- Case
- Fourth of July Picnic
- Year Published
- 1958
- Case Introduction
- 4 - 5 July, 1956. Wolfe consents to serve as guest speaker at the annual picnic of the United Restaurant Workers of America, in memory of Marko Vukcic (and to get them to stop harassing Fritz to join).
- Notes
- Resolution
-
The motive wasn't presented in the story except after the fact: the victim was having an affair with Paul Rago's wife. Rago killed him.
Characters in the case:
Comes to Wolfe's place before going to the cops.
Character descriptionCaptain, Zoller's Restaurant on 52nd Street.
Reserved notes for this case
Witness; saw nobody leave the tent except Wolfe and Archie.
Character descriptionAttended the U.R.W.A. Fourth of July Picnic with her husband, Alexander.
Reserved notes for this case
Investigated murder at the Fourth of July Picnic.
Character descriptionChief of Detectives out on Long Island.
Reserved notes for this case
Has been visiting Rusterman's on and off for 3 years as a consultant, but has resisted pressure to join the URWA. Wolfe's price for attending the picnic is that the union will leave Fritz alone from now on.
Fritz prepared Poached and Truffled Broilers, Broccoli, Herbed Stuffed Potatoes and Ham and Sweetbread Mousse during this case.
Character descriptionMaster chef in Wolfe's kitchen, has a small apartment in the basement. (In "Fer-De-Lance," his apartment is across from the plant room, not in the basement.) Swiss; native French speaker, served in WWI. Uninterested in murder, except whether a client is in the offing; gets anxious about household finance when Wolfe isn't working. Doesn't like to talk while cooking. Changes to his old slippers at 9 pm because of "things left on his feet by the war to remember it by". Implied he was a member of the Swiss Alpine Patrol during WWI.
Reserved notes for this case
Wolfe read his book 'The Fall' during this case.
Character descriptionWriter.
Reserved notes for this case
Wolfe instructs Archie to have Orrie on call.
Character descriptionSecond in line behind Saul Panzer when Nero and Archie need extra manpower.
Reserved notes for this case
Did not like Wolfe or Archie.
Character descriptionDistrict Attorney.
Reserved notes for this caseArchie suggests that when considering his treatment of the suspects, we allow for the fact that at least 91.2% of the DAs in the state want to be governor.
Wolfe instructs Archie to have Fred on call.
Character descriptionHired hand used by Wolfe and Archie when extra manpower is needed. Not the best, but can tail better than anybody but Saul. The favorite "irregular" after Saul - Fritz: "I'm glad it's Orrie instead of Saul or Fred"; Archie: "Such a chore for Saul or Fred of course, but I didn't like doing it for Orrie."; Mr Wolfe: "He doesn't have the dignity of a man who has found his place and occupies it, as you have, Fred."
Bald, burly, 5'10, 190 lbs; moves like a bear. Married with four children. Archie: "You can trust him to hell and back."
Reserved notes for this case
Archie starts investigating too soon. Provides a sketchy autobiography while Wolfe quizzes several of those involved in the case, to help get them started.
Character descriptionNero Wolfe's tough and witty assistant.
Reserved notes for this case
Helped Felix persuade Wolfe to attend the picnic, which he himself attended. Goes out of his way to let Wolfe know about gossip regarding Flora and the victim.
Character descriptionImporter of Food and Wines, for both Rusterman's and Wolfe's own table.
Reserved notes for this case
Made himself obnoxious while trying to pressure Fritz into joining the URWA. Helped Felix persuade Wolfe to attend the picnic, which he himself attended. Got sick, apparently from something he ate at the picnic, and withdrew to a tent to rest on a cot.
Character descriptionDirector of Organization of the United Restaurant Workers of America (URWA).
Reserved notes for this caseFound murdered (stabbed with a carving knife).
Guided Wolfe and Archie to Culp Meadows, site of the Fourth of July Picnic. Archie used the opportunity of putting an arm around her shoulders to drive one-handed, to make the drive more thrilling for Wolfe. :)
Character descriptionDaughter of James Korby
Reserved notes for this caseFound the body in the middle of Wolfe's speech. The victim made himself obnoxious, trying to seduce her.
Helped Felix persuade Wolfe to attend the picnic, which he himself attended. Brought a collection of "real, old Dubois" bone-handled carving knives to use in a contest, "which he won, as he should," according to Wolfe.
Character descriptionPresident of the United Restaurant Workers of America.
Reserved notes for this caseOne of the knives was used as the murder weapon.
Urged Wolfe to attend the Fourth of July Picnic.
Character descriptionRusterman Maitre d'hotel.
Reserved notes for this case
Mentioned. Paul Rago says that he spoke well of Wolfe.
Character descriptionOne of les quinze maitres. Chef of Mondor's, Paris.
Reserved notes for this case
Wolfe instructs Archie to have Saul on call, and actually goes with Archie to Saul's apartment to stage the final confrontation there rather than in the office. Note that Saul is single and lives alone in this story, although in previous volumes he was occasionally described as married. His apartment is described in some detail.
Character descriptionTop hired hand Nero and Archie look to for manpower. Hosts regular Thursday night poker game at eight pm at his apartment in Brooklyn. Rust-colored hair, 5'7, 145 lbs, big nose and flat ears.
In the "Rubber Band" (ch. 6) Archie tells us that Panzer has a photographic memory when it comes to faces.
Reserved notes for this caseWolfe identifies the murderer within 15 minutes during the meeting at Saul's.
Helped Felix persuade Wolfe to attend the picnic, which he himself attended. Looks like a South American ambassador, in Archie's opinion: broad-shouldered six-footer. Speaks English with an accent.
Character descriptionSauce chef at the Churchill, member of the United Restaurant Workers of America (URWA).
Reserved notes for this caseMurderer (the victim was dallying with Rago's wife).
Attendee at the picnic, because his father has been a bus boy at a Broadway restaurant for 30 years and refuses to quit. Refers Wolfe to TV Guide or Clock magazine for his autobiography (see _Before Midnight_ for another mention of the latter). Archie said his usual whipped cream delivery turned to sour milk at one point.
Character descriptionMaster of Ceremonies with his own TV show, widely considered to be young and handsome. Popular with women.
Reserved notes for this case
Wolfe feels an obligation to Marko and Rustermans and the people who work there and decides to attend the picnic.
Character description"He was one of only two men whom Wolfe will call by their first names, apart from employees," Archie relates as he introduces Marko in "Too Many Cooks." A boyhood friend from Montenegro, Marko is welcome to address Wolfe by his first name, and he dines monthly at Wolfe's house. One of the Fifteen Masters, Marko is the great chef of Rusterman's restaurant in New York -- one of the few places Wolfe will dine away from home.
Reserved notes for this case
Discovered the body, but didn't announce it. His first reaction was to ask Archie to take him home immediately, saying he would explain on the way; Archie nixed that. Provides a brief, sketchy autobiography while interviewing those involved.
Character descriptionMaster detective. Genius. Estimated weight: 1/7 ton. Carries a large platinum watch in his vest pocket. Sends a check every month to his mother in Budapest ("Fer-de-lance, ch. 13)..
Reserved notes for this caseArchie says that this case constitutes the 5th of the 5 (to date) occasions on which Wolfe has cut short his session in the plant rooms.
Meals in the case:
(no meals are currently in the NWD for this story)
Orchids in the case:
(no orchids are currently in the NWD for this story)
Quotations in the case:
(no quotations are currently in the NWD for this story)