Clifton High School - Rotunda Yearbook (Clifton, NJ)

Page 22 text:

THE REFLECTOR CLIFTON HIGH SCHOOL FEBRUARY 1927 al men approaching. He quickly jumped back into the wall and shut the door. He heard the men enter and sit down. Gradually opening the door, for he knew it was in the darkness, he saw three Russians, with their characteristic dress, and their long beards. They were talking Russian. Suddenly a little bell tinkled. The attitude of the three changed immediately. The one who seemed to be leader jumped towards a closet and withdrew a little bag. At the sight of the bag, Dan gave a slight gasp, although it was inaudible. It was just the same as the one that had been extended towards his uncle when he had fallen. So, thought Dan, these men were the murderers. Well, here lie was, and he in- tended to take them with him when he left. When the leader had gotten the bag, they proceeded towards another door in a wall in the direction of the street, or at least Dan de- cided so. Dan followed them down into another room, though smaller than either of the two he had been in previously. Suddenly the leader went across the room and pressed a button. Soon after, a hole opened in the wall, and the leader, who had been standing with drawn back arm, suddenly threw it out and drew it in again. It all took about one second. They were about to go back when they heard a faint tinkling of the bell again. They immediately returned to tin wall and the leader gave the bag to one of the others. He then went over and pressed the button. Simultaneously, with the opening of the door, and the drawing back of the Russian’s arm, Dan’s pistol sounded. The man wheeled, and then dropped. The others reached for their guns but at a word from Dan, their hands flew skyward. He relieved them of their weapons and marched them upstairs, where he telephon- ed police headquarters. The officer in charge came around to the Calder Street entrance, at Dan’s request, and there Dan delivered over his prisoners. Then at Dan’s orders, the building on Ram- sey Street, opposite the murderers’ house, was surrounded by police. Dan and the officer en- tered and searched the place thoroughly, find- ing, on the second floor, a dead Russian. This man had evidently been the “eye of the gang, and had chosen thus rather than go through the ordeal of a trial and the inevitable hanging. On his desk were several buttons which, as Dan found out later, operated the bell and the hole in the wall. When the man on the other side of the street pressed the button, it shifted the control of the door or hole to the “eye, and as soon as the door flew open, the others knew that the intended victim was opposite the hole. When the body was removed, Dan searched for Mr. Smithe, whom he found in one of the rooms, tied hand and foot. “What did they want you for alive? asked Dan. “They knew that although I was rich, I wasn’t head of any concern, and as they needed money to carry out their plan of vengeance, they tried to force money out of me under threat of death,” explained Mr. Smithe. “Their plan of vengeance? said Dan. “Yes, they told me all of their plan. I guess they intended putting me to death as soon as they got the money, which I never intended giving them. You see, these Russians, as per- haps you do not know, were formerly employed in the Continental Marine Corporation, of which Mr. Forsythe was a member. 1 know all about Mr. Forsythe's death, as they boasted that was what all the ‘Monarchs of Business,’ as they termed them, were going to get. Mr. Hartley was also one of the largest shareholders. During a lull in business, which created a like lull in shipping, the company was forced to lay off considerable help. These Russians were among those laid off. This did not tend to pacify them in any way, and they contrived this scheme of ridding the earth of these ‘Monarchs of Busi- ness’, said Mr. Smithe. He had been told of Mr. Hartley’s accident. As they entered the house of Mr. Hartley, the doctor met them and told them that Mr. Hartley had succombed during the night. This news brought many tears to Dan’s eyes, as he had loved his uncle very much. After preparations for the burial had been made, Dan went to the police station to find out what the bag was that killed so mysteriously. A chemist was examining and testing it at the present moment. He was soon ready to give his report. “This bag is filled with cotton and woolen cloth, in which has been absorbed a great quan- tity of a certain kind of acid or chemical. This chemical is very expensive. It has very peculiar properties. If it is thrown towards any person with considerable force it acts the same as a hard blow would. Sometimes it kills the person, very often causing concussion of the brain. What it is that possesses this killing power is not ac- tually known, although it is generally supposed that it is the corona which surrounds anything dipped in this acid. This corona is invisible and is never found with just the acid alone. Several months after the incidents set forth in the foregoing story, Dan Hardy was sitting in the spacious study of his mansion. He was resting from the effects of several hard cases which had come his way after he had been so successful with the affair of the Russians. After PAGE EIGHTEEN

