June 27, 2022 • 25 mins
In this episode, we listen to the final two chapters of the 1883 Nick Carter mystery: The Crime of the French Cafe. Join us as the mystery is solved, but... whodunit??
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Hi, everyone.
Welcome back to another episodeof forward into the past.
JC (00:05):
I'm your host and narrator JC Rede And today we'll be
finishing up the last twochapters in the first Nick
Carter mystery for our podcast,the crime of the French cafe,
which was written way back in1893 for the weekly story paper,
the New York weekly.
Nick Carter was conceived andfleshed out in 1886.
(00:28):
That's seven years before ourstory was published and a full
year before the first SherlockHolmes story was published in
the UK.
At that time in the late 18hundreds, about 15 years after
the United States civil war.
The us was in the beginnings ofthe second industrial
revolution.
(00:49):
One of the main byproducts ofthe technology created during
this time were faster printingpresses, which led to several
competing publishing housesbeing born.
In 1855, francis street andFrancis Smith purchased a small
floundering weekly paper calledthe New York weekly dispatch.
(01:10):
By retooling the weekly as astory paper and simply calling
it the New York weekly.
They hit upon a gold mine.
Street and Smith employededitors that were very hands-on
with their story writers,dictating plots character type
and storylines to those writers.
The stories were often creditedto a house pseudonym.
(01:33):
Usually employing about threewriters at a time for each
pseudonym.
But more often than not, severalwriters helped each other out
with additional plot lines,characters and story arcs that
fit within the guidelines of theeditors.
Nick Carter as mentioned inseveral other podcasts.
And my blog was one of streetand Smith's earliest hit
(01:55):
characters resulting in Nickhaving his own weekly magazine,
which lasted until 1915, whenstreet and Smith ceased
publication of that magazine.
Figuring that the era ofdetective stories had run its
course.
That did not.
Happen.
In October of the same year,1915 street and Smith released
(02:19):
detective story magazine.
Which was a collection ofdifferent stories in each
edition.
Instead of focusing on just onecharacter like they did for Nick
Carter.
The magazine, which was what wasknown as a thick book in the
common language.
Was very popular.
So much so that the Nick Cartercharacter was revived in 1924,
(02:40):
but he only lasted threeadditional years in detective
story magazine.
Overshadowed by then, by otherstories, Nick was at this point
a Relic from the past.
In 1930.
To boost the sales of detectivestory magazine street and Smith
decided to adapt several of thestories featured in the magazine
(03:01):
into radio dramas.
It was decided that the radioshow would be narrated by an
unknown person who was given thename of the shadow.
His very famous tagline was whoknows what evil lurks in the
hearts of men.
The shadow knows.
The radio drama was a hit andsoon readers wanted to know
(03:25):
where they could buy the shadowstories.
The shadow.
Very quickly became his ownleading character and developed
a mass following street.
And Smith also began rapidly todevelop other characters to
capitalize on the popularity ofthe radio program.
Creating another very popularcharacter by the name of doc
(03:45):
Savage, who was given NickCarter's backstory almost
completely, although with a fewminor updates for the 1930s.
Nick Carter was again, revivedby street and Smith in 1933.
Due largely to the success ofthe shadow and doc Savage.
But since doc Savage was nowessentially the original Nick
(04:08):
Carter character, the 1930s,Nick Carter was recast as a
hard-boiled detective in thestyle of the upcoming film nor
movies of the 1940s.
This version of Nick Carter onlylasted until 1936.
Nick eventually was given hisown radio program in 1943.
(04:29):
Although again, he was cast as ahard-boiled detective.
So although our hero did survivemany changes, I feel he could
and probably should have been asbig a literary figure as
Sherlock Holmes.
Or at the very least morewell-known.
I'll let you be the judge.
As we conclude our first NickCarter story, the crime of the
(04:53):
French cafe.
When we left the story lasttime.
Nick had confronted Gaspard, theheadwaiter at the French cafe
where the murder of a stillunknown woman had taken place
moments before this.
However, two trunks containingthe remains of the missing
waiter.
Corbett had been delivered toGaspard's flat.
(05:14):
Nick and his assistant Patsy hadtraced the trunks to a boarding
house on 57th where the cab manHarrigan had said a French lady
had instructed him to take themto Gaspard's.
After some keen investigating,Nick had seemingly solved the
case and called for Patsy toround up all the suspects at the
police station.
(05:36):
While revealing pieces of thepuzzle to the group.
And beginning to point thefinger of blame on Mr.
Jones, Mr.
Hammond, exclaimed loudly thatnot only is Jones innocent of
the crime, but that he Hammondcommitted the crime itself.
Is Hammond telling the truth.
Is Jones completely innocent.
And who was the woman murderedat the cafe?
