The "Black Stories" crime riddles thread

Started by Kumpel, Mon 13/03/2017 23:07:23

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Snarky

#1300
Fri 09/06/2017 20:50:35
Case #41: Letter from a Ghost
Spoiler
When City financier Arnold Kiesler received a letter threatening that he would be murdered that night, he went to the police. Since he was a prominent businessman with many potential enemies, they took it seriously and agreed to arrange protection. That evening, cops took up position on the street corners all around his mansion (his daughter was sick, and so he didn't want them in the house to disturb her). Kiesler got home around seven. At ten, one of the cops noticed a suspicious person lurking around a side street. The man was apprehended and turned out to be a drunkard already known to the police. Upon being searched, he was found to be carrying an expensive pocket watch, which he refused to account for. He was taken to jail. At eleven, the last lights in the house were turned off as the household went to bed. The rest of the night, police did not see anyone come in or out of the house.

The next morning, Arnold Kiesler was found dead in his study, stabbed in the back. An autopsy put the time of death at around midnight, plus or minus two hours. There was no sign of the murder weapon. A safe in the room was open, and bearer bonds worth upwards of a quarter of a million pounds found to be missing. There was ash in the fireplace, showing that something had been burned there that night. A servant testified that he had last seen Kiesler alive at ten thirty, when he said goodnight. The pocket watch found on the drunk was identified as belonging to Kiesler. Kiesler's daughter gave a statement about a ghost coming into her bedroom that night, and that it somehow made her realize her father was about to die, but she couldn't say whether it was a dream.

Who killed Arnold Kiesler, how, and why?
[close]

Yes
Was the girl's mother still alive?
Was the questioned servant ever present in the same room when Arnold opened the safe?
Is Mrs Kiesler the mother of the child?
Is the marriage intact?

No
Was what was burned in the fireplace a will that was taken from the safe?
Could the police ascertain from the ashes what had been burned? [The case takes place around 1930, when forensic science was less advanced]
Did the safe show any signs of being forced?
Did the drunkard have any connection to Arnold Kiesler or the family? [No connection prior to this case, no]

Other
What time was on the pocket watch?
-The watch was running and showing the correct time.
How old was the daughter?
-She was 12.
Who apart from Arnold Kiesler knew the combination for the safe?
-As far as the police could ascertain, only Kiesler's attorney. The servant denied knowing the combination.
Did the stab wound indicate that the attacker had been a professional killer?
-Hard to say. The entry point was quite precise, indicating some skill, but in a position that would not necessarily be fatal if treated.
What is Mrs Kiesler's alibi?
-In her telling, she only briefly saw her husband after he came home, before he went to his study. She checked on her daughter before going to bed, but otherwise slept in her own bedroom all night.
Did anyone else reside in the house aside from Mr and Mrs Kiesler, their daughter, and the servant?
-OK, these were the people known to have been present in the house that night:
-Mr. Arnold Kiesler
-Mrs. Arnold Kiesler (Desirée, his wife)
-Miss Margaretha Kiesler (daughter)
-Jennings (servant)
-Mrs. Lewis (cook)
-Catherine (maid)
-Fanny (sicknurse to Miss Kiesler)
What time did Mrs Kiesler go to bed?
-At around ten.

Tabata

#1301
Fri 09/06/2017 20:59:48
Do the employees have alibis?
Does (at least) one of the employees know the drunkard?
Was the drunkard really drunk (at the time of murder)?

Snarky

#1302
Fri 09/06/2017 21:35:41
Case #41: Letter from a Ghost
Spoiler
When City financier Arnold Kiesler received a letter threatening that he would be murdered that night, he went to the police. Since he was a prominent businessman with many potential enemies, they took it seriously and agreed to arrange protection. That evening, cops took up position on the street corners all around his mansion (his daughter was sick, and so he didn't want them in the house to disturb her). Kiesler got home around seven. At ten, one of the cops noticed a suspicious person lurking around a side street. The man was apprehended and turned out to be a drunkard already known to the police. Upon being searched, he was found to be carrying an expensive pocket watch, which he refused to account for. He was taken to jail. At eleven, the last lights in the house were turned off as the household went to bed. The rest of the night, police did not see anyone come in or out of the house.

The next morning, Arnold Kiesler was found dead in his study, stabbed in the back. An autopsy put the time of death at around midnight, plus or minus two hours. There was no sign of the murder weapon. A safe in the room was open, and bearer bonds worth upwards of a quarter of a million pounds found to be missing. There was ash in the fireplace, showing that something had been burned there that night. A servant testified that he had last seen Kiesler alive at ten thirty, when he said goodnight. The pocket watch found on the drunk was identified as belonging to Kiesler. Kiesler's daughter gave a statement about a ghost coming into her bedroom that night, and that it somehow made her realize her father was about to die, but she couldn't say whether it was a dream.

