In The Big City a man will disappear with the suddenness and completeness of the flame of a candle that is blown out.All the agencies of inquisition -- the hounds of the trail, the sleuths of the city's labyrinths, the closet detectives of theory and induction -- will be invoked to the search.Most often the man's face will be seen no more.
Sometimes he will reappear in Sheboygan or in the wilds of Terre Haute, calling himself one of the synonyms of "Smith," and without memory of events up to a certain time, including his grocer's bill.Sometimes it will be found, after dragging the rivers, and polling the restaurants to see if he may be waiting for a well-done sirloin, that he has moved next door.
This snuffing out of a human being like the erasure of a chalk man from a blackboard is one of the most impressive themes in dramaturgy.
The case of Mary Snyder, in point, should not be without interest.
A man of middle age, of the name of Meeks, came from the West to New York to find his sister, Mrs.Mary Snyder, a widow, aged fifty-two, who had been living for a year in a tenement house in a crowded neighbourhood.
At her address he was told that Mary Snyder had moved away longer than a month before.No one could tell him her new address.
On coming out Mr.Meeks addressed a policeman who was standing on the corner, and explained his dilemma.
"My sister is very poor," he said, "and I am anxious to find her.I have recently made quite a lot of money in a lead mine, and I want her to share my prosperity.There is no use in advertising her, because she cannot read."The policeman pulled his moustache and looked so thoughtful and mighty that Meeks could almost feel the joyful tears of his sister Mary dropping upon his bright blue tie.
"You go down in the Canal Street neighbourhood," said the policeman, "and get a job drivin' the biggest dray you can find.There's old women always gettin' knocked over by drays down there.You might see 'er among 'em.
If you don't want to do that you better go 'round to headquarters and get 'em to put a fly cop onto the dame."At police headquarters, Meeks received ready assistance.A general alarm was sent out, and copies of a photograph of Mary Snyder that her brother had were distributed among the stations.In Mulberry Street the chief assigned Detective Mullins to the case.
The detective took Meeks aside and said:
"This is not a very difficult case to unravel.Shave off your whiskers, fill your pockets with good cigars, and meet me in the cafe of the Waldorf at three o'clock this afternoon."Meeks obeyed.He found Mullins there.They had a bottle of wine, while the detective asked questions concerning the missing woman.
"Now," said Mullins, "New York is a big city, but we've got the detective business systematized.There are two ways we can go about finding your sister.We will try one of 'em first.You say she's fifty-two?""A little past," said Meeks.
The detective conducted the Westerner to a branch advertising office of one of the largest dailies.There he wrote the following "ad" and submitted it to Meeks:
"Wanted, at once -- one hundred attractive chorus girls for a new musical comedy.Apply all day at No.- Broadway."Meeks was indignant.
"My sister," said he, "is a poor, hard-working, elderly woman.I do not see what aid an advertisement of this kind would be toward finding her.""All right," said the detective."I guess you don't know New York.But if you've got a grouch against this scheme we'll try the other one.It's a sure thing.But it'll cost you more.""Never mind the expense," said Meeks; "we'll try it."The sleuth led him back to the Waldorf."Engage a couple of bedrooms and a parlour," he advised, "and let's go up."This was done, and the two were shown to a superb suite on the fourth floor.Meeks looked puzzled.The detective sank into a velvet armchair, and pulled out his cigar case.
"I forgot to suggest, old man," he said, "that you should have taken the rooms by the month.They wouldn't have stuck you so much for em.
"By the month!" exclaimed Meeks."What do you mean?""Oh, it'll take time to work the game this way.I told you it would cost you more.We'll have to wait till spring.There'll be a new city directory out then.Very likely your sister's name and address will be in it."Meeks rid himself of the city detective at once.On the next day some one advised him to consult Shamrock Jolnes, New York's famous private detective, who demanded fabulous fees, but performed miracles in the way of solving mysteries and crimes.
After waiting for two hours in the anteroom of the great detective's apartment, Meeks was shown into his presence.Jolnes sat in a purple dressing-gown at an inlaid ivory chess table, with a magazine before him, trying to solve the mystery of "They." The famous sleuth's thin, intellectual face, piercing eyes, and rate per word are too well known to need description.
Meeks set forth his errand."My fee, if successful, will be $500," said Shamrock Jolnes.
Meeks bowed his agreement to the price.
"I will undertake your case, Mr.Meeks," said Jolnes, finally."The disappearance of people in this city has always been an interesting problem to me.I remember a case that I brought to a successful outcome a year ago.A family bearing the name of Clark disappeared suddenly from a small flat in which they were living.I watched the flat building for two months for a clue.One day it struck me that a certain milkman and a grocer's boy always walked backward when they carried their wares upstairs.Following out by induction the idea that this observation gave me, I at once located the missing family.They had moved into the flat across the hall and changed their name to Kralc."Shamrock Jolnes and his client went to the tenement house where Mary Snyder had lived, and the detective demanded to be shown the room in which she had lived.It had been occupied by no tenant since her disappearance.
