The Case of the Registered Letter
Page 9
the circumstances. I have arrangedthat Albert Graumann shall come to me on the evening of September 23rdbetween 7 and 8 o'clock. I asked him to do so by letter, asking himalso to keep the fact of his visit to me a secret. To-night, the 22nd ofSeptember, I received his answer promising that he would come. ThereforeI can look upon everything that is to happen, as having alreadyhappened, for now there need be no further change in my plans. I willsend this letter this evening to my friend Pernburg in Frankfurt amMain. In case anything should happen that would render impossible forme to carry out my plans, I will send Pernburg another letter asking himnot to carry out the instructions of the first.
I can now proceed to tell you what will happen here to-morrow evening,the 23rd of September.
Albert Graumann will come to me, unknown to his family or friends, as Ihave asked him to come. I will so arrange it that the old servant willsee him come in but will not see him go out. My landlady will not be inmy way, for she has already told me that she will spend the night ofthe 23rd with her mother, in another part of the city. It is to be abirthday celebration I believe, so that I can be certain her plans willnot be changed.
Graumann and I will be alone, therefore, with no reliable witnessesnear. I will keep him there for a little while with commonplaceconversation, for I have nothing to say to him. If he moves near thedesk I will upset the inkbottle. The spots on his clothes will beanother evidence against him. I will endeavour to get him to keep myjewelry which is, as you know, of considerable value. I will tell himthat I am going away for a while and ask him to take charge of it forme. I, myself, will take him down to the door and let him out, when Ihave satisfied myself that the old servant is in bed or at least at theback of the house. The revolver which shall end my misery is Graumann'sproperty. I took it from its place without his knowledge.
The 10,000 gulden which I told my landlady were still in the house,and which would therefore be thought missing after my death, I havedeposited in a bank in Frankfort in your name. Here is the certificateof deposit.
I will endeavour not to hold the revolver sufficiently close to have thepowder burn my clothes. And I will exert every effort of mind and bodyto throw it far from me after I have fired the fatal shot. I think thatI will be able to do this, for I am a very good shot and I have nofear of death. One thing more I will do, to turn aside all suspicionof suicide. I will write a letter to some person who does not exist, aletter which will make it appear as if I were in excellent humour andplanning for the future.
And now, good-bye to life. People have called me eccentric, they may beright. This last deed of mine at least, is out of the ordinary. No onewill say now that ended my life in a moment of darkened mind, in a rushof despair. My brain is perfectly clear, my heart beats calmly, now thatI have arranged everything for my departure from this world of falsehoodand unreality. My last deed shall go to prove to the world how littleactual, apparent facts can be trusted.
The one thing real, the one thing true in all this world of falsehoodwas your love and your trust. I thank you for it.
THEODOR BELLMANN, known as JOHN SIDERS.
Joseph Muller refuses to take any particular credit for this case. Theletter would have come in time to prevent Graumann's conviction withouthis assistance, he says. The only person whose gratitude he has a rightto is Prosecuting Attorney Gustav Schmidt. He managed to have the PoliceCommissioner in G-------- read the letter in detail to the attorney. ButMuller himself knows that it failed of its effect, so far as thatdignitary was concerned. For nothing but open ridicule could everconvince a man of such decided opinions that he is not the oneinfallible person in the world.
But Albert Graumann had learned his lesson. And he told Muller himselfthat the few days of life which might remain to him were a gift to himfrom the detective. He felt that his weak heart would not have stood thestrain and the disgrace of an open trial, even if that trial ended inacquittal. Two months later he was found dead in his bed, a calm smileon his lips.
Before he died he had learned that it was the undaunted courage of histimid little old aunt that had brought Muller to take charge of the caseand to free her beloved nephew from the dreaded prison. And the lastdays that these two passed together were very happy.
But as aforesaid, Muller refuses to have this case included in thelist of his successes. He did not change the ultimate result, he merelyanticipated it, he says.