Who killed Arnold Kiesler, how, and why?
[close]

Yes
Was the girl's mother still alive?
Was the questioned servant ever present in the same room when Arnold opened the safe?
Is Mrs Kiesler the mother of the child?
Is the marriage intact?
Was the drunkard really drunk (at the time of murder)?

No
Was what was burned in the fireplace a will that was taken from the safe?
Could the police ascertain from the ashes what had been burned? [The case takes place around 1930, when forensic science was less advanced]
Did the safe show any signs of being forced?
Did the drunkard have any connection to Arnold Kiesler or the family? [No connection prior to this case, no]
Does (at least) one of the employees know the drunkard?

Other
  • What time was on the pocket watch?
    -The watch was running and showing the correct time.
  • How old was the daughter?
    -She was 12.
  • Who apart from Arnold Kiesler knew the combination for the safe?
    -As far as the police could ascertain, only Kiesler's attorney. The servant denied knowing the combination.
  • Did the stab wound indicate that the attacker had been a professional killer?
    -Hard to say. The entry point was quite precise, indicating some skill, but in a position that would not necessarily be fatal if treated.
  • What is Mrs Kiesler's alibi?
    -In her telling, she only briefly saw her husband after he came home, before he went to his study. She checked on her daughter before going to bed, but otherwise slept in her own bedroom all night.
  • Did anyone else reside in the house aside from Mr and Mrs Kiesler, their daughter, and the servant?
    -OK, these were the people known to have been present in the house that night:
    -Mr. Arnold Kiesler
    -Mrs. Arnold Kiesler (Desirée, his wife)
    -Miss Margaretha Kiesler (daughter)
    -Jennings (servant)
    -Mrs. Lewis (cook)
    -Catherine (maid)
    -Fanny (sicknurse to Miss Kiesler)
  • What time did Mrs Kiesler go to bed?
    -At around ten.
  • Do the employees have alibis?
    -Yes, relatively solid ones. They all went to bed between ten thirty and eleven, Jennings being the last. For propriety, the door to the women's wing of the servants' quarters (essentially a side-corridor) was locked, with Mrs. Lewis keeping the key. Fanny slept in the room nearest to the main corridor, and as she was a light sleeper, claimed she would have heard if any of the other women, or Jennings, had gone past her room. So barring any collusion, they have alibis for this time period.

Tabata

#1303
Fri 09/06/2017 23:38:01
What did the drunkard tell about how he got the clock?
What is the disease of the daughter?
What is Mr. Kiesler's reputation as an employer / husband / father?

Snarky

#1305
Sat 10/06/2017 07:28:54
Good questions, Tabata! The answers offer a couple of indirect clues...

Case #41: Letter from a Ghost
Spoiler
When City financier Arnold Kiesler received a letter threatening that he would be murdered that night, he went to the police. Since he was a prominent businessman with many potential enemies, they took it seriously and agreed to arrange protection. That evening, cops took up position on the street corners all around his mansion (his daughter was sick, and so he didn't want them in the house to disturb her). Kiesler got home around seven. At ten, one of the cops noticed a suspicious person lurking around a side street. The man was apprehended and turned out to be a drunkard already known to the police. Upon being searched, he was found to be carrying an expensive pocket watch, which he refused to account for. He was taken to jail. At eleven, the last lights in the house were turned off as the household went to bed. The rest of the night, police did not see anyone come in or out of the house.

The next morning, Arnold Kiesler was found dead in his study, stabbed in the back. An autopsy put the time of death at around midnight, plus or minus two hours. There was no sign of the murder weapon. A safe in the room was open, and bearer bonds worth upwards of a quarter of a million pounds found to be missing. There was ash in the fireplace, showing that something had been burned there that night. A servant testified that he had last seen Kiesler alive at ten thirty, when he said goodnight. The pocket watch found on the drunk was identified as belonging to Kiesler. Kiesler's daughter gave a statement about a ghost coming into her bedroom that night, and that it somehow made her realize her father was about to die, but she couldn't say whether it was a dream.

Who killed Arnold Kiesler, how, and why?
[close]
Yes
Was the girl's mother still alive?
Was the questioned servant ever present in the same room when Arnold opened the safe?
Is Mrs Kiesler the mother of the child?
Is the marriage intact?
Was the drunkard really drunk (at the time of murder)?

No
Was what was burned in the fireplace a will that was taken from the safe?
Could the police ascertain from the ashes what had been burned? [The case takes place around 1930, when forensic science was less advanced]
Did the safe show any signs of being forced?
Did the drunkard have any connection to Arnold Kiesler or the family? [No connection prior to this case, no]
Does (at least) one of the employees know the drunkard?
Did Arnold Kiesler have a twin brother?