(05:59):
Join us for the excitingconclusion of Nick Carter and
the crime of the French cafe.
Chapter nine Hammonds story.
The effect of the statement canhardly be exaggerated.
It shook the very foundation ofthe case against the prisoner.
If Gaspard's identificationcould be disproved, it seemed
(06:22):
almost sure that Jones wassaved.
Even though it could be shownbeyond a doubt that Corbett had
been murdered in a flat, whichwas rented by Jones.
That would not prove that Joneshad done it.
The murderer was evidently theman who had written in the cab
with Corbett and Harrigan, theonly witness.
(06:43):
I had failed to recognize Jonesas that man.
The suspicion must instantlyarise that a plot had been
carefully laid with the purposeof putting the crime upon Jones.
Some enemy had signed his nameon the register.
And the same cruel wretch haddecoyed Corbett to the vacant
(07:04):
flat and murdered him there.
It was easy to suppose that thecriminal knew the flat to be
empty and had obtained a key.
It might've been by the secretenemies connivance that the
trunks were removed and sent toGaspard.
But if Hammond was the wretchwho had done all this, why had
he confessed?
(07:25):
All these and many otherthoughts must have rushed
through the mind of thesuperintendent in the pause,
which followed Hammonsdeclaration.
Burns looked at Nick for anexplanation.
This is an extraordinarystatement, Mr.
Hammond.
said Nick.
Have you any evidence to supportit?
I have ample evidence.
I was seen in the company of thewoman, now dead, not 50 yards
(07:49):
from the restaurant on the nightwhen she met her death.
I can call one of the mostprominent and respected men in
this city to prove that.
The Reverend Eliot Sanford isthe man.
This name produced a greatimpression.
Why has he kept silence?
Ask Nick.
He promised me that he would doso as long as his conscience
(08:10):
would permit.
I called upon him on the morningafter the crime.
He believed me when I assertedmy innocence.
He agreed to be silent for thesake of my family.
But who is the dead woman?
Ask Nick.
I have not the least idea.
You did not know her.
(08:30):
No.
Uh, let me tell the full story.
It was a chance acquaintance.
I met her on the street thatafternoon.
I was walking behind her on 20thstreet.
You know what wonderful hair shehad.
I was admiring it.
Suddenly I saw her drop a littlepurse.
I picked it up and handed it toher.
(08:51):
And somehow we fell intoconversation.
Her manner mystified me.
Sometimes she seemed to belaboring under some secret
grief, which nearly drove her totears.
In another moment.
She would be apparently as merryas a school girl.
She showed no reservewhatsoever, but something in a
(09:11):
manner warned me that she was alady.
And I did not presume upon herconfidence.
We walked together a long while.
And at last we found ourselvesnear that restaurant.
How we came there.
I do not know.
I paid no attention where wewere going.
I was too much fascinated by mycompanion.
(09:32):
Suddenly she said.
It is late and I am hungry.
Let us go to dinner.
I thought it a strange thing tosay, but I was glad enough to
comply.
We went into that restaurantbecause it was right before
this.
I signed the fist name that cameinto my head.
And then Colbert showed us intothe private dining room.
(09:54):
I ordered a dinner.
But before it was served, Ibegan to be a good deal.
Surprised that my companionsbehavior.
She paced up and down the roomand every now and then she
listened at the door, which wasbetween us and room a.
I have all a woman's curiosity.
She said, I'd like to hear whatthose people are saying over
(10:15):
there at dinner.
I tried to make us sit down andplayfully took hold of her.
Then I made a discovery, whichfrightened me.
The woman had a pistol in herpocket.
Suddenly she turned upon me andexclaimed.
Oh, what shall we do afterdinner?
I'll tell you what I'd like.
I want to go to the theater.
(10:35):
Let's see something real funny.
Yes.
I must go.
You run out now and get thetickets.
There's a place just down thestreet where they're sold.
You can get back before yourtheater is cold.
Of course, it was perfectlyplain that she was trying to get
rid of me.
Well, I had no objection thatpistol had scared me badly.
(10:56):
I didn't want to be mixed up ina scandal.
So I took my hat and clearedout.
But once on the street, mycourage came back and also my
curiosity, I wanted to know moreof the strange woman.
I bought the theater tickets andhurried back.
I opened the door to room B.
You know what I saw, she satthere dead with the pistol by
(11:20):
her side.
She had committed suicide.
I rushed out with the intentionof calling for help, but fear
overcame me, I looked aroundinto the hall.
This man Gaspard was at thedesk.
I dared not summon him.
I turned and ran.
Hammond ceased and a sigh ranaround the room.
(11:42):
Nick could read relief in all ofthe faces.
The mystery was solved.
The innocent man was no longerto suffer under unjust
suspicion.
That was what could be seen inthe faces.
Hammon's words had the ring oftruth.
