SPECIAL ISSUE ~if XA M I NE R l1======A ====u Gu==== s T==== 2 5, ====19 2==--4 TRAGEDY IN LOUISIANA THE LOUISIANA POLICE RETURNED WITH A VERDICT OF SUICIDE When Tragedy Strikes

By William J. Herbert Editor of the Mystery Examiner

It is with heavy hearts that ann h death of Jeremy Hartwood. Our readers will never forget his outstanding talent, first revealed in the columns of this newspaper. The son of a respected family, Jeremy's interest in the arts was encouraged by numerous fine teachers; himself spoke often of Pickman, who introduced Jeremy to the wonders of painting. Hartwood's very fust sketch for this newspaper is still famous. Our extensive investi­ gations into the Isthmus affair fired the imagination of our youngest staff­ member; the boldness of his draftsmanship, coupled with the uncompromising vigor of his palette, shed a chilling light on the sinister tragedy Louisiana breeze carried him would always be friendly with wonder. To have been a that befell that unhappy New home, he never omitted to and heartfelt. friend to such a man is a England town. drop by to "sniff the final We won't forget Jeremy source of pride. His Our paths separated; and proof', as he invariably put Hartwood, an artist whose will forever be in my heart. yet each time the balmy it. He knew the welcome talent filled so many of us 2 THE MYSTERY EXAMINER A.UGUST 25, 1924 The Pain of Solitude

By Harold McGruder Our Special Correspondent

Pale shafts of dawn readership!), several sunlight draw the rope's questions are unanswered shadow grotesquely on and foul play remains a the wooden floor. possibility. Allow me to shed the light of reason The sombre wings of on these shadows of death flapped raven-like doubt. in this lonely loft, and a While Mr. Hartwood man ended his troubled appears not to have left a overcome his grief by shadowy corridors, and days. Jeremy Hartwood suicide note (not at all intensive study but was for several minutes is no more. unusual in cases of haunted by visions of experienced some of the A tipped-over stool, a suicide, contrary to horror." Readers may fear that Hartwood lived makeshift knot. .. For local popular belief), those care to read Frank with day after day .. Police chief Drake, the closest to the deceased Thorndike's fascinating Is it surprising that a death was clearly a described him as being article on the subject of man whose nerves had suicide: "Everything sickened of life, those visions. already been orely points to it There is no disillusioned with an Living in the secluded tested, and who spent all evidence of a truggle. existence that seemed confines of his immense his time in so oppressive This is an open and shut void of meaning. house, Derceto, Jeremy an atmosphere, should case." And yet, for the According to his trusted Hartwood's life gradually have turned to what amateur detective (a butler, he was "a broken turned into a nightmare. surely seemed the only species not unknown man since the death of his I myself managed to lose way out of an intolerable among our esteemed poor father. He tried to my way in Derceto's life?

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Although, indeed one is Hartwood afforded me his work without You may remember that tempted to say because, some insight into the experiencing a certain the exhibition, scheduled Jeremy Hartwood's talent artist's perceptions: "malaise"? to run for three weeks, was first discovered and "If the human mind This feeling of unease was cancelled after a mere nurtured by those whom were to learn of certain was only compounded by forty-eight hours. My Shelley termed the concepts common to a Hartwood's next utter­ esteemed col league "aristocracy of taste", it is number of forgotten ance:"My subject-matter McGruder assures me that to be feared that his force religions, it would comes from my dreams, Derceto, Hartwood ' <., and inimitable technique certainly seek refuge in and yet I am convinced home, contains paintings are fated to wait in the madness. There are things that such beings have that are even more antechamber of culture's we should never know!" al ways existed and will disquieting. Hall of Fame for some How can one look upon always exist!" years to come. The mastery that marks even his earliest work is not, alas, sufficient to overcome the handicap inherent in his chosen (some readers might find the term ill-chosen in view of the evidently obsessive nature of Hartwood's oeuvre) area of interest. The artist's attraction to the domain of the supernatural, while not without precedent, renders him unpalatable to many; his taste for the macabre exerts demands that only the strongest stomachs can meet. His exhibition at Boston's Russel Hall last fall provoked distinct murmurings among even his most ardent admirers. Allow me to remind you of the titles of some of the paintings: "Howling at the Moon", "The Final Sabbath", "In the Abyss of the Unspeakable". A conversation with 4 THE MYSTERY EXAMINER AUGUST 25, 1924 HOWARD PHILLIPS LOVECRAFT A BIOGRAPHY OF A MASTER OF FANTASY LITERATURE

