The "Black Stories" crime riddles thread

[Riaise]

Was Kiesler's study on the ground floor or an upper floor?
Was the wound made with a knife?

[Snarky]

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?
Was the ghost a male?
Was the wound made with a knife?

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?
Did she recognize the ghost? [She's unable to identify the ghost as a particular person]
Did she thought it was a ghost, cause the person in question was suppose to be dead?

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.
• Was Kiesler's study on the ground floor or an upper floor?
  -Ground floor.

[Cassiebsg]

Was the ghost glowing/emitting light in some way?
Was the ghost wearing white?

(just trying to figure out why she would call it a ghost ).

[Riaise]

Was there any evidence of anyone entering Margaretha's room during the night?
Were there any secret doorways in the house?
Did Arnold Kiesler empty the contents of the safe himself?

[Mandle]

Did Mr. Kiesler try to stage a fake robery, including wounding himself, but it went wrong?
Was Mr. Kiesler the "ghost"?
Did this start as an insurance scam?

[Snarky]

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.

(* Yes and no)

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?
Was the ghost a male?
Was the wound made with a knife?
Did Arnold Kiesler empty the contents of the safe himself?
Did Mr. Kiesler try to stage a fake robbery, including wounding himself, but it went wrong?*
Was Mr. Kiesler the "ghost"?
Did this start as an insurance scam? [In part]

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?
Did she recognize the ghost? [She's unable to identify the ghost as a particular person]
Did she thought it was a ghost, cause the person in question was suppose to be dead?
Was the ghost glowing/emitting light in some way?
Was the ghost wearing white?
Was there any evidence of anyone entering Margaretha's room during the night? [But why would there be?]
Were there any secret doorways in the house?
Did Mr. Kiesler try to stage a fake robbery, including wounding himself, but it went wrong?*

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.
• Was Kiesler's study on the ground floor or an upper floor?
  -Ground floor.

[Mandle]

Did Mr. Kiesler give the watch to the drunk in an attempt to frame him for the robbery?
Did Mr. Kiesler burn incriminating records in the fireplace?
Did Mr. Kiesler try to use the fake robbery to hide some sort of scandal?

[Snarky]

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.

(* Yes and no)

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?
Was the ghost a male?
Was the wound made with a knife?
Did Arnold Kiesler empty the contents of the safe himself?
Did Mr. Kiesler try to stage a fake robbery, including wounding himself, but it went wrong?*
Was Mr. Kiesler the "ghost"?
Did this start as an insurance scam? [In part]
Did Mr. Kiesler give the watch to the drunk in an attempt to frame him for the robbery?
Did Mr. Kiesler try to use the fake robbery to hide some sort of scandal?

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?
Did she recognize the ghost? [She's unable to identify the ghost as a particular person]
Did she thought it was a ghost, cause the person in question was suppose to be dead?
Was the ghost glowing/emitting light in some way?
Was the ghost wearing white?
Was there any evidence of anyone entering Margaretha's room during the night? [But why would there be?]
Were there any secret doorways in the house?
Did Mr. Kiesler try to stage a fake robbery, including wounding himself, but it went wrong?*
Did Mr. Kiesler burn incriminating records in the fireplace?

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.
• Was Kiesler's study on the ground floor or an upper floor?
  -Ground floor.

[Riaise]

Was there any evidence of anyone entering Margaretha's room during the night? [But why would there be?]

I thought perhaps if someone had been pretending to be a ghost to scare her they might have dropped something or left a footprint. I mean, I don't know why they would be wanting to scare a little girl, I'm grasping at straws, here.

Was Mr Kiesler working with someone else to fake the robbery?
Did someone find Mr Kiesler in the process of faking the robbery?
Was Mr Kiesler supposed to die that night?

[Tabata]

Does Mr Kiesler have financial problems?
Does Mr Kiesler have a life insurance policy?
Is Mrs. Kiesler greedy?

[Cassiebsg]

Did the ghost spoke to the daughter?
Did Mr.Kiesler burnt the bearer bonds to pretend they had been stolen?
Did he commit suicide?

[Mandle]

I think it's almost solved:

Arnold had been cheating on his taxes or insider-trading or some other nastiness and knew he was about to get caught. The bearer-bonds were the illicit fortune he had hoarded. When caught, he would go to jail, and his family would be destitute and dishonoured. So he formed a plan to fake a robbery and his own murder. The robbery was so that he could dispose of the bearer-bonds (in the fireplace) and this would explain the empty safe to the police. His own murder was staged for the insurance money so that his family would be provided for after his death. He gave the watch to the drunk to provide a suspect for the robbery and murder.

Maybe all that is left is explaining the ghost, and how he inflicted the wound on himself and where he hid the weapon... I'm thinking these two might be connected so:

Did he get the weapon from his daughter's room?
Did he put the weapon in his daughter's room?
Was the weapon a scalpel?

[Mandle]

Actually I had another thought:

Did he fake the bearer-bonds being burnt in the fireplace with normal papers?
Did he hide the bearer-bonds in his daughter's room?
Did he intend for the bearer-bonds to be found later by his family?

[Cassiebsg]

Actually, I was thinking he went to the daughter's room to "say goodbye" by seeing her one last time, before killing himself... but of course, that depends if he did kill himself or not.

[Snarky]

I think it's almost solved:

Arnold had been cheating on his taxes or insider-trading or some other nastiness and knew he was about to get caught. The bearer-bonds were the illicit fortune he had hoarded. When caught, he would go to jail, and his family would be destitute and dishonoured. So he formed a plan to fake a robbery and his own murder. The robbery was so that he could dispose of the bearer-bonds (in the fireplace) and this would explain the empty safe to the police. His own murder was staged for the insurance money so that his family would be provided for after his death. He gave the watch to the drunk to provide a suspect for the robbery and murder.

