Keep sharing the stories and be a good human.

00:23:52.392 --> 00:23:53.051
Bye for

00:23:53.051 --> 00:23:53.501
now.