Born on June 12th Living in New York, he 1889 in Providence, suffered a number of Rhode Island, Howard disappointments. Poor, Phillips Lovecraft was a unsuited to regular gifted and highly­ employment and imaginative child. He disgusted by life in New was fascinated by the York, H.P.L. realized mysteries of the night that his marriage was a sky and stories such as fiasco. The "Gentleman l 00 I Nights. He wrote from Providence" was a his first story, "The deeply unhappy man. Little Glass Bottle", Feeling lost in a when he was six, four century he despised, years after the death of Lovecraft returned to his father. Providence and devoted Lovecraft attended himself to reading, school episodically, correspondence and his . f d Ii health. beloved cats. Working on is own, he The circle of admirers was a keen student of has never stopped chemistry and astronomy. growing; among the He began wntrng more famous are Jorge poetry and publishing Luis Borges, J .Bergier scientific magazines. and Stephen King. The death of his paternal grandfather plunged the His complete works family into serious H.P. LOVECRAFT are regularly repub­ financial problems, a lished, thanks to the situation from which efforts of his friend Lovecraft was to suffer . all his life. which proved to be a During his lifetime, A number of films Living almost as a milestone in the Lovecraft's fame in the have been inspired by recluse from 1909 to evolution of his own United States never went his work; : 1913, he wrote poems, work and opened new beyond a restricted Reanimator, Dunwitch articles and short stories horizons in the world of circle of admirers. Horror. for a number of small­ fantasy literature. No collection of his Fantasy literature has circulation magazines. From then on, H.P.L. stories was published. been profoundly influ­ He continued to read wrote a continuous This lack of success did enced by Lovecraft's voraciously during this stream of poetry, essays not deter him, and he vision, and he is often period. and stories while travelled to a number of quoted alongside Poe as It was in 1919 that he keeping up a lively states in search of a a precursor who ex­ wrote one of his best­ correspondence with legendary America. plored fresh paths and known stories "Beyond many fellow-writers and Lovecraft married invented a new style. the Walls of Sleep," friends. Sonia Green in 1924. AUGUST 25, 1924 THE MYSTERY EXAMINER 5

r A Selection. of Lovecraft' s ~ Novels an.d Short Stories

THE CASE OF CHARLES DEXTER WARD THE COULOUR OUT OF SPACE BEYOND THE WALLS OF SLEEP IN THE VAULT CALL OF HERBERT WEST: REANIMATOR DUNWITCH HORROR THE WHISPERER IN DARKNESS AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS THE SHADOW OVER PICKMAN'S MODEL THE OUTSIDER THE DREAM QUEST OF UNKNOWN KADATH ~ r MENTAL DISORDERS

By our science editor Zempf, head of the phenomenon is far from Close family members Frank Thomdike neurology department at uncommon, and is by no and friends are often quite Boston's Frobisher means restricted to unaware of the sufferer's Psychiatric Hospital, for a in di victuals who might growing sense of despair, The tragic case of few thoughts on the tragic reasonably be termed or as scientific jargon Jeremy Hartwood case of Jeremy Hartwood. insane. Suicide is more would have it, neurotic Professor Zempf writes: often than not the culmi­ obsession. The Hartwood Each day sees further "It is clear that an nation of many distressing case presents no surprise; developments in the individual's taking of his factors, compounded by a highly-strung artist, wonderful new science of own life is in many cases what is subjectively clearly given to hysteria, psychoanalysis. The a source of particular perceived as an insur­ who willingly exacerbated mind's mysteries will distress for family mountable obstacle to a natural morbid tendency. soon be laid bare before members and friends, not viable life (in the case in As to the particular the blinding Ii gh t of to mention a subject of point, the father's death). circumstances that finally progress. In my position conversation for others; it Apparently well-balanced forced Mr. Hartwood into as science chronicler of is as though the deceased, indi victuals are by no taking the final and fateful this newspaper, I thought by committing such an means immune from the step, one may never learn it would prove educa­ act, has given expression temptation; it requires the answers." tionally uplifting to to a hitherto unsuspected only a suitable series of prevail upon Professor madness. And yet the circumstances. 6 THE MYSTERY EXAMINER AUGUST 25, 1924 I I It was the time of year soon be swigging. He trained THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE VULTURE when balmy island breezes his spyglass on the prey. give way to the lively Jordan's hungary grin EPISODE ONE "Fuego'', a south wind that froze, then became a fills out sails and sends ships dreadful mask of terror. flying through the foaming "Dear God almighty!" he swell. Hauling close to, the gasped. "It's "im'll "ave We would like to pay tribute Vulture sailed under her us ... Lads ! Break out fearsome commander, whatever the ma ts'll take! to the Hartwood family Scarface Jordan. That's Pregzt over there, and by publishing, in serial form, "Frigate to starboard!" I smell death in the air! If he cried Cut-throat Quick from over'auls us, then we're the novel by Jeremy Hartwood's father the crow's nest. "We'll 'ave sharkmeat, for none can Howard, known to amateurs 'im", chuckled Jordan. fight the demon!" He rubbed his calloused The first cannon-ball of adventure stories hands, already counting the struck the Vulture's hull. as Captain Trevis. pieces of eight, and imagining the rum he would To be continued... AUGUST 25, 1924 THE MYSTERY EXAMINER 7 A HAPPY EVENT

All of our staff would like to express our congratulations at the birth J~· of baby BENJAMIN, born on ·~ August 20th '- .• .J.°'~~I At 7 lbs, he's already quite a handful! He and his overjoyed parents are doing fine

GRANADA Directed by: Frederick RAYNAL First Assistant: Frank DE GIRO LANI Production Degigner: -Yael BARRQZ Jean Marc TORRELLA Modeling 3D & Animation: Didier CHANFRAY Screen Play: Hubert Cl IABOT Frank MANZETTI Production Manager: Olivier ROBIN Publishing Manager: Ve'ronique SALMERON Original Music & Sound Effects: Philippe VACIIEY Mixed by: Se' quence Coda Best Boys: Frederique BOUGHIN Lionel FRAPPE, Serge PLAGNOL Translation: Johan ROBSON, Beate VIALLE Desktop Publishing: Jacqueline PENOT Sylvie VERCHER

The advertisements and addresses appearing in -this newspaper are imaginary 8 THE MYSTERY EXAMINER AUGUST 25, 1924 s=:a:=e>:m:- =:a:= :&E=:E•!

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