Neither the superintendent, norNick, nor any other person there
doubted a single statement ofhis story.
(12:04):
When Gaspard identified me asthe man in Room A, Hammond
continued.
I thought I saw chance to saveMr.
Jones very easily.
And so I told a falsehood.
It was a foolish thing to do.
Sit Nick.
The truth is always the best.
If we had known at the outset,what we know now, mr.
(12:24):
Jones, might've been sped.
A great deal of trouble.
Since the woman committedsuicide.
Hold on, cried thesuperintendent.
How do you account for themurder of Corbut.
He must've found the body androbbed it.
Probably he took some money anda diamond ring.
There was the mark of a ring onher finger, but the ring was
gone.
Colbert fled with these things.
(12:46):
He engaged Harrigan's cab.
He was decoyed to that flat bysome woman, probably who knew
that nobody was in it.
And was there murdered.
Of course.
Uh, neither Mr.
Nor Mrs.
Jones had anything to do withit.
Now.
If Mr.
Jones would only explain how hehappened to be at that
restaurant, the case would beclear.
(13:08):
We know positively that he wasthere.
A great light of hope had shownin Jones's face while Hammond
was telling a story.
And when Nick added hisexplanation of Corbett's death,
The prisoner nearly laughed forjoy.
It's true.
I was there.
He said my wife and I dined inroom a and fool exclaim the
(13:30):
woman in a terrible voice.
Don't you see that this is a
silence (13:32):
trap.
JC (13:33):
In her wild excitement.
She covered Jones's mouth withher hand to prevent his speaking
further.
Hmm, that is true.
said Nick.
It was a trap and the wretch hasfallen into it.
Jones, you have put the halteraround your neck.
No.
It is a lie exclaim Jones,freeing himself from the woman's
grasp.
I tell you that I was in room a,the crime, if there was a crime
(13:58):
was committed in room B.
No, it wasn't said Nick.
It was committed in room a.
Chapter 10, the true story ofMrs.
John Jones.
Jones fell back into his chair.
The woman bit her lip till theblood spurted out.
(14:20):
Then suddenly the color left herface.
She sat up staring straightbefore her.
And she did not move during theexplanation which Nick gave.
While he was speaking, thedetective watched her narrowly.
Certainly she was meditating.
Some remarkable action.
He wondered what it could be.
Yes said Nick turning to thesuperintendent.
(14:43):
We have at last straightened outthe matter of those two rooms
and their occupants.
As to the spot where the crimewas committed I have not been in
doubt from the first.
You will remember that the fatalwound was visible on both the
woman's temples.
The bullet passed entirelythrough her head.
(15:03):
But where was the bullet?
That was the question, which Iasked myself at once.
I could not find it in room Bwhere the body lay.
Then I tried room a with nobetter success.
At this point.
Chick took up the hunt andcarried it to the end.
The bullet.
Was in neither room.
(15:24):
It was just between them.
You remember that there was adoor, which I found fastened
upon both sides.
Chick opened that door and inits framework, the wood of which
was old and soft, he found thebullet.
The mark was covered when thedoor was shut.
Therefore the door must havebeen open when the shot was
(15:45):
fired.
The position of the bullet showsthat the shot was fired from
room a.
Then the woman for some reasonhad got into that room.
She had unlocked the door on herside.
And had managed to induce thepersons on the other side to
slip their bolt.
Now, why did she do this?
Of course, there is only oneanswer.
(16:08):
Jealousy was her motive, the manand room A, was her husband.
I have satisfied myself of that.
She must have known that he wasgoing to dine in that house with
another woman.
It is clear that she made theacquaintance of Hammond because
she was determined to get intothat restaurant.
And women are not admittedalone.
(16:30):
The dropping of the purse was ofcourse a very simple trick.
She had noticed Hammond behindher.
And as he was evidently agentlemen.
She decided to use him for herpurpose.
You have heard how she led himinto the restaurant?
Of course, it was only by chancethat they got the room next to
that in which her husband was.
(16:50):
Hammond has told how shelistened to the voices and how
she got rid of him.
What followed can be easilyunderstood.
She got into roommate.
She drew her pistol andattempted to shoot either her
faithless husband or hiscompanion.
Jones disarmed her and shot herwith her own pistol.
Then he carried her into room Band put her in that chair.
(17:14):
At that moment, Colbert enteredfor the door of room B was not
locked.
In some way, they bribed him tokeep silence.
They sent him into room a wherehe locked the connecting door on
that side.
Jones fastened it on the side ofroom B and fled.
It was then that Gaspard saw himcoming out of room B.
(17:35):
And that's what mixed the caseso badly.
It gave us the wrong arrangementof men in those rooms.
That was the only reason why Iever doubted Jones's guilt.
I was convinced that the manwho'd brought the woman into the
house was not the man who hadshot her.
