Life, 1926-08-12 · page 33 of 36
Life — August 12, 1926 — page 33: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains several distinct items: **"Fascinating Crimes" (left column):** A humorous crime narrative by Robert Benchley about the unsolved "murder" of Dr. Meethas. The joke is that the investigation into this allegedly mysterious death unravels into absurdity—the only clue is a vague description of a young man who climbed flagpoles for college money, leading nowhere. It's satirical commentary on sensationalized true-crime coverage. **"The Same Revelation" (center):** An advertisement for the Revelation Suitcase, featuring actress Patsy Ruth Miller demonstrating how one expandable suitcase adjusts to different trip lengths. The accompanying text plays on the phrase "revelation"—suggesting travelers have the epiphany that expensive luggage isn't necessary. **"A Goner" (bottom left):** A one-panel joke about workplace anxiety: a man wants to arrest his boss for "complicity in murder"—the "murder" being the boss transferring him to Chicago. It's dark humor about job transfers. **"The Mercenary":** A poem mocking the stereotypical greed of English and French merchants toward American tourists, suggesting they exploit visitors through inflated prices. The page blends satire, advertising, and light humor typical of 1920s Life magazine.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ss SS S558 S SSSe55n ss BSses S8sese Sses2s Sse SF 3 S 88s —————— Fascinating Crimes (Continued from page 9) as she had said, and so released Mrs. Omphrey. When the news of Dr. Mecthas’ accident reached La Porte, Amos W. Meethas, a brother of the victim and a respected citizen of the town, came directly to Elkhart and insisted on an investigation, He said that his brother had accumulated quite a for- tune tinting postcards on the side, and was known to have this money hidden in a secret panel in the, ham- mock which hung on the back porch, The police, guided by Mr. Amos Meecthas, went to the hammock, slid the panel open and found nothing there but some old clippings telling of Dr. Meethas’ confirmation in 1818. (He s a confirmed old bachelor.) This definitely estab- lished robbery as the motive for the crime. The next thing to do was to discover some one who could climb flag-poles. Neighbors of the doctor recalled that some wecks before a young man had gone from door to door asking if anybody wanted his flag-pole climbed. He said he was working his way through college climbing flag-poles and would be grateful for any work, however small. He was remembered to have been a short youth about six fect two or three, air blond on one side and dark on the other. This much the neigh- bors agreed upon. Working in South Bend at the time was a young man named Her- man pp. He was apprehended by the authorities, who subsequently decided that he had no connection whatever with the tragedy. So the strange murder of Dr. Mecthas (if indeed it ras a murder) tests to this day unsolved and for- gotten, which is just as well, as it was at best a pretty dull case. (Evrtor’s Note: “The Wallack Disappearances,” another of Mr. Benchley’s “Fascinating Crimes,” will appear in what the Saturday Evening Post would call an early issue.) A Goner W ILD-EYED MAN: Officer, I want you to arrest my boss for complicity in a murder! Orricer: Who did he kill? “Nobody yet, but he just told me that he’s transferring me to Chicago next week.” BOUT this time thousands of persons are learning that the Tesorts they visited last year are really as rotten as they recalled, 2 oo THE SAME REVELATION Packed for a Month There’s no longer any need forseveral suitcases Demonstrated by PATSY RUTH MILLER Warner Brothers Star Packed for a Week of different sizes. The same Revelation serves for the short visit or the long journey. You just pile everything in, close the lid and press it gently down Packed for a Week-end —-click, click, click—all firm and snug. Never too empty and never too full, it always has room for that inevitable last-moment “more”, Te SUITCASE ADJUSTS to 14 SIZES THE REVELATION SUITCASE CO., Inc. NEW YORK $61 FIFTH AVENUE (at 46th Street) LONDON PARIS RERUN ‘The Revelation Suitcase has set a new standard of luggage smartness in all parts of the civilized world. The Prince of Walesis one of the many distinguished owners. $12.50 to $250 At first-class department stores and luggage shops throughout the United States and Canada, ‘Write for anlog MONTREAL and name of nearest dealer The Mercenary HE English clerks are gentlemen And most unmercenary. They merely double prices when They deem their prey unwary; And if you grudge the extra dole mutter in their collars,15429 “Those grasping Yankecs have no soul. They only think of dollars.” The merchant folk of Ja belle France Are suave and most artistic. A bankroll hasn't got a chance To be antagonistic. No stranger ever Ieaves them whole, But if the victim hollers, They murmur, “Yankees have no soul. They only think of dollars,” In Rome you hear the same remark From lip to lip repeated. The Yankee’s ways are very dark; He kicks when he is cheated. The Briton thinks of pounds and pence— Of francs and lire the others. The Yankee thinks of dollars, hence He differs from his brothers. James Kevin McGuinness. NOTHER version golf that knickers. “All is not ~ miss the FEMI- 2 NUMBER — out Unusually attractiveand comfortable accommodations are offered in First, Second and improved Third Class on the splendid steamers Reso.ute, Rewtance, HamBurc (new), Deutscutanp and Apert Batu. Also in the One-class cabin and im- proved Third Class on the steamers Cieveranp, Tuxurincta and West- PHALIA~all modern oil-burning liners with worldfamouscuisineandservice. ©4onnd ntWorld 138 days—59 Ports and Cities S. S. RESO! Leaving New York, JAN. 6, 1927 UNITED AMERICAN LINES mannan Lore > Joint Service With HAMBURG-AMERICAN LINE comicbooks.com