Maurice Leblanc

“ The next morning the newspapers published the following letter:
"Open Letter to M. Lenormand, Chief of the Detective-service.
"All my congratulations, dear sir and dear friend, on your arrest of Jerome the messenger. It was a smart piece of work, well executed and worthy of you.
"All my compliments, also, on the ingenious manner in which you proved to the prime minister that I was not Mr. Kesselbach's murderer. Your demonstration was clear, logical, irrefutable and, what is more, truthful. As you know, I do not kill people. ”

“ In the press, at public meetings, in the streets and even in the tribune of the Chamber of Deputies there was such an explosion of wrath that the government grew alarmed and strove by every possible means to allay the public excitement. ”

“ Facts are worth nothing against reason and logic; and, moreover, the facts also are on my side. What would be the meaning of Lupin's presence in the room in which the cigarette-case was discovered? On the other hand, the black clothes which were found and which evidently belonged to the murderer are not in the least of a size to fit Lupin. ”

“ As it is not right and proper that a gentleman who has had the glorious privilege of fighting under my banner should languish on the straw of your prisons, I feel it my duty to give you fair warning that, in five weeks' time, on Friday, the 31st of May, I shall set at liberty Master Jerome, promoted by me to the rank of chief messenger at the Ministry of the Interior. ”

“ Kesselbach's presence in Paris; and he at least suspected the importance of Mr. Kesselbach's plans."
"Then he was not a professional criminal?"
"No, no, certainly not! The murder was committed with extraordinary cleverness and daring, but it was due to circumstances. I repeat, we shall have to look among the people forming the immediate circle of Mr. and Mrs. Kesselbach. And the proof is that Mr. Kesselbach's murderer killed Gustave Beudot for the sole reason that the waiter had the cigarette-case in his possession; and Chapman for the sole reason that the secretary knew of its existence. ”

“ On Tuesday, the 16th of April, a man — Lupin — broke into Mr. Kesselbach's room at about two o'clock in the afternoon...."
M. Lenormand was interrupted by a burst of laughter. It came from the prefect of police.
"Let me tell you, M. Lenormand, that you are in rather too great a hurry to state your precise facts. It has been shown that, at three o'clock on that day, Mr. Kesselbach walked into the Credit Lyonnais and went down to the safe deposit. His signature in the register proves it." ”