THE CASE OF THE REGISTERED LETTER
By Augusta Groner
Translated by Grace Isabel Colbron
INTRODUCTION TO JOE MULLER
Joseph Muller, Secret Service detective of the Imperial Austrian police,is one of the great experts in his profession. In personality he differsgreatly from other famous detectives. He has neither the impressiveauthority of Sherlock Holmes, nor the keen brilliancy of Monsieur Lecoq.Muller is a small, slight, plain-looking man, of indefinite age, and ofmuch humbleness of mien. A naturally retiring, modest disposition, andtwo external causes are the reasons for Muller's humbleness of manner,which is his chief characteristic. One cause is the fact that in earlyyouth a miscarriage of justice gave him several years in prison, anexperience which cast a stigma on his name and which made it impossiblefor him, for many years after, to obtain honest employment. But theworld is richer, and safer, by Muller's early misfortune. For it wasthis experience which threw him back on his own peculiar talents fora livelihood, and drove him into the police force. Had he been able toenter any other profession, his genius might have been stunted to a merepastime, instead of being, as now, utilised for the public good.
Then, the red tape and bureaucratic etiquette which attaches to everygovernmental department, puts the secret service men of the Imperialpolice on a par with the lower ranks of the subordinates. Muller'sofficial rank is scarcely much higher than that of a policeman, althoughkings and councillors consult him and the Police Department realises tothe full what a treasure it has in him. But official red tape, and hisearly misfortune... prevent the giving of any higher official standingto even such a genius. Born and bred to such conditions, Mullerunderstands them, and his natural modesty of disposition asks for nooutward honours, asks for nothing but an income sufficient for hissimple needs, and for aid and opportunity to occupy himself in the wayhe most enjoys.
Joseph Muller's character is a strange mixture. The kindest-hearted manin the world, he is a human bloodhound when once the lure of the trailhas caught him. He scarcely eats or sleeps when the chase is on, he doesnot seem to know human weakness nor fatigue, in spite of his frail body.Once put on a case his mind delves and delves until it finds a clue,then something awakes within him, a spirit akin to that which holdsthe bloodhound nose to trail, and he will accomplish the apparentlyimpossible, he will track down his victim when the entire machinery ofa great police department seems helpless to discover anything. The highchiefs and commissioners grant a condescending permission when Mullerasks, "May I do this? ... or may I handle this case this way?"both parties knowing all the while that it is a farce, and that thedepartment waits helpless until this humble little man saves its honourby solving some problem before which its intricate machinery has stooddazed and puzzled.
This call of the trail is something that is stronger than anything elsein Muller's mentality, and now and then it brings him into conflict withthe department,... or with his own better nature. Sometimes his unerringinstinct discovers secrets in high places, secrets which the PoliceDepartment is bidden to hush up and leave untouched. Muller is thentaken off the case, and left idle for a while if he persists in hisopinion as to the true facts. And at other times, Muller's own warmheart gets him into trouble. He will track down his victim, driven bythe power in his soul which is stronger than all volition; but when hehas this victim in the net, he will sometimes discover him to be amuch finer, better man than the other individual, whose wrong at thisparticular criminal's hand set in motion the machinery of justice.Several times that has happened to Muller, and each time his heart gotthe better of his professional instincts, of his practical common-sense,too, perhaps,... at least as far as his own advancement was concerned,and he warned the victim, defeating his own work. This peculiarity ofMuller's character caused his undoing at last, his official undoing thatis, and compelled his retirement from the force. But his advice is oftensought unofficially by the Department, and to those who know, Muller'shand can be seen in the unravelling of many a famous case.
The following stories are but a few of the many interesting cases thathave come within the experience of this great detective. But they givea fair portrayal of Muller's peculiar method of working, his looking onhimself as merely an humble member of the Department, and the comedyof his acting under "official orders" when the Department is in realityfollowing out his directions.
THE CASE OF THE REGISTERED LETTER
"Oh, sir, save him if you can--save my poor nephew! I know he isinnocent!"
The little old lady sank back in her chair, gazing up at Commissionervon Riedau with tear-dimmed eyes full of helpless appeal. Thecommissioner looked thoughtful. "But the case is in the hands of thelocal authorities, Madam," he answered gently, a strain of pity in hisvoice. "I don't exactly see how we could interfere."
"But they believe Albert guilty! They haven't given him a chance!"
"He cannot be sentenced without sufficient proof of his guilt."
"But the trial, the horrible trial--it will kill him--his heart isweak. I thought--I thought you might send some one--some one of yourdetectives--to find out the truth of the case. You must have the bestpeople here in Vienna. Oh, my poor Albert--"
Her voice died away in a suppressed sob, and she covered her face tokeep back the tears.
The commissioner pressed a bell on his desk. "Is Detective Joseph Mulleranywhere about the building?" he asked of the attendant who appeared atthe door.
"I think he is, sir. I saw him come in not long ago."
"Ask him to come up to this room. Say I would like to speak to him." Theattendant went out.
"I have sent for one of the best men on our force, Madam," continued thecommissioner, turning back to the pathetic little figure in the chair."We will go into this matter a little more in detail and see if it ispossible for us to interfere with the work of the local authorities inG----------."
The little old lady gave her eyes a last hasty dab with a daintyhandkerchief and raised her head again, fighting for self-control. Shewas a quaint little figure, with soft grey hair drawn back smoothly froma gentle-featured face in which each wrinkle seemed the seal of someloving thought for others. Her bonnet and gown were of excellentmaterial in delicate soft colours, but cut in the style of an earlierdecade. The capable lines of her thin little hands showed through thefabric of her grey gloves. Her whole attitude bore the impress of onewho had adventured far beyond the customary routine of her home circle,adventured out into the world in fear and trembling, impelled by thestress of a great love.
A knock was heard at the door, and a small, slight man, with a kind,smooth-shaven face, entered at the commissioner's call. "You sent forme, sir?" he asked.
"Yes, Muller, there is a matter here in which I need your advice, yourassistance, perhaps. This is Detective Muller, Miss--" (the commissionerpicked up the card on his desk) "Miss Graumann. If you will tell us now,more in detail, all that you can tell us about this case, we may be ableto help you."
"Oh, if you would," murmured Miss Graumann, with something more of hopein her voice. The expression of sympathetic interest on the face ofthe newcomer had already won her confidence for him. Her slight figurestraightened up in the chair, and the two men sat down opposite her,prepared to listen to her story.
"I will tell you all I know and understand about this matter,gentlemen," she began. "My name is Babette Graumann, and I live with mynephew, Albert Graumann, engineering expert, in the village of Grunau,which is not far from the city of G----------. My nephew Albert, the dearest,truest--" sobs threatened to overcome her again, but she mastered thembravely. "Albert is now in prison, accused of the murder of his friend,John Siders, in the latter's lodgings in G------."
"Yes, that is the gist of what you have already told me," said thecommissioner. "Muller, Miss Graumann believes her nephew innocent,contrary to the opinion of the local authorities in G------. She has cometo ask for some one from here who could ferret out the truth of thismatter. You are free now, and if we find that it can be done withoutoffending the local authorities--"
"Who is the commissioner in charge of the case in G------?" asked Muller.
"Commissioner Lange is his name, I believe," replied Miss Graumann.
"H'm!" Muller and the commissioner exchanged glances.
"I think we can venture to hear more of this," said the commissioner,as if in answer to their unspoken thought. "Can you give us the detailsnow, Madam? Who is, or rather who was, this John