Page 21 text:

T HE HE F L E C T O R CLIFTON HIGH SCHOOL FEBRUARY 1927 It was about four A. M. when Dan came back. He immediately prepared for bed; and though he was dead tired, he was up again at seven. Mr. Hartley woke at eight and by the time he was downstairs, Dan was just leaving. “Be ready to go with me at twelve, uncle admonished Dan. “All right, but be very careful. Dan, won’t you r “Sure, but don’t you worry about me,’’ ad- vised Dan. closing the door. At exactly twelve, the two of them left the house and started in the direction of Ramsey Street. While they were walking there, Dan outlined his plan to his uncle. He was to walk forty yards behind Mr. Hartley, who would be on the edge of the curb. Thus would they pro- ceed past the spot where Mr. Smithe had varn- ished. After walking about ten yards, Dan saw an arm shoot out from the wall. He was about to call to his uncle when he saw that he was at least ten feet from the wall. The arm was quickly withdrawn and Dan was about to hurry to investigate the wall when he saw his uncle fall heavily, as though hit in the head. He ran up and examined him. On finding him still alive, he called a taxi and brought Mr. Hartley to his home. Once Mr. Hartley was put to bed and his head bathed with water, Dan called in his favorite physician. The doctor ordered absolute silence and Dan decided to sleep that night at his own home. He promised to return the first thing the next morning. The next day Dan Hardy returned as he had promised, and his uncle was sitting up in bed. “If it were not for the thick crown in your hat. I’m afraid you wouldn’t be here now,” said the doctor. “But I can’t see yet what hit him,” said Dan. “The arm that I saw shoot out from the wall had a small bag, not unlike the sandbag used by thugs. It didn’t come within six feet of him.” “Well, whatever it was that hit him, it has had the same effect as a hard blow, and I fear it has given him concussion of the brain,” re- plied the doetor. “Is there any blood clotting yet?” asked Dan. “Not yet, but I think that if it is going to clot at all it will start about noon, today.” All this conversation had taken place outside the old man’s room and the two turned to enter. “How do you feel now. uncle?” asked Dan concernedly. “I feel pretty good now, except for my head. I think it must have been a piledriver that hit me he replied. Mr. Hartley then attempted to talk about Mr. Smithe, but Dan skillfully led the talking into other channels. Mr. Hartley soon express- ed a desire to sleep, and as it was about nine P. M., Dan having spent the whole day there, his wish was granted. On his way home, Dan Hardy saw in his newspaper, in glaring headlines, a detailed ac- count of two mysterious murders in Ramsey Street. Both occurred the same way as Mr. Hartley’s accident. Evidently the reporters hadn’t gotten wind of his accident, as there wras nothing in the paper about it. Both these men were executives in large concerns. One, Mr. Forsythe, was the president of the Continental Marine Corporation. This report made Dan change his plans and he immediately proceeded to Ramsey Street. On reaching the spot where Mr. Hartley had been assaulted, he darted into the open doorway. Creeping along the dimly lighted hallway, lie could hear no sound other than the creaking of the old boards beneath his weight and the scur- rying of rats. After proceeding a wav, lie came to a “Y”, and not hesitating an instant, he crept dow'n the left one. He soon came to a door. On opening it he saw behind it a room. This he entered, his revolver ready in his hand. What moment and from what corner might come a bullet or one of those death-dealing “no- things,” he knew’ not. But his flash showed the room to be empty. He examined it thoroughly and could find no trace of door or closet. Dan was about to retrace his steps when he heard the door close on him and the lock snap. He placed his whole one hundred ninety-five pounds of solid flesh and bone against it, but it w’ould not budge. Once more he examined the walls and saw’ a picture hanging rather crookedly on the wall. He also noticed that there was no dust on it as there wfas on everything else in the room. He took the picture down, and to his de- light saw a button behind it. He pressed it and suddenly heard a creaking rioicc on the opposite side of the room. He turned quickly and saw a portion of the wall swinging in towards him. He stood for a second and it closed. He again pressed the button and this time he entered the wall and mounted the steps which he found there. After he had ascended approximately twenty- five steps he heard the door close on him again. Therefore he knew that his only salvation lay in going straight ahead. He had climbed about twenty-five more, using his flashlight occasionally, when he came to a wall. He pushed easily on this and to his amazement, it swung inwards on hinges into an- other room like the first. The only difference was that this one showed signs of being habited, since it contained a table, three chairs, a small oil lamp, and a telephone As Dan stood look- ing at all these things, he suddenly heard sever- PAGE SEVENTEEN