Other
  • What time was on the pocket watch?
    -The watch was running and showing the correct time.
  • How old was the daughter?
    -She was 12.
  • Who apart from Arnold Kiesler knew the combination for the safe?
    -As far as the police could ascertain, only Kiesler's attorney. The servant denied knowing the combination.
  • Did the stab wound indicate that the attacker had been a professional killer?
    -Hard to say. The entry point was quite precise, indicating some skill, but in a position that would not necessarily be fatal if treated.
  • What is Mrs Kiesler's alibi?
    -In her telling, she only briefly saw her husband after he came home, before he went to his study. She checked on her daughter before going to bed, but otherwise slept in her own bedroom all night.
  • Did anyone else reside in the house aside from Mr and Mrs Kiesler, their daughter, and the servant?
    -OK, these were the people known to have been present in the house that night:
    -Mr. Arnold Kiesler
    -Mrs. Arnold Kiesler (Desirée, his wife)
    -Miss Margaretha Kiesler (daughter)
    -Jennings (servant)
    -Mrs. Lewis (cook)
    -Catherine (maid)
    -Fanny (sicknurse to Miss Kiesler)
  • What time did Mrs Kiesler go to bed?
    -At around ten.
  • Do the employees have alibis?
    -Yes, relatively solid ones. They all went to bed between ten thirty and eleven, Jennings being the last. For propriety, the door to the women's wing of the servants' quarters (essentially a side-corridor) was locked, with Mrs. Lewis keeping the key. Fanny slept in the room nearest to the main corridor, and as she was a light sleeper, claimed she would have heard if any of the other women, or Jennings, had gone past her room. So barring any collusion, they have alibis for this time period.
  • What did the drunkard tell about how he got the clock?
    -He refused to provide any explanation whatsoever, even after he was charged with theft.
  • What is the disease of the daughter?
    -A neurological condition that left her weak and susceptible to illness, and with occasional episodes similar to epileptic attacks. She required chronic care, and was under treatment of a famous Swiss physician using cutting-edge methods.
  • What is Mr. Kiesler's reputation as an employer / husband / father?
    -Kiesler was by all accounts a devoted family man. His clients considered him a financial wizard who provided steady returns even at a time of economic crisis. The servants offered, after some prodding, that he was demanding and sometimes short-tempered with them, particularly in the last year.

Mandle

#1306
Sat 10/06/2017 08:22:44
Did the daughter's symptoms include sleepwalking?
Did the daughter's symptoms include fugue states?
Could the stab wound have been done with the strength of a 12 year old girl?

Snarky

#1307
Sat 10/06/2017 09:05:07
Case #41: Letter from a Ghost
Spoiler
When City financier Arnold Kiesler received a letter threatening that he would be murdered that night, he went to the police. Since he was a prominent businessman with many potential enemies, they took it seriously and agreed to arrange protection. That evening, cops took up position on the street corners all around his mansion (his daughter was sick, and so he didn't want them in the house to disturb her). Kiesler got home around seven. At ten, one of the cops noticed a suspicious person lurking around a side street. The man was apprehended and turned out to be a drunkard already known to the police. Upon being searched, he was found to be carrying an expensive pocket watch, which he refused to account for. He was taken to jail. At eleven, the last lights in the house were turned off as the household went to bed. The rest of the night, police did not see anyone come in or out of the house.

The next morning, Arnold Kiesler was found dead in his study, stabbed in the back. An autopsy put the time of death at around midnight, plus or minus two hours. There was no sign of the murder weapon. A safe in the room was open, and bearer bonds worth upwards of a quarter of a million pounds found to be missing. There was ash in the fireplace, showing that something had been burned there that night. A servant testified that he had last seen Kiesler alive at ten thirty, when he said goodnight. The pocket watch found on the drunk was identified as belonging to Kiesler. Kiesler's daughter gave a statement about a ghost coming into her bedroom that night, and that it somehow made her realize her father was about to die, but she couldn't say whether it was a dream.

Who killed Arnold Kiesler, how, and why?
[close]
Yes
Was the girl's mother still alive?
Was the questioned servant ever present in the same room when Arnold opened the safe?
Is Mrs Kiesler the mother of the child?
Is the marriage intact?
Was the drunkard really drunk (at the time of murder)?
Did the daughter's symptoms include fugue states?

No
Was what was burned in the fireplace a will that was taken from the safe?
Could the police ascertain from the ashes what had been burned? [The case takes place around 1930, when forensic science was less advanced]
Did the safe show any signs of being forced?
Did the drunkard have any connection to Arnold Kiesler or the family? [No connection prior to this case, no]
Does (at least) one of the employees know the drunkard?
Did Arnold Kiesler have a twin brother?
Did the daughter's symptoms include sleepwalking?
Could the stab wound have been done with the strength of a 12 year old girl?

