Horace Chatham lived uptown, in an old brownstone residence that had been the home of his family for many years. His unmarried sister and two servants were the only other occupants of the house. They testified that he had left there at noon.
He had lunched at the Argo Club, had remained there most of the afternoon, and had eaten an early dinner. He had been seen at a theatrical ticket agency, and at the Forty-third Street Theater.
After that, he had returned to the Argo Club; and had been overheard telephoning to Seth Wilkinson.
The only break in the chain of circumstances lay during the interval between Chatham’s dinner at the Argo Club and his arrival at the ticket agency. This period was not accounted for until late in the afternoon following the murder.
Then the police received a phone call from Doctor Albert Palermo, of the Marimba Apartments. The physician informed them that Horace Chatham had called upon him before eight o’clock, and had left his apartment for the theater.
A DETECTIVE from headquarters called upon Doctor Palermo, and found the physician quite willing to supply the missing link in Chatham’s actions.
Doctor Palermo was known as a nerve specialist. He testified that Horace Chatham had come to consult him. He added that, while it might ordinarily be unethical for a doctor to reveal his patient’s troubles, he was under no restraint in the case of Horace Chatham.
The clubman had simply stated that he was worried over financial problems, and had not stated their nature. Doctor Palermo had merely advised him to think of other matters for a few days; then, if his problems still troubled him, to return. Palermo had been under the impression that Chatham was exaggerating his situation.
It was not an unusual case; many of Palermo’s patients had temporary problems that involved money, and he had found that wealthy persons invariably magnified their financial difficulties.
The detective who visited the Marimba Apartments also interviewed the elevator operator and the hallman. From them he ascertained almost the exact time of Chatham’s arrival and departure.