You are getting very close, but a few key details are still wrong or missing (some of which may be addressed in the latest answers).

Actually, I was thinking he went to the daughter's room to "say goodbye" by seeing her one last time, before killing himself... but of course, that depends if he did kill himself or not.

Correct! Almost...

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 and no)

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?
Was the ghost a male?
Was the wound made with a knife?
Did Arnold Kiesler empty the contents of the safe himself?
Did Mr. Kiesler try to stage a fake robbery, including wounding himself, but it went wrong?*
Was Mr. Kiesler the "ghost"?
Did this start as an insurance scam? [In part]
Did Mr. Kiesler give the watch to the drunk in an attempt to frame him for the robbery?
Did Mr. Kiesler try to use the fake robbery to hide some sort of scandal?
Was Mr Kiesler working with someone else to fake the robbery?
Was Mr Kiesler supposed to die that night?
Does Mr Kiesler have financial problems?
Does Mr Kiesler have a life insurance policy?
Did the ghost speak to the daughter?
Did he commit suicide?*
Was the weapon a scalpel?

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?
Did she recognize the ghost? [She's unable to identify the ghost as a particular person]
Did she thought it was a ghost, cause the person in question was suppose to be dead?
Was the ghost glowing/emitting light in some way?
Was the ghost wearing white?
Was there any evidence of anyone entering Margaretha's room during the night? [But why would there be?]
Were there any secret doorways in the house?
Did Mr. Kiesler try to stage a fake robbery, including wounding himself, but it went wrong?*
Did Mr. Kiesler burn incriminating records in the fireplace?
Did someone find Mr Kiesler in the process of faking the robbery?
Is Mrs. Kiesler greedy?
Did Mr.Kiesler burnt the bearer bonds to pretend they had been stolen?
Did he commit suicide?*
Did he get the weapon from his daughter's room?
Did he put the weapon in his daughter's room?
Did he fake the bearer-bonds being burnt in the fireplace with normal papers?
Did he hide the bearer-bonds in his daughter's room?
Did he intend for the bearer-bonds to be found later by his family?

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.
• Was Kiesler's study on the ground floor or an upper floor?
  -Ground floor.

Spoiler

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[close]

[Mandle]

Was it the Swiss doctor who made the wound with the scalpel?
Was it the male servant who made the wound with the scalpel?
Was it the wife who made the wound with the scalpel?

[Tabata]

Was Mrs.Kiesler scared when he went there to say goodbye?
Did she attack him because she didn't recognise him being her husband?

[Riaise]

Had Mr Kiesler planned to kill himself, but someone else murdered him before he could?
Did whoever killed Kiesler steal the bearer bonds?
Did whoever killed Kiesler burn the bearer bonds in the fireplace?

[Snarky]

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 and no)

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?
Was the ghost a male?
Was the wound made with a knife?
Did Arnold Kiesler empty the contents of the safe himself?
Did Mr. Kiesler try to stage a fake robbery, including wounding himself, but it went wrong?*
Was Mr. Kiesler the "ghost"?
Did this start as an insurance scam? [In part]
Did Mr. Kiesler give the watch to the drunk in an attempt to frame him for the robbery?
Did Mr. Kiesler try to use the fake robbery to hide some sort of scandal?
Was Mr Kiesler working with someone else to fake the robbery?
Was Mr Kiesler supposed to die that night?
Does Mr Kiesler have financial problems?
Does Mr Kiesler have a life insurance policy?
Did the ghost speak to the daughter?
Did he commit suicide?*
Was the weapon a scalpel?
Did whoever killed Kiesler steal the bearer bonds?*

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?
Did she recognize the ghost? [She's unable to identify the ghost as a particular person]
Did she thought it was a ghost, cause the person in question was suppose to be dead?
Was the ghost glowing/emitting light in some way?
Was the ghost wearing white?
Was there any evidence of anyone entering Margaretha's room during the night? [But why would there be?]
Were there any secret doorways in the house?
Did Mr. Kiesler try to stage a fake robbery, including wounding himself, but it went wrong?*
Did Mr. Kiesler burn incriminating records in the fireplace?
Did someone find Mr Kiesler in the process of faking the robbery?
Is Mrs. Kiesler greedy?
Did Mr.Kiesler burnt the bearer bonds to pretend they had been stolen?
Did he commit suicide?*
Did he get the weapon from his daughter's room?
Did he put the weapon in his daughter's room?
Did he fake the bearer-bonds being burnt in the fireplace with normal papers?
Did he hide the bearer-bonds in his daughter's room?
Did he intend for the bearer-bonds to be found later by his family?
Was it the Swiss doctor who made the wound with the scalpel?
Was it the male servant who made the wound with the scalpel?
Was it the wife who made the wound with the scalpel?
Was Mrs.Kiesler scared when he went there to say goodbye? [It was the daughter he said goodbye to, not the wife]
Did she attack him because she didn't recognise him being her husband?
Had Mr Kiesler planned to kill himself, but someone else murdered him before he could? [Not exactly...]
Did whoever killed Kiesler steal the bearer bonds?*
Did whoever killed Kiesler burn the bearer bonds in the fireplace?

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.
• Was Kiesler's study on the ground floor or an upper floor?
  -Ground floor.

Spoiler

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[close]

[Cassiebsg]

Was it the real Arnold Kiesler that got murdered?