Other
Spoiler
  • What time was on the pocket watch?
    -The watch was running and showing the correct time.
  • How old was the daughter?
    -She was 12.
  • Who apart from Arnold Kiesler knew the combination for the safe?
    -As far as the police could ascertain, only Kiesler's attorney. The servant denied knowing the combination.
  • Did the stab wound indicate that the attacker had been a professional killer?
    -Hard to say. The entry point was quite precise, indicating some skill, but in a position that would not necessarily be fatal if treated.
  • What is Mrs Kiesler's alibi?
    -In her telling, she only briefly saw her husband after he came home, before he went to his study. She checked on her daughter before going to bed, but otherwise slept in her own bedroom all night.
  • Did anyone else reside in the house aside from Mr and Mrs Kiesler, their daughter, and the servant?
    -OK, these were the people known to have been present in the house that night:
    -Mr. Arnold Kiesler
    -Mrs. Arnold Kiesler (Desirée, his wife)
    -Miss Margaretha Kiesler (daughter)
    -Jennings (servant)
    -Mrs. Lewis (cook)
    -Catherine (maid)
    -Fanny (sicknurse to Miss Kiesler)
  • What time did Mrs Kiesler go to bed?
    -At around ten.
  • Do the employees have alibis?
    -Yes, relatively solid ones. They all went to bed between ten thirty and eleven, Jennings being the last. For propriety, the door to the women's wing of the servants' quarters (essentially a side-corridor) was locked, with Mrs. Lewis keeping the key. Fanny slept in the room nearest to the main corridor, and as she was a light sleeper, claimed she would have heard if any of the other women, or Jennings, had gone past her room. So barring any collusion, they have alibis for this time period.
  • What did the drunkard tell about how he got the clock?
    -He refused to provide any explanation whatsoever, even after he was charged with theft.
  • What is the disease of the daughter?
    -A neurological condition that left her weak and susceptible to illness, and with occasional episodes similar to epileptic attacks. She required chronic care, and was under treatment of a famous Swiss physician using cutting-edge methods.
  • What is Mr. Kiesler's reputation as an employer / husband / father?
    -Kiesler was by all accounts a devoted family man. His clients considered him a financial wizard who provided steady returns even at a time of economic crisis. The servants offered, after some prodding, that he was demanding and sometimes short-tempered with them, particularly in the last year.
[close]

Mandle

#1308
Sat 10/06/2017 09:14:18
Did the daughter witness the murder of her father during a fugue state?
Did the daughter leave her bed after sleeping?
Did the daughter talk with another person while in a fugue state?

Snarky

#1309
Sat 10/06/2017 09:16:50
Case #41: Letter from a Ghost
Spoiler
When City financier Arnold Kiesler received a letter threatening that he would be murdered that night, he went to the police. Since he was a prominent businessman with many potential enemies, they took it seriously and agreed to arrange protection. That evening, cops took up position on the street corners all around his mansion (his daughter was sick, and so he didn't want them in the house to disturb her). Kiesler got home around seven. At ten, one of the cops noticed a suspicious person lurking around a side street. The man was apprehended and turned out to be a drunkard already known to the police. Upon being searched, he was found to be carrying an expensive pocket watch, which he refused to account for. He was taken to jail. At eleven, the last lights in the house were turned off as the household went to bed. The rest of the night, police did not see anyone come in or out of the house.

The next morning, Arnold Kiesler was found dead in his study, stabbed in the back. An autopsy put the time of death at around midnight, plus or minus two hours. There was no sign of the murder weapon. A safe in the room was open, and bearer bonds worth upwards of a quarter of a million pounds found to be missing. There was ash in the fireplace, showing that something had been burned there that night. A servant testified that he had last seen Kiesler alive at ten thirty, when he said goodnight. The pocket watch found on the drunk was identified as belonging to Kiesler. Kiesler's daughter gave a statement about a ghost coming into her bedroom that night, and that it somehow made her realize her father was about to die, but she couldn't say whether it was a dream.

Who killed Arnold Kiesler, how, and why?
[close]
Yes
Was the girl's mother still alive?
Was the questioned servant ever present in the same room when Arnold opened the safe?
Is Mrs Kiesler the mother of the child?
Is the marriage intact?
Was the drunkard really drunk (at the time of murder)?
Did the daughter's symptoms include fugue states?

No
Was what was burned in the fireplace a will that was taken from the safe?
Could the police ascertain from the ashes what had been burned? [The case takes place around 1930, when forensic science was less advanced]
Did the safe show any signs of being forced?
Did the drunkard have any connection to Arnold Kiesler or the family? [No connection prior to this case, no]
Does (at least) one of the employees know the drunkard?
Did Arnold Kiesler have a twin brother?
Did the daughter's symptoms include sleepwalking?
Could the stab wound have been done with the strength of a 12 year old girl?
Did the daughter witness the murder of her father during a fugue state?
Did the daughter leave her bed after sleeping?
Did the daughter talk with another person while in a fugue state?

