MURDER IN THE PROCESSION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22892, 22 November 1937, Page 16

MURDER IN THE PROCESSION

By LESLIE CARGILL Author of Mystery of an Omnibus."

C'H A PTEII V(Contin tied) The Assistant Commissioner had no answer. He could hardly say that nobody had thought the news pictures worthy of note until attention had been drawn to them as a casual incident. Being an everyday sort of tiling they had been taken for granted. Yet quite a number of police officers must have attended cinemas and seen the screening of the essential sequences.

" i got a suggestion," Mr. Schmidt went 011 hurriedly as if afraid his time would be wasted by the question being taken up. " Get a peek at the rushes." " Eli ?"

" The whole works! Our men take miles of film. Only the best bits are used. I'll give you a chit for the cutting room. Get 'em to make a print of anything you want. How about a projector? We've a thirty-five millimetre portable you can have at headquarters. Good! It'll be there before you get back. Keep the operator as long as needed. He's paid on a long hours basis."

The visitors were hustled out courteously though expeditiously to find the cutting room a much more restful place. Here they were promised copies of all the scenes taken in the vicinity of Trafalgar Square, especially those showing Sir Vincent Parminister. " A most satisfactory afternoon," Captain Caythers summed tip. " It has given me another brain wave. We'll gather up films from all the agencies represented. There are sure to be variations and, who knows, it may lead

to something worth while following up."

" What about thanking me for setting you on the right road?" asked Major Mosson quizzically. " Of course I do. You've been a real help more than once and I'm jolly glad you emerged from that stuffy office of yours to do a spot of genuine police work."

" And I'm delighted to discover you don't know all the strings worth pulling." " We're only human, old man, but we don't miss much in the long run." Schmidt had been as good as his word. The portable sound apparatus had actually arrived before them and hurriedly printed copies of the films turned up 'in time to permit an inspection that evening. Only then did tiiey remember that in the excitement they had omitted to inquire about the march not being " Colonel Bogey." Fortunately the operator sent from the studios was able to enlighten them. " As there are only a limited number of vans equipped with recording apparatus,*' he explained, " most of the shots are taken silent and fitted with appropriate sound sequences afterwards — 'dubbing,' as it is called. There isn't any sound track on these films so you can take it for granted they were printed from the original negative all imsynchronised." The next stage was to get similar help from the other newsreel concerns represented at the procession. Some of them were from abroad, which necessitated waiting. With the British coiiir panies it was much simpler.

And hero a stroke of luck eventuated An officer who had gone to the Imperial Studios to ask for their co-operation returned with the announcement that a girl in the cutting room had some information to give. As it appeared to be of interest she had been invited to come along and tell it directly to the higher officials.

Phyllis Hulme had the rare combination of good looks and brains. Captain CJaythers liked the way she carried herself. She remained perfectly self-pos-sessed without adding any suggestion of pertness. Apparently she had thought of bringing her discovery to notice a few.days previously, but was doubtful if others would appreciate her point of view. In the course of her work it was necessary to examine thousands of feet of exposed film, much of which never appeared before the public. Included among the procession sequences was a remarkable view of the assassination of General Parminster, whicli had been regarded as too grim to be included in the ordinary newsreel. With her trained eye and expert knowledge of film technique it appeared that the police might be considerably helped in their investigations if they inspected it carefullv.

At this point the Assistant Commissioner became slightly disappointed. He hail expected something more obviously valuable —perhaps even a glimpse of the murderer taking aim, or slinking away from the scene of the crime. Phyllis Hulme shook her head when he suggested something of the kind. " I'm afraid you don't fully grasp my meaning," she said. " I could explain better if you would see the picture, which I've brought along with me in case you have the necessary projector. If not it can be seen in our private theatre." " We've got all the stuff here, Miss Hulme. But please remember we have already seen scenes of the actual tragedy. Presumably yours are similar."

In this he was mistaken. This was soon apparent when the flickering figures appeared on the screen. It was odd to watch the silent movement of tiie people, who went their way to the accompaniment of only tlm steadily whirring machine. " Cold, I'm sorry to say," the girl remarked. "Oh. probably you don't know that that means without synchronised sound. No recording apparatus was present at the time, only the photographic cameras. Now watch." At the beginning of the reel the scene was shown from an angle in which the procession was seen approaching. Then it switched over to the backs of the figures. " Now that's a very odd shot," went on the young expert. " Naturally there isn't a great deal of interest to be got by taking like that. , Observe how the cameraman has lociissed directly on flic General, picking him out for special attention. Notice, too, the short distance the crowd seems to be awav. That's because a telephoto lens has been used. It causes foreshortening." " Certainly there doesn't seem any particular reason for concentrating so long on that particular view," agreed Cavthers.

" No, unless you like to think it was in anticipation of something unusual happening. And hero it is." This time the small audience had a fresh, and singularly horrible, sight of the murder, almost like a close up. They were able to see the actual moment of impact when the muscles of the victim's hack tensed uncontrollably. Then it was over. No attention paid to the last gallant desperate attempt of the soldier to carry on. Instead a quickly swinging panoramic •movement to an entirely different section ot the procession. " Now," exclaimed Phyllis Hulme triumphantly, "do you m>c what I mean ?"

