“I was,” Doctor Thompson replied.
“Is this your signature?”
The detective took the Blanchard confession out of his pocket and showed the doctor the signature.
“This is my signature,” the physician said, after he had glanced at it, and instantly he thawed out and became interested. “What is that paper?”
“A confession of a man named George Blanchard,” the detective answered. “He was at one time a butler for a Mr. Alfred Lawrence.”
“I remember the man. He died from injuries received in a runaway. I never knew what the confession related to.
“A man named Peters was with him all the afternoon before he died. I came up to the cot just as he signed the paper, and Peters requested me to witness the signature, which I did.
“My mind was busy with other matters, and I never thought to ask what was in the paper.
“I signed the death certificate, and, if my memory does not play me false, I think Peters claimed the body and buried it.
“A month later Peters was brought to the hospital in a dying condition. He had been stabbed, I think, in some dark street downtown.