Other
Spoiler
  • What time was on the pocket watch?
    -The watch was running and showing the correct time.
  • How old was the daughter?
    -She was 12.
  • Who apart from Arnold Kiesler knew the combination for the safe?
    -As far as the police could ascertain, only Kiesler's attorney. The servant denied knowing the combination.
  • Did the stab wound indicate that the attacker had been a professional killer?
    -Hard to say. The entry point was quite precise, indicating some skill, but in a position that would not necessarily be fatal if treated.
  • What is Mrs Kiesler's alibi?
    -In her telling, she only briefly saw her husband after he came home, before he went to his study. She checked on her daughter before going to bed, but otherwise slept in her own bedroom all night.
  • Did anyone else reside in the house aside from Mr and Mrs Kiesler, their daughter, and the servant?
    -OK, these were the people known to have been present in the house that night:
    -Mr. Arnold Kiesler
    -Mrs. Arnold Kiesler (Desirée, his wife)
    -Miss Margaretha Kiesler (daughter)
    -Jennings (servant)
    -Mrs. Lewis (cook)
    -Catherine (maid)
    -Fanny (sicknurse to Miss Kiesler)
  • What time did Mrs Kiesler go to bed?
    -At around ten.
  • Do the employees have alibis?
    -Yes, relatively solid ones. They all went to bed between ten thirty and eleven, Jennings being the last. For propriety, the door to the women's wing of the servants' quarters (essentially a side-corridor) was locked, with Mrs. Lewis keeping the key. Fanny slept in the room nearest to the main corridor, and as she was a light sleeper, claimed she would have heard if any of the other women, or Jennings, had gone past her room. So barring any collusion, they have alibis for this time period.
  • What did the drunkard tell about how he got the clock?
    -He refused to provide any explanation whatsoever, even after he was charged with theft.
  • What is the disease of the daughter?
    -A neurological condition that left her weak and susceptible to illness, and with occasional episodes similar to epileptic attacks. She required chronic care, and was under treatment of a famous Swiss physician using cutting-edge methods.
  • What is Mr. Kiesler's reputation as an employer / husband / father?
    -Kiesler was by all accounts a devoted family man. His clients considered him a financial wizard who provided steady returns even at a time of economic crisis. The servants offered, after some prodding, that he was demanding and sometimes short-tempered with them, particularly in the last year.
[close]

Mandle

#1310
Sat 10/06/2017 09:38:04
Did the "cutting-edge" methods of the Swiss doctor include hypnosis?

Cassiebsg

#1311
Sat 10/06/2017 10:57:33
Did the daughter let the murdered in by opening a door or window?
There are those who believe that life here began out there...

Snarky

#1312
Sat 10/06/2017 12:40:55
Case #41: Letter from a Ghost
Spoiler
When City financier Arnold Kiesler received a letter threatening that he would be murdered that night, he went to the police. Since he was a prominent businessman with many potential enemies, they took it seriously and agreed to arrange protection. That evening, cops took up position on the street corners all around his mansion (his daughter was sick, and so he didn't want them in the house to disturb her). Kiesler got home around seven. At ten, one of the cops noticed a suspicious person lurking around a side street. The man was apprehended and turned out to be a drunkard already known to the police. Upon being searched, he was found to be carrying an expensive pocket watch, which he refused to account for. He was taken to jail. At eleven, the last lights in the house were turned off as the household went to bed. The rest of the night, police did not see anyone come in or out of the house.

The next morning, Arnold Kiesler was found dead in his study, stabbed in the back. An autopsy put the time of death at around midnight, plus or minus two hours. There was no sign of the murder weapon. A safe in the room was open, and bearer bonds worth upwards of a quarter of a million pounds found to be missing. There was ash in the fireplace, showing that something had been burned there that night. A servant testified that he had last seen Kiesler alive at ten thirty, when he said goodnight. The pocket watch found on the drunk was identified as belonging to Kiesler. Kiesler's daughter gave a statement about a ghost coming into her bedroom that night, and that it somehow made her realize her father was about to die, but she couldn't say whether it was a dream.

Who killed Arnold Kiesler, how, and why?
[close]
Yes
Was the girl's mother still alive?
Was the questioned servant ever present in the same room when Arnold opened the safe?
Is Mrs Kiesler the mother of the child?
Is the marriage intact?
Was the drunkard really drunk (at the time of murder)?
Did the daughter's symptoms include fugue states?