You did not know Mr.
Hammond, that when you told mein my house that you were the
(17:57):
man in room A, that youpractically confessed to being
the murderer.
At these words, hammond gave adry and painful gasp.
He saw what an escape he hadhad.
As to the two women.
Nick continued.
It is easy to read the secret.
Jones had two wives, the realwife now dead lived in the flat,
(18:20):
the address of which Jones gaveme.
This woman lived in the 58thstreet flat where Colbert was
murdered.
Jones divided his time betweenthem.
He really loved this one andwished to be rid of the other.
His true wife surprised hissecret at last and it led her to
her death.
(18:40):
That night after the murder, theplan was formed by which this
woman was to personate theother.
The striking similarity in thehair, which was the most
conspicuous beauty of eachsuggested the plot.
Perhaps Jones had thought ofsuch a thing long before.
That may have led him to keephis real wife practically
unknown in this city while hewas frequently seen with this
(19:03):
woman.
As to the dresses.
This woman who is a very cleverdressmaker, as I am told
doubtless had time to copy theother's costume in the night and
the day following the crime.
She did most of the work inAlbany where she went as soon as
possible.
Then wearing the duplicatedress.
She went to her friends inMaysville and afterward came
(19:26):
here.
Is it all plain now?
It's as clear as a bell, Mr.
Carter said the superintendent.
Wait.
a, moment.
It was the woman's voice.
She spoke calmly and lookstraight into Nick's face.
You have made one grave error.
She said, It was not John whokilled that woman.
(19:49):
It was, I.
She tried to shoot him and Iwrenched the pistol from her
hand.
I shot her dead.
The plot was all mine.
It was I who bribed Corbett.
It was I who killed him.
John brought him to our flat.
I sent my husband away.
And when he returned a fewminutes later, Corbett was dead.
(20:10):
John had no guilty hand ineither crime.
He fainted at the sight ofCorbett's body.
When he came to himself, thebody was no longer to be seen.
I had put it in the trunks.
It was I who afterward sent themto Gaspard.
These crimes.
I committed for love of thisman.
I had been his wife for fiveyears.
(20:31):
And for three of them, I did notknow he had another.
And when I found out I did notdo as this woman did.
I simply loved him more.
I love him still.
And because I love him, I tellthe truth to save him.
Yes more because I love him.
I will shed more blood.
(20:52):
He shall not see me imprisonedor condemned to death.
I will spare him up that pain.
As she spoke, she drew a littleornamental dagger from her
dress.
It was a mere toy.
Nobody would have supposed it tobe a deadly weapon.
However, Nick sprang forward toprevent her from doing herself
(21:12):
an injury.
He was too late.
She plunged the dagger into herbrain.
So firm and true was her handthat the slender blade pierced
the thin bone of her righttemple and was driven in until
the hilt made an impression onher white skin.
like a seal upon wax.
Jones uttered a scream of horrorat the site.
(21:32):
He too had attempted to stay herhand.
But he had been too slow.
As she fell, he plucked thedagger from the wound and
attempted to drive it into hisown brain.
But Nick caught his arm andwrested the bloodstained weapon
from him.
Deprived, thus have the meansfor ending his life.
Joan's fell upon his kneesbefore the woman and covered her
(21:54):
hands with kisses.
Nor could he be taken away untilthe hands were chilled by death?
And that was the strange end ofthe affair.
The woman's confession.
Though it may not have beentrue.
Will doubtless save Jones'slife.
At the time of this writing thedistrict attorney is of the
opinion that a plea of murder inthe second degree had better be
(22:17):
accepted.
There is no indication that theprisoner will fight the case.
So Joan's will spend his days inprison.
Though he will escape the deathchair.
A word should be added about thewitness Gaspard.
He has been cleared of allreproach and has sailed for
France with his bride.
(22:40):
Well gang, I hope you enjoyed myperformance of the Nick Carter
mystery, the crime of the Frenchcafe.
I got to tell ya, I had a blastdoing it and I can't wait to do
more.
The next story on tap is takenfrom the same project Gutenberg
ebook, the crime of the Frenchcafe and other stories.
The story is entitled.
(23:01):
Nick Carter's ghost story.
And it looks to be as enticingas this last one.
As with our first story, it is10 chapters long, and I will be
reading two chapters at a timein each podcast.
Hey, if you enjoyed the podcast,please tell your friends.
I have plenty of shareable linkson my website.
(23:21):
If you didn't enjoy the podcast,please tell me.
Send me a message on my websiteor on the podcast Facebook page.
And if you'd like to hear morestories, why not consider
supporting me by following thelinks to my, buy me a coffee
page and signing up for amonthly or yearly subscription,
or just send me a tip.
(23:44):
Thanks again, folks you'll behearing from me soon.
