Philo Vance John F.-X. Markham District Attorney of New York County. Alvin H. Benson Well-known Wall Street broker and man-about-town, who was mysteriously murdered in his home. Major Anthony Benson Brother of the murdered man. Mrs. Anna Platz Housekeeper for Alvin Benson. Muriel St. Clair A young singer. Captain Philip Leacock Miss St. Clair’s fiancé. Leander Pfyfe Intimate friend of Alvin Benson’s. Mrs. Paula Banning A friend of Leander Pfyfe’s. Elsie Hoffman Secretary of the firm of Benson and Benson. Colonel Bigsby Ostrander A retired army officer. William H. Moriarty An alderman, Borough of the Bronx. Jack Prisco Elevator-boy at the Chatham Arms. George G. Stitt Of the firm of Stitt and McCoy, Public Accountants. Maurice Dinwiddie Assistant District Attorney. Chief Inspector O’Brien Of the Police Department of New York City. William M. Moran Commanding Officer of the Detective Bureau. Ernest Heath Sergeant of the Homicide Bureau. Burke Detective of the Homicide Bureau. Snitkin Detective of the Homicide Bureau. Emery Detective of the Homicide Bureau. Ben Hanlon Commanding Officer of Detectives assigned to District Attorney’s office. Phelps Detective assigned to District Attorney’s office. Tracy Detective assigned to District Attorney’s office. Springer Detective assigned to District Attorney’s office. Higginbotham Detective assigned to District Attorney’s office. Captain Carl Hagedorn Fire-arms expert. Dr. Doremus Medical Examiner. Francis Swacker Secretary to the District Attorney. Currie Vance’s valet. CHAPTER I. Philo Vance at Home (Friday, June 14; 8.30 a.m.) It happened that, on the morning of the momentous June the fourteenth when the discovery of the murdered body of Alvin H. Benson created a sensation which, to this day, has not entirely died away, I had breakfasted with Philo Vance in his apartment. It was not unusual for me to share Vance’s luncheons and dinners, but to have breakfast with him was something of an occasion. He was a late riser, and it was his habit to remain _incommunicado_ until his midday meal. The reason for this early meeting was a matter of business—or, rather, of æsthetics. On the afternoon of the previous day Vance had attended a preview of Vollard’s collection of Cézanne water-colors at the Kessler Galleries, and having seen several pictures he particularly wanted, he had invited me to an early breakfast to give me instructions regarding their purchase.