No
Was what was burned in the fireplace a will that was taken from the safe?
Could the police ascertain from the ashes what had been burned? [The case takes place around 1930, when forensic science was less advanced]
Did the safe show any signs of being forced?
Did the drunkard have any connection to Arnold Kiesler or the family? [No connection prior to this case, no]
Does (at least) one of the employees know the drunkard?
Did Arnold Kiesler have a twin brother?
Did the daughter's symptoms include sleepwalking?
Could the stab wound have been done with the strength of a 12 year old girl?
Did the daughter witness the murder of her father during a fugue state?
Did the daughter leave her bed after sleeping?
Did the daughter talk with another person while in a fugue state?
Did the "cutting-edge" methods of the Swiss doctor include hypnosis?
Did the daughter let the murderer in by opening a door or window?

Other
Spoiler
  • What time was on the pocket watch?
    -The watch was running and showing the correct time.
  • How old was the daughter?
    -She was 12.
  • Who apart from Arnold Kiesler knew the combination for the safe?
    -As far as the police could ascertain, only Kiesler's attorney. The servant denied knowing the combination.
  • Did the stab wound indicate that the attacker had been a professional killer?
    -Hard to say. The entry point was quite precise, indicating some skill, but in a position that would not necessarily be fatal if treated.
  • What is Mrs Kiesler's alibi?
    -In her telling, she only briefly saw her husband after he came home, before he went to his study. She checked on her daughter before going to bed, but otherwise slept in her own bedroom all night.
  • Did anyone else reside in the house aside from Mr and Mrs Kiesler, their daughter, and the servant?
    -OK, these were the people known to have been present in the house that night:
    -Mr. Arnold Kiesler
    -Mrs. Arnold Kiesler (Desirée, his wife)
    -Miss Margaretha Kiesler (daughter)
    -Jennings (servant)
    -Mrs. Lewis (cook)
    -Catherine (maid)
    -Fanny (sicknurse to Miss Kiesler)
  • What time did Mrs Kiesler go to bed?
    -At around ten.
  • Do the employees have alibis?
    -Yes, relatively solid ones. They all went to bed between ten thirty and eleven, Jennings being the last. For propriety, the door to the women's wing of the servants' quarters (essentially a side-corridor) was locked, with Mrs. Lewis keeping the key. Fanny slept in the room nearest to the main corridor, and as she was a light sleeper, claimed she would have heard if any of the other women, or Jennings, had gone past her room. So barring any collusion, they have alibis for this time period.
  • What did the drunkard tell about how he got the clock?
    -He refused to provide any explanation whatsoever, even after he was charged with theft.
  • What is the disease of the daughter?
    -A neurological condition that left her weak and susceptible to illness, and with occasional episodes similar to epileptic attacks. She required chronic care, and was under treatment of a famous Swiss physician using cutting-edge methods.
  • What is Mr. Kiesler's reputation as an employer / husband / father?
    -Kiesler was by all accounts a devoted family man. His clients considered him a financial wizard who provided steady returns even at a time of economic crisis. The servants offered, after some prodding, that he was demanding and sometimes short-tempered with them, particularly in the last year.
[close]

I've got to admit that now that I have to think over some of the details more carefully, some of them don't totally make sense, or at least require pretty far-fetched explanations. And the case has some red herrings, some that are deliberate and some that were introduced accidentally. Sorry about that!

CaptainD

#1313
Sat 10/06/2017 13:11:46
Was there any kind of dispute regarding the inheritance?
Was there any kind of dispute regarding Arnold Kiesler's own identity / genealogy?
Were any of the servants known to have financial difficulties?

Snarky

#1314
Sat 10/06/2017 13:19:05
Case #41: Letter from a Ghost
Spoiler
When City financier Arnold Kiesler received a letter threatening that he would be murdered that night, he went to the police. Since he was a prominent businessman with many potential enemies, they took it seriously and agreed to arrange protection. That evening, cops took up position on the street corners all around his mansion (his daughter was sick, and so he didn't want them in the house to disturb her). Kiesler got home around seven. At ten, one of the cops noticed a suspicious person lurking around a side street. The man was apprehended and turned out to be a drunkard already known to the police. Upon being searched, he was found to be carrying an expensive pocket watch, which he refused to account for. He was taken to jail. At eleven, the last lights in the house were turned off as the household went to bed. The rest of the night, police did not see anyone come in or out of the house.

The next morning, Arnold Kiesler was found dead in his study, stabbed in the back. An autopsy put the time of death at around midnight, plus or minus two hours. There was no sign of the murder weapon. A safe in the room was open, and bearer bonds worth upwards of a quarter of a million pounds found to be missing. There was ash in the fireplace, showing that something had been burned there that night. A servant testified that he had last seen Kiesler alive at ten thirty, when he said goodnight. The pocket watch found on the drunk was identified as belonging to Kiesler. Kiesler's daughter gave a statement about a ghost coming into her bedroom that night, and that it somehow made her realize her father was about to die, but she couldn't say whether it was a dream.