Thanks for listening.
Keep sharing the stories and bea good human.
Bye for
silence (23:53):
now.
Hi, everyone.
Welcome back to another episodeof forward into the past.
JC (00:05):
I'm your host and narrator JC Rede And today we'll be
finishing up the last twochapters in the first Nick
Carter mystery for our podcast,the crime of the French cafe,
which was written way back in1893 for the weekly story paper,
the New York weekly.
Nick Carter was conceived andfleshed out in 1886.
(00:28):
That's seven years before ourstory was published and a full
year before the first SherlockHolmes story was published in
the UK.
At that time in the late 18hundreds, about 15 years after
the United States civil war.
The us was in the beginnings ofthe second industrial
revolution.
(00:49):
One of the main byproducts ofthe technology created during
this time were faster printingpresses, which led to several
competing publishing housesbeing born.
In 1855, francis street andFrancis Smith purchased a small
floundering weekly paper calledthe New York weekly dispatch.
(01:10):
By retooling the weekly as astory paper and simply calling
it the New York weekly.
They hit upon a gold mine.
Street and Smith employededitors that were very hands-on
with their story writers,dictating plots character type
and storylines to those writers.
The stories were often creditedto a house pseudonym.
(01:33):
Usually employing about threewriters at a time for each
pseudonym.
But more often than not, severalwriters helped each other out
with additional plot lines,characters and story arcs that
fit within the guidelines of theeditors.
Nick Carter as mentioned inseveral other podcasts.
And my blog was one of streetand Smith's earliest hit
(01:55):
characters resulting in Nickhaving his own weekly magazine,
which lasted until 1915, whenstreet and Smith ceased
publication of that magazine.
Figuring that the era ofdetective stories had run its
course.
That did not.
Happen.
In October of the same year,1915 street and Smith released
(02:19):
detective story magazine.
Which was a collection ofdifferent stories in each
edition.
Instead of focusing on just onecharacter like they did for Nick
Carter.
The magazine, which was what wasknown as a thick book in the
common language.
Was very popular.
So much so that the Nick Cartercharacter was revived in 1924,
(02:40):
but he only lasted threeadditional years in detective
story magazine.
Overshadowed by then, by otherstories, Nick was at this point
a Relic from the past.
In 1930.
To boost the sales of detectivestory magazine street and Smith
decided to adapt several of thestories featured in the magazine
(03:01):
into radio dramas.
It was decided that the radioshow would be narrated by an
unknown person who was given thename of the shadow.
His very famous tagline was whoknows what evil lurks in the
hearts of men.
The shadow knows.
The radio drama was a hit andsoon readers wanted to know
(03:25):
where they could buy the shadowstories.
The shadow.
Very quickly became his ownleading character and developed
a mass following street.
And Smith also began rapidly todevelop other characters to
capitalize on the popularity ofthe radio program.
Creating another very popularcharacter by the name of doc
(03:45):
Savage, who was given NickCarter's backstory almost
completely, although with a fewminor updates for the 1930s.
Nick Carter was again, revivedby street and Smith in 1933.
Due largely to the success ofthe shadow and doc Savage.
But since doc Savage was nowessentially the original Nick
(04:08):
Carter character, the 1930s,Nick Carter was recast as a
hard-boiled detective in thestyle of the upcoming film nor
movies of the 1940s.
This version of Nick Carter onlylasted until 1936.
Nick eventually was given hisown radio program in 1943.
(04:29):
Although again, he was cast as ahard-boiled detective.
So although our hero did survivemany changes, I feel he could
and probably should have been asbig a literary figure as
Sherlock Holmes.
Or at the very least morewell-known.
I'll let you be the judge.
As we conclude our first NickCarter story, the crime of the
(04:53):
French cafe.
When we left the story lasttime.
Nick had confronted Gaspard, theheadwaiter at the French cafe
where the murder of a stillunknown woman had taken place
moments before this.
However, two trunks containingthe remains of the missing
waiter.
Corbett had been delivered toGaspard's flat.
(05:14):
Nick and his assistant Patsy hadtraced the trunks to a boarding
house on 57th where the cab manHarrigan had said a French lady
had instructed him to take themto Gaspard's.
After some keen investigating,Nick had seemingly solved the
case and called for Patsy toround up all the suspects at the
police station.
(05:36):
While revealing pieces of thepuzzle to the group.
And beginning to point thefinger of blame on Mr.
Jones, Mr.
Hammond, exclaimed loudly thatnot only is Jones innocent of
the crime, but that he Hammondcommitted the crime itself.
Is Hammond telling the truth.
Is Jones completely innocent.
And who was the woman murderedat the cafe?
(05:59):
Join us for the excitingconclusion of Nick Carter and
the crime of the French cafe.
Chapter nine Hammonds story.
