ad and face formations have all
the qualities." Then he ran over the story of Spatola's arrest and the
causes that led up to it. At the finish he smiled. "They have tried
and convicted him on the first page. If there was any way for them to
do it, they'd execute him in the evening editions and print his dying
words in the sporting extra. But," and he nodded his head
appreciatively, "Osborne has a good case against him, at that."

Both the clerk, Isidore Brolatsky, and Berg seemed to have talked
freely to the newspapermen. The character of Hume was treated in a
highly colored manner. The visits of the Italian musician to the
numismatist, his ambition to shine as another Kubelik, his
ungovernable temper, the high words that followed Hume's frequent
sneers at his ambition and the fact that he once drew a knife upon his
tormentor, were presented in full. But what appealed to the
space-writers most was Brolatsky's story of how Hume had once called
Spatola "Mad Anthony," and afterward showed him the portrait of
General Wayne.

"This apparently drove him frantic," wrote one reporter, "and, noting
this, Hume frequently applied the name to him, and more than likely
displayed the portrait as well. The last time that Spatola visited
Hume was upon the night of the murder. He evidently went to regale the
numismatist with music; for the delicatessen dealer, Berg, saw under
his coat what was evidently his violin. During the course of the
concert, Hume probably resumed his sneers; unable any longer to bear
it, the Italian apparently struck him down, and then in blind rage of
resentment, smashed and otherwise destroyed every one of the Wayne
portraits he could find."

Fuller came in with another newspaper just about this time and
Ashton-Kirk showed him the story.

"The _Standard_, then, seems to ignore the theory held by Osborne and
Stillman that the murder was done in an attempt to steal the portrait
found partly cut from the frame," said the assistant after studying
the account. Then, inquiringly, he added: "What do you think of it,
sir?"

"As a piece of sensational writing, I have no fault to find with it,"
said the investigator. "But the _Standard's_ young man is no deep
thinker. The single fact that Hume was a lover of real music should
have shown him that his theory was wrong."

Fuller considered a moment.

"I don't think I quite get that," said he.

"It is simple enough. Hume being sensitive to harmony, asked Spatola