Who killed Arnold Kiesler, how, and why?
[close]
Yes
Was the girl's mother still alive?
Was the questioned servant ever present in the same room when Arnold opened the safe?
Is Mrs Kiesler the mother of the child?
Is the marriage intact?
Was the drunkard really drunk (at the time of murder)?
Did the daughter's symptoms include fugue states?

No
Was what was burned in the fireplace a will that was taken from the safe?
Could the police ascertain from the ashes what had been burned? [The case takes place around 1930, when forensic science was less advanced]
Did the safe show any signs of being forced?
Did the drunkard have any connection to Arnold Kiesler or the family? [No connection prior to this case, no]
Does (at least) one of the employees know the drunkard?
Did Arnold Kiesler have a twin brother?
Did the daughter's symptoms include sleepwalking?
Could the stab wound have been done with the strength of a 12 year old girl?
Did the daughter witness the murder of her father during a fugue state?
Did the daughter leave her bed after sleeping?
Did the daughter talk with another person while in a fugue state?
Did the "cutting-edge" methods of the Swiss doctor include hypnosis?
Did the daughter let the murderer in by opening a door or window?
Was there any kind of dispute regarding the inheritance?
Was there any kind of dispute regarding Arnold Kiesler's own identity / genealogy?
Were any of the servants known to have financial difficulties?

Other
Spoiler
  • What time was on the pocket watch?
    -The watch was running and showing the correct time.
  • How old was the daughter?
    -She was 12.
  • Who apart from Arnold Kiesler knew the combination for the safe?
    -As far as the police could ascertain, only Kiesler's attorney. The servant denied knowing the combination.
  • Did the stab wound indicate that the attacker had been a professional killer?
    -Hard to say. The entry point was quite precise, indicating some skill, but in a position that would not necessarily be fatal if treated.
  • What is Mrs Kiesler's alibi?
    -In her telling, she only briefly saw her husband after he came home, before he went to his study. She checked on her daughter before going to bed, but otherwise slept in her own bedroom all night.
  • Did anyone else reside in the house aside from Mr and Mrs Kiesler, their daughter, and the servant?
    -OK, these were the people known to have been present in the house that night:
    -Mr. Arnold Kiesler
    -Mrs. Arnold Kiesler (Desirée, his wife)
    -Miss Margaretha Kiesler (daughter)
    -Jennings (servant)
    -Mrs. Lewis (cook)
    -Catherine (maid)
    -Fanny (sicknurse to Miss Kiesler)
  • What time did Mrs Kiesler go to bed?
    -At around ten.
  • Do the employees have alibis?
    -Yes, relatively solid ones. They all went to bed between ten thirty and eleven, Jennings being the last. For propriety, the door to the women's wing of the servants' quarters (essentially a side-corridor) was locked, with Mrs. Lewis keeping the key. Fanny slept in the room nearest to the main corridor, and as she was a light sleeper, claimed she would have heard if any of the other women, or Jennings, had gone past her room. So barring any collusion, they have alibis for this time period.
  • What did the drunkard tell about how he got the clock?
    -He refused to provide any explanation whatsoever, even after he was charged with theft.
  • What is the disease of the daughter?
    -A neurological condition that left her weak and susceptible to illness, and with occasional episodes similar to epileptic attacks. She required chronic care, and was under treatment of a famous Swiss physician using cutting-edge methods.
  • What is Mr. Kiesler's reputation as an employer / husband / father?
    -Kiesler was by all accounts a devoted family man. His clients considered him a financial wizard who provided steady returns even at a time of economic crisis. The servants offered, after some prodding, that he was demanding and sometimes short-tempered with them, particularly in the last year.
[close]

Mandle

#1315
Sat 10/06/2017 14:16:11
Did the servant secretly observe the safe combination while the master was unlocking it at some point?

Riaise

#1316
Sat 10/06/2017 15:02:49
Were there any secret entrances into the mansion?
Did Kiesler have the pocket watch on him when he arrived home?
Were any of the kitchen knives missing?

Cassiebsg

#1317
Sat 10/06/2017 15:10:44
Was the "ghost" the killer?
Was the "ghost" an adult?
There are those who believe that life here began out there...

Snarky

#1318
Sat 10/06/2017 15:55:25
Case #41: Letter from a Ghost
Spoiler
When City financier Arnold Kiesler received a letter threatening that he would be murdered that night, he went to the police. Since he was a prominent businessman with many potential enemies, they took it seriously and agreed to arrange protection. That evening, cops took up position on the street corners all around his mansion (his daughter was sick, and so he didn't want them in the house to disturb her). Kiesler got home around seven. At ten, one of the cops noticed a suspicious person lurking around a side street. The man was apprehended and turned out to be a drunkard already known to the police. Upon being searched, he was found to be carrying an expensive pocket watch, which he refused to account for. He was taken to jail. At eleven, the last lights in the house were turned off as the household went to bed. The rest of the night, police did not see anyone come in or out of the house.