The effect of the statement canhardly be exaggerated.
It shook the very foundation ofthe case against the prisoner.
If Gaspard's identificationcould be disproved, it seemed
(06:22):
almost sure that Jones wassaved.
Even though it could be shownbeyond a doubt that Corbett had
been murdered in a flat, whichwas rented by Jones.
That would not prove that Joneshad done it.
The murderer was evidently theman who had written in the cab
with Corbett and Harrigan, theonly witness.
(06:43):
I had failed to recognize Jonesas that man.
The suspicion must instantlyarise that a plot had been
carefully laid with the purposeof putting the crime upon Jones.
Some enemy had signed his nameon the register.
And the same cruel wretch haddecoyed Corbett to the vacant
(07:04):
flat and murdered him there.
It was easy to suppose that thecriminal knew the flat to be
empty and had obtained a key.
It might've been by the secretenemies connivance that the
trunks were removed and sent toGaspard.
But if Hammond was the wretchwho had done all this, why had
he confessed?
(07:25):
All these and many otherthoughts must have rushed
through the mind of thesuperintendent in the pause,
which followed Hammonsdeclaration.
Burns looked at Nick for anexplanation.
This is an extraordinarystatement, Mr.
Hammond.
said Nick.
Have you any evidence to supportit?
I have ample evidence.
I was seen in the company of thewoman, now dead, not 50 yards
(07:49):
from the restaurant on the nightwhen she met her death.
I can call one of the mostprominent and respected men in
this city to prove that.
The Reverend Eliot Sanford isthe man.
This name produced a greatimpression.
Why has he kept silence?
Ask Nick.
He promised me that he would doso as long as his conscience
(08:10):
would permit.
I called upon him on the morningafter the crime.
He believed me when I assertedmy innocence.
He agreed to be silent for thesake of my family.
But who is the dead woman?
Ask Nick.
I have not the least idea.
You did not know her.
(08:30):
No.
Uh, let me tell the full story.
It was a chance acquaintance.
I met her on the street thatafternoon.
I was walking behind her on 20thstreet.
You know what wonderful hair shehad.
I was admiring it.
Suddenly I saw her drop a littlepurse.
I picked it up and handed it toher.
(08:51):
And somehow we fell intoconversation.
Her manner mystified me.
Sometimes she seemed to belaboring under some secret
grief, which nearly drove her totears.
In another moment.
She would be apparently as merryas a school girl.
She showed no reservewhatsoever, but something in a
(09:11):
manner warned me that she was alady.
And I did not presume upon herconfidence.
We walked together a long while.
And at last we found ourselvesnear that restaurant.
How we came there.
I do not know.
I paid no attention where wewere going.
I was too much fascinated by mycompanion.
(09:32):
Suddenly she said.
It is late and I am hungry.
Let us go to dinner.
I thought it a strange thing tosay, but I was glad enough to
comply.
We went into that restaurantbecause it was right before
this.
I signed the fist name that cameinto my head.
And then Colbert showed us intothe private dining room.
(09:54):
I ordered a dinner.
But before it was served, Ibegan to be a good deal.
Surprised that my companionsbehavior.
She paced up and down the roomand every now and then she
listened at the door, which wasbetween us and room a.
I have all a woman's curiosity.
She said, I'd like to hear whatthose people are saying over
(10:15):
there at dinner.
I tried to make us sit down andplayfully took hold of her.
Then I made a discovery, whichfrightened me.
The woman had a pistol in herpocket.
Suddenly she turned upon me andexclaimed.
Oh, what shall we do afterdinner?
I'll tell you what I'd like.
I want to go to the theater.
(10:35):
Let's see something real funny.
Yes.
I must go.
You run out now and get thetickets.
There's a place just down thestreet where they're sold.
You can get back before yourtheater is cold.
Of course, it was perfectlyplain that she was trying to get
rid of me.
Well, I had no objection thatpistol had scared me badly.
(10:56):
I didn't want to be mixed up ina scandal.
So I took my hat and clearedout.
But once on the street, mycourage came back and also my
curiosity, I wanted to know moreof the strange woman.
I bought the theater tickets andhurried back.
I opened the door to room B.
You know what I saw, she satthere dead with the pistol by
(11:20):
her side.
She had committed suicide.
I rushed out with the intentionof calling for help, but fear
overcame me, I looked aroundinto the hall.
This man Gaspard was at thedesk.
I dared not summon him.
I turned and ran.
Hammond ceased and a sigh ranaround the room.
(11:42):
Nick could read relief in all ofthe faces.
The mystery was solved.
The innocent man was no longerto suffer under unjust
suspicion.
That was what could be seen inthe faces.
Hammon's words had the ring oftruth.
Neither the superintendent, norNick, nor any other person there
doubted a single statement ofhis story.
