He looked about the group, and decided to explain in full. The police chief felt that a recounting of important incidents would be of value.
“TAKE the Club Catalina,” he said. “The trouble started there when a bunch of these gorillas got too tough. They were after some fellow who made a getaway up the stairs. They were doing a fine lot of shooting when my men showed up.
“The gunmen tried to alibi themselves out of it, but it didn’t go. With other trouble over at the hotel, we knew they were phony. That’s why we raided Bagshawe’s place and cleaned it out.”
“You say they were after some one?” questioned Mayor Cruikshank.
“Yes,” asserted Yates, “but it strikes me the idea was a stall. One man couldn’t have started all that trouble. I think the gunmen were fighting it out among themselves, or trying to raid Bagshawe’s place for money.
“We had men all over there, looking for this imaginary trouble-maker they were telling us about. Where was he? Barred windows — people fighting on the stairs—”
“Is there only one exit from the gambling hall?”
“How could there be more?” questioned Yates. “Look at the place, your honor. A second floor perched over the big night club. You can’t have a stairway going down through a room twenty feet high. That’s the layout there.”
Committee members nodded. They were familiar with the Club Catalina. Seeing that all understood, the police chief proceeded.
“Over at the hotel,” he said, “this fellow Carpenter was trying to blackmail Gifford Morton, the millionaire. Morton was too clever for him. Had detectives and a secretary there. Sent for the police. Our men were on the way when some gangsters crashed in.”