The next morning, Arnold Kiesler was found dead in his study, stabbed in the back. An autopsy put the time of death at around midnight, plus or minus two hours. There was no sign of the murder weapon. A safe in the room was open, and bearer bonds worth upwards of a quarter of a million pounds found to be missing. There was ash in the fireplace, showing that something had been burned there that night. A servant testified that he had last seen Kiesler alive at ten thirty, when he said goodnight. The pocket watch found on the drunk was identified as belonging to Kiesler. Kiesler's daughter gave a statement about a ghost coming into her bedroom that night, and that it somehow made her realize her father was about to die, but she couldn't say whether it was a dream.

Who killed Arnold Kiesler, how, and why?
[close]
Yes
Was the girl's mother still alive?
Was the questioned servant ever present in the same room when Arnold opened the safe?
Is Mrs Kiesler the mother of the child?
Is the marriage intact?
Was the drunkard really drunk (at the time of murder)?
Did the daughter's symptoms include fugue states?
Was the "ghost" [that the daughter reported seeing] the killer? [Sort of...]
Was the "ghost" an adult?

No
Was what was burned in the fireplace a will that was taken from the safe?
Could the police ascertain from the ashes what had been burned? [The case takes place around 1930, when forensic science was less advanced]
Did the safe show any signs of being forced?
Did the drunkard have any connection to Arnold Kiesler or the family? [No connection prior to this case, no]
Does (at least) one of the employees know the drunkard?
Did Arnold Kiesler have a twin brother?
Did the daughter's symptoms include sleepwalking?
Could the stab wound have been done with the strength of a 12 year old girl?
Did the daughter witness the murder of her father during a fugue state?
Did the daughter leave her bed after sleeping?
Did the daughter talk with another person while in a fugue state?
Did the "cutting-edge" methods of the Swiss doctor include hypnosis?
Did the daughter let the murderer in by opening a door or window?
Was there any kind of dispute regarding the inheritance?
Was there any kind of dispute regarding Arnold Kiesler's own identity / genealogy?
Were any of the servants known to have financial difficulties?
Did the servant secretly observe the safe combination while the master was unlocking it at some point?
Were there any secret entrances into the mansion?
Did Kiesler have the pocket watch on him when he arrived home?
Were any of the kitchen knives missing?

Other
Spoiler
  • What time was on the pocket watch?
    -The watch was running and showing the correct time.
  • How old was the daughter?
    -She was 12.
  • Who apart from Arnold Kiesler knew the combination for the safe?
    -As far as the police could ascertain, only Kiesler's attorney. The servant denied knowing the combination.
  • Did the stab wound indicate that the attacker had been a professional killer?
    -Hard to say. The entry point was quite precise, indicating some skill, but in a position that would not necessarily be fatal if treated.
  • What is Mrs Kiesler's alibi?
    -In her telling, she only briefly saw her husband after he came home, before he went to his study. She checked on her daughter before going to bed, but otherwise slept in her own bedroom all night.
  • Did anyone else reside in the house aside from Mr and Mrs Kiesler, their daughter, and the servant?
    -OK, these were the people known to have been present in the house that night:
    -Mr. Arnold Kiesler
    -Mrs. Arnold Kiesler (Desirée, his wife)
    -Miss Margaretha Kiesler (daughter)
    -Jennings (servant)
    -Mrs. Lewis (cook)
    -Catherine (maid)
    -Fanny (sicknurse to Miss Kiesler)
  • What time did Mrs Kiesler go to bed?
    -At around ten.
  • Do the employees have alibis?
    -Yes, relatively solid ones. They all went to bed between ten thirty and eleven, Jennings being the last. For propriety, the door to the women's wing of the servants' quarters (essentially a side-corridor) was locked, with Mrs. Lewis keeping the key. Fanny slept in the room nearest to the main corridor, and as she was a light sleeper, claimed she would have heard if any of the other women, or Jennings, had gone past her room. So barring any collusion, they have alibis for this time period.
  • What did the drunkard tell about how he got the clock?
    -He refused to provide any explanation whatsoever, even after he was charged with theft.
  • What is the disease of the daughter?
    -A neurological condition that left her weak and susceptible to illness, and with occasional episodes similar to epileptic attacks. She required chronic care, and was under treatment of a famous Swiss physician using cutting-edge methods.
  • What is Mr. Kiesler's reputation as an employer / husband / father?
    -Kiesler was by all accounts a devoted family man. His clients considered him a financial wizard who provided steady returns even at a time of economic crisis. The servants offered, after some prodding, that he was demanding and sometimes short-tempered with them, particularly in the last year.
[close]

Cassiebsg

#1319
Sat 10/06/2017 16:24:09
Was the ghost a male?
Did she recognize the ghost?
Did she thought it was a ghost, cause the person in question was suppose to be dead?
There are those who believe that life here began out there...
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