(12:04):
When Gaspard identified me asthe man in Room A, Hammond
continued.
I thought I saw chance to saveMr.
Jones very easily.
And so I told a falsehood.
It was a foolish thing to do.
Sit Nick.
The truth is always the best.
If we had known at the outset,what we know now, mr.
(12:24):
Jones, might've been sped.
A great deal of trouble.
Since the woman committedsuicide.
Hold on, cried thesuperintendent.
How do you account for themurder of Corbut.
He must've found the body androbbed it.
Probably he took some money anda diamond ring.
There was the mark of a ring onher finger, but the ring was
gone.
Colbert fled with these things.
(12:46):
He engaged Harrigan's cab.
He was decoyed to that flat bysome woman, probably who knew
that nobody was in it.
And was there murdered.
Of course.
Uh, neither Mr.
Nor Mrs.
Jones had anything to do withit.
Now.
If Mr.
Jones would only explain how hehappened to be at that
restaurant, the case would beclear.
(13:08):
We know positively that he wasthere.
A great light of hope had shownin Jones's face while Hammond
was telling a story.
And when Nick added hisexplanation of Corbett's death,
The prisoner nearly laughed forjoy.
It's true.
I was there.
He said my wife and I dined inroom a and fool exclaim the
(13:30):
woman in a terrible voice.
Don't you see that this is a
silence (13:32):
trap.
JC (13:33):
In her wild excitement.
She covered Jones's mouth withher hand to prevent his speaking
further.
Hmm, that is true.
said Nick.
It was a trap and the wretch hasfallen into it.
Jones, you have put the halteraround your neck.
No.
It is a lie exclaim Jones,freeing himself from the woman's
grasp.
I tell you that I was in room a,the crime, if there was a crime
(13:58):
was committed in room B.
No, it wasn't said Nick.
It was committed in room a.
Chapter 10, the true story ofMrs.
John Jones.
Jones fell back into his chair.
The woman bit her lip till theblood spurted out.
(14:20):
Then suddenly the color left herface.
She sat up staring straightbefore her.
And she did not move during theexplanation which Nick gave.
While he was speaking, thedetective watched her narrowly.
Certainly she was meditating.
Some remarkable action.
He wondered what it could be.
Yes said Nick turning to thesuperintendent.
(14:43):
We have at last straightened outthe matter of those two rooms
and their occupants.
As to the spot where the crimewas committed I have not been in
doubt from the first.
You will remember that the fatalwound was visible on both the
woman's temples.
The bullet passed entirelythrough her head.
(15:03):
But where was the bullet?
That was the question, which Iasked myself at once.
I could not find it in room Bwhere the body lay.
Then I tried room a with nobetter success.
At this point.
Chick took up the hunt andcarried it to the end.
The bullet.
Was in neither room.
(15:24):
It was just between them.
You remember that there was adoor, which I found fastened
upon both sides.
Chick opened that door and inits framework, the wood of which
was old and soft, he found thebullet.
The mark was covered when thedoor was shut.
Therefore the door must havebeen open when the shot was
(15:45):
fired.
The position of the bullet showsthat the shot was fired from
room a.
Then the woman for some reasonhad got into that room.
She had unlocked the door on herside.
And had managed to induce thepersons on the other side to
slip their bolt.
Now, why did she do this?
Of course, there is only oneanswer.
(16:08):
Jealousy was her motive, the manand room A, was her husband.
I have satisfied myself of that.
She must have known that he wasgoing to dine in that house with
another woman.
It is clear that she made theacquaintance of Hammond because
she was determined to get intothat restaurant.
And women are not admittedalone.
(16:30):
The dropping of the purse was ofcourse a very simple trick.
She had noticed Hammond behindher.
And as he was evidently agentlemen.
She decided to use him for herpurpose.
You have heard how she led himinto the restaurant?
Of course, it was only by chancethat they got the room next to
that in which her husband was.
(16:50):
Hammond has told how shelistened to the voices and how
she got rid of him.
What followed can be easilyunderstood.
She got into roommate.
She drew her pistol andattempted to shoot either her
faithless husband or hiscompanion.
Jones disarmed her and shot herwith her own pistol.
Then he carried her into room Band put her in that chair.
(17:14):
At that moment, Colbert enteredfor the door of room B was not
locked.
In some way, they bribed him tokeep silence.
They sent him into room a wherehe locked the connecting door on
that side.
Jones fastened it on the side ofroom B and fled.
It was then that Gaspard saw himcoming out of room B.
(17:35):
And that's what mixed the caseso badly.
It gave us the wrong arrangementof men in those rooms.
That was the only reason why Iever doubted Jones's guilt.
I was convinced that the manwho'd brought the woman into the
house was not the man who hadshot her.
You did not know Mr.