The lights had been switched on in the temporary theatre, but Captain Caytbers shouted for them to be turned off again and another run through began immediately. " I'll tell you what 1 think later," lie said non-conimittaily. Time after time the gruesome act was repeated, until Major Mosson

(COPYRIGHT)

STORY OF A GREAT REVENGE AND A SACRIFICE

found his eyes beginning to ache and even when the screen was clear he could visualise every single detail in correct order.

Evidently the Assistant Commissioner had also decided that everything possible had been extracted from the film, for he rose from his seat and led the wav back to his office. " First of all we'll hear what Miss Hiilme has to comment on this," he suggested. "Only this," she answered. "Whoever took that sequence was expecting .something queer." " Anything else?"

" N-no." " Don't be afraid. We shan't regard any theories as foolish. At the back of your mind you have an idea. What is it y" "Something too far fetched to bother about." " Let's have it for all that."

" Very well! Doesn't it occur to you that the cameraman could have been the murderer if only he had been working with a gun instead of with a lens?" . " Exactly what I had been thinking-" " But, of course, it couldn't be done. Two hands are needed for taking pictures. The man who got those scenes was being kept pretty busy. However, I can't tell you anything about that. If you want to go into those details Dick Cartwright should be able to assist." " Who's he?" " Chief cameraman of imperial Films."

" t see. Did he happen to be responsible for this little effort?" "Oh, no! Oh, no, certainly not!" " Friend of yours, I take it?" Her eyes opened widely. " I didn't sav so," she murmured. '" Not directly. But you were quick to rise to his defence. If he didn't take them, who did?" "That happens to be something I can't tell you."

" Come, young lady, this is a very serious business and you will do well to answer all questions to the best of vour ability."

" But J don't know," she said, surprisingly. Captain Caythers was momentarily taken aback, ignorant of the procedure of topical film work, he imagined that the girl would be familiar with all the details of photographs passing through her bands.

" All our own operators are mobilised for a big occasion," she explained carefully, " and more than that, we have a working arrangement with other concerns not immediately in competition." " How does that come about?" " Like this. Some of the foreign newsreels agree to pool their exposed stock with ours so that we can all make up the best possible record of the event. I believe there was a German, a French and a Swedish company working in with us. That is also something Mr. Cartwright will know more about."

" Good! To-morrow we'll have a chat with him." " Wliv not to-day?"

" You're a very sudden young lady. This is rather an inconvenient time of the dav, surely?"

She smiled. " Newsreel men are always on duty. If he isn't at the studios they'll know where to find him." At her further suggestion the Assistant Commissioner rang np Imperial Films, to learn that the cameraman was on the premises at that moment. Agreeing that there was no time like the present Caythers and Mosson accompanied their sprightly guide, who insisted on remaining at hand in case her further assistance was desired.

Dick Cartwright was just cramming a spare tin of film into his case when thev arrived at the studios.

" Sorry to be dashing off," he exclaimed. " Just assigned to a big blaze in Po])lar." " These gentleman are from Scotland Yard. You know what they want to talk about?" " Yes. Sorry again, and all that, but vou know the news comes first. Fire might he out if 1 waited. I'll tell you what —they can cram into the car and ride down with me if they like."

" May T come, too?" " Not if I know it. You stay here. There ought to be some developing to do before long. Besides, Terry's driving." " That doesn't scare me," she retorted.

It certainly did Major Mosson, who sat in front on that reckless dash Kast-endwards. By virtue of his official position he was accustomed to setting a good example in the observation of all the legal rules and coded recommendations.

Once he made a mild protest against the infringement of the thirty-mile limit. A gruff " Huh " was the onl.y response from the man at the wheel, who appeared to accelerate if anything. That he was exceptionally skilled was evident.

" After all I do happen to be a police officer," Mosson remojistrated_ as they sneaked across changing crossing lights in doubtful right of way. h'orget it," was the reply.

The advice wasn't easy to accept when life and limb seemed to be endangered. He tried to hear somethi/ig of the conversation going on in the rear seats between Captain Caythers and Dick Cartwright, but the other noises made that impossible. in an incredibly short time, considering the route through populous urban districts, they arrived at the scene of the lire. As they alighted a trim form detached itself from the throng and came forward. "Phyllis," gasped Cartwright. "What on earth are you doing here?" " Mason brought me," she answered. " You people have been a long time coming." " That lunatic, eh! Didn't I tell you to wait behind for my rushes?" " Oh, don't bother about them. Mason will take me back and the films as well." " I'm too busy to tell you what 1 think about you' at the moment, but just wait." He was getting ready his camera as he spoke and a moment later it was in action. Before long he had somehow or other got to the roof of a neighbouring building, where the flickering flames lit up his sharply silhouetted figure cranking away with calm efficiency.

" Wants pluck, this job," Caythers commented.

" Dick's got plenty of that," Phyllis said sturdily.

Within ten minutes Cartwright was back, thrusting a tin box containing an exposed spool into her hands. " Sharp's the word," he snapped. " Mason'll soon get me to the studios."

" Oh 110 he won't. You're going with Tcrrv."

She smiled demurely. " 'But 1 understood you to say 1 couldn t make the trip because of hini." Dick pushed her into the waiting ear and slammed the door. " Be off," ho veiled to make himself heard above the crackling of burning woodwork, the incessant chatter of the onlookers and the hoarse orders of the firemen. " You know," he said, turning to the two Scotland Yard men, " I love that girl, only she doesn't know it. Wait while 1 iet off another couple of hundred feet and we'll get back." ■T'> hr rnntinupfi <lail.V^