Page 23 text:

THE K E F I- E C T O K CLIFTON HIGH SCHOOL FEBRUARY 1927 this had happened and Mr. Hartley’s will had been probated, it was found that I)an was the sole heir to his uncle’s vast estate. As Dan de- sired to follow his chosen profession, that of private detective, he had sold his uncle’s shares in the Continental Marine Corporation for the munificent sum of some three hundred fifty thousand pounds. This, combined with the rest of the estate, valued at around seven or eight million pounds, placed Dan in a position to rest fo the rest of his life, had he wished to do so. And this was the situation of Dan Hardy as we take leave of him, as he is sitting in a large arm- chair, smoking and reminiscing over his first case, which had brought him all his fortune. W. Ackerman, June ’28. A TRIP TO CLIFTON HIGH SCHOOL IN 2026 At exactly seven o’clock my electrolarm rang. I jumped out of bed and pressed the button on the wall. This would cook my toast, coffee, and an egg in the kitchen, where I had prepared them the evening before. This is certainly a great improvement over getting up, going down- stairs, and then cooking your breakfast. I wonder how people could have lived in 1926 without this wonderful patent. After I had eaten my breakfast, I went out to the garage and put on my wings. My aero- wings are like the wings the fairies were sup- posed to have had, except mine have a motor which is strapped to the back of the wearer. 'The bodily weight of a person to-day is not enough to cause the wearer to have to fly low. All people are very thin now a-days. Every student in high school studies dieting in order to be able to keep thin enough to operate his ae row’ i ngs success full y. I found that one of the straps on my wings was broken. I had to look for another one, which took me some time. When I found it, it was already quite late. Therefore I put my wings on in a hurry and rapidly ascended in the air. About three blocks ahead of me I saw my friend, Hilda. I could not catch up to her with- out speeding as she, too, was going as fast as possible because it was so late. After looking around to see that there were no policemen in air-gliders or on the house-tops, I pulled the lever that marked the highest speed. I soon caught up to her and asked her about an Eng- lish composition we had to write. As our ma- chines made so much noise, we had to yell to each other. We soon abandoned this because I had a class in elocution in the afternoon and I did not want to strain my voice. As we neared the center of Clifton, we had to slow down. Clifton is now the largest city in Passaic County. After we passed the air traffic, we came to the Thorburn Building, the highest in the city. We, as Seniors, are permit- ted to fly over it, but the lowly Freshmen have to make a detour around it. Freshmen are not permitted to fly more than three yards above the ground. As we neared the school, we saw many other aerowings. We had to stop talking and fly carefully in order to avoid accidents. High above us soared aeroplanes. These belong to Professor Brown, the principal, and the mem- bers of the faculty, because a person has to be of age to drive one. Professor Brown, as a .pecial distinction, has a plane with two sets of wings. We have Junior Police who fly about in aero- wings which are painted red. in order to be seen easily. When they see something is not as it should be, they blow a loud whistle which can easily be distinguished as only theirs. Besides this, we have a code of laws which we have to follow. This code is pasted on our wings. In a large, open field behind the school is a shed. There the principal and the teachers keep their gliders. Just behind the doors of the school is a large vestibule where each student has a locker in which to keep his wings. The boys’ lockers are at the other end of the build- ing, for they might want to try on the daintier aerowings which the girls have, and ruin them with their extra weight. We were flying over Nutt Boulevard, named in honor of the esteemed principal of our school a century ago, when we suddenly heard a loud, shrill siren blow. This was the warning that school would start in ten minutes. As soon as the siren sounded. I rushed for the doors, in or- der to obtain help in translating my Esperanto. One thing for which we may be glad is that we don’t have to study Latin or Greek as they used to do a century ago. After we had carefully put our aerowings in our lockers, we proceeded to our section rooms, ready for work. That is how I went to school this morning. Don’t you think it is a great improvement over walking to school, as the poor students had to do in 1926? Mary Pfistkr, June ’30. PAGE NINETEEN