Hammond, that when you told mein my house that you were the
(17:57):
man in room A, that youpractically confessed to being
the murderer.
At these words, hammond gave adry and painful gasp.
He saw what an escape he hadhad.
As to the two women.
Nick continued.
It is easy to read the secret.
Jones had two wives, the realwife now dead lived in the flat,
(18:20):
the address of which Jones gaveme.
This woman lived in the 58thstreet flat where Colbert was
murdered.
Jones divided his time betweenthem.
He really loved this one andwished to be rid of the other.
His true wife surprised hissecret at last and it led her to
her death.
(18:40):
That night after the murder, theplan was formed by which this
woman was to personate theother.
The striking similarity in thehair, which was the most
conspicuous beauty of eachsuggested the plot.
Perhaps Jones had thought ofsuch a thing long before.
That may have led him to keephis real wife practically
unknown in this city while hewas frequently seen with this
(19:03):
woman.
As to the dresses.
This woman who is a very cleverdressmaker, as I am told
doubtless had time to copy theother's costume in the night and
the day following the crime.
She did most of the work inAlbany where she went as soon as
possible.
Then wearing the duplicatedress.
She went to her friends inMaysville and afterward came
(19:26):
here.
Is it all plain now?
It's as clear as a bell, Mr.
Carter said the superintendent.
Wait.
a, moment.
It was the woman's voice.
She spoke calmly and lookstraight into Nick's face.
You have made one grave error.
She said, It was not John whokilled that woman.
(19:49):
It was, I.
She tried to shoot him and Iwrenched the pistol from her
hand.
I shot her dead.
The plot was all mine.
It was I who bribed Corbett.
It was I who killed him.
John brought him to our flat.
I sent my husband away.
And when he returned a fewminutes later, Corbett was dead.
(20:10):
John had no guilty hand ineither crime.
He fainted at the sight ofCorbett's body.
When he came to himself, thebody was no longer to be seen.
I had put it in the trunks.
It was I who afterward sent themto Gaspard.
These crimes.
I committed for love of thisman.
I had been his wife for fiveyears.
(20:31):
And for three of them, I did notknow he had another.
And when I found out I did notdo as this woman did.
I simply loved him more.
I love him still.
And because I love him, I tellthe truth to save him.
Yes more because I love him.
I will shed more blood.
(20:52):
He shall not see me imprisonedor condemned to death.
I will spare him up that pain.
As she spoke, she drew a littleornamental dagger from her
dress.
It was a mere toy.
Nobody would have supposed it tobe a deadly weapon.
However, Nick sprang forward toprevent her from doing herself
(21:12):
an injury.
He was too late.
She plunged the dagger into herbrain.
So firm and true was her handthat the slender blade pierced
the thin bone of her righttemple and was driven in until
the hilt made an impression onher white skin.
like a seal upon wax.
Jones uttered a scream of horrorat the site.
(21:32):
He too had attempted to stay herhand.
But he had been too slow.
As she fell, he plucked thedagger from the wound and
attempted to drive it into hisown brain.
But Nick caught his arm andwrested the bloodstained weapon
from him.
Deprived, thus have the meansfor ending his life.
Joan's fell upon his kneesbefore the woman and covered her
(21:54):
hands with kisses.
Nor could he be taken away untilthe hands were chilled by death?
And that was the strange end ofthe affair.
The woman's confession.
Though it may not have beentrue.
Will doubtless save Jones'slife.
At the time of this writing thedistrict attorney is of the
opinion that a plea of murder inthe second degree had better be
(22:17):
accepted.
There is no indication that theprisoner will fight the case.
So Joan's will spend his days inprison.
Though he will escape the deathchair.
A word should be added about thewitness Gaspard.
He has been cleared of allreproach and has sailed for
France with his bride.
(22:40):
Well gang, I hope you enjoyed myperformance of the Nick Carter
mystery, the crime of the Frenchcafe.
I got to tell ya, I had a blastdoing it and I can't wait to do
more.
The next story on tap is takenfrom the same project Gutenberg
ebook, the crime of the Frenchcafe and other stories.
The story is entitled.
(23:01):
Nick Carter's ghost story.
And it looks to be as enticingas this last one.
As with our first story, it is10 chapters long, and I will be
reading two chapters at a timein each podcast.
Hey, if you enjoyed the podcast,please tell your friends.
I have plenty of shareable linkson my website.
(23:21):
If you didn't enjoy the podcast,please tell me.
Send me a message on my websiteor on the podcast Facebook page.
And if you'd like to hear morestories, why not consider
supporting me by following thelinks to my, buy me a coffee
page and signing up for amonthly or yearly subscription,
or just send me a tip.
(23:44):
Thanks again, folks you'll behearing from me soon.
Thanks for listening.
Keep sharing the stories and bea good human.
Bye for
silence (23:53):
now.
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