- Case
- Instead of Evidence
- Year Published
- 1949
- Case Introduction
- October 1945; alternate title "Murder on Tuesday". Eugene Poor, half-owner of Blaney & Poor Novelties, says his partner wants sole control of the business and is willing to kill to get it. Wolfe undertakes only to make sure that the police get all the facts if Poor is murdered - and is called on to do so before bedtime.
- Notes
- Resolution
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Martha Davis Poor killed her husband, Eugene, and her accomplice, Arthur Howell. She conspired with Arthur Howell and obtained the explosives used in the cigars from him. She and Howell (who somewhat resembled Eugene Poor) met with Wolfe to implicate Conroy Blaney in her husband's death. She arranged to meet Howell later and killed him and ran over his face with her automobile to make his body difficult to identify. She then gave her husband the booby-trapped cigar. When Archie confronted her with the evidence of her guilt she committed suicide in her bathroom using one of the exploding devices.
Characters in the case:
Mr. & Mrs. Poor say he wants sole control of the business so much that he'll kill Eugene Poor to get it.
Character descriptionHalf-owner of Blaney & Poor Novelties.
Reserved notes for this case
Prepares Cassoulettes Castelnaudery 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 telephones him to ask for a favor: an entree to the Beck Products Corporation, which made the still-classified explosive that killed the victim.
Character descriptionLieutenant General, U.S. Army, head of G-2 (intelligence). Wolfe and Archie reported to him during World War II.
Reserved notes for this case
Sends for Archie upon finding Wolfe's receipt on Poor's corpse.
Character descriptionInspector with NYPD, Homicide. Has tolerate / hate relationship with Wolfe. He respects Wolfe, but is greatly irritated by his eccentricities. Habitually chews (but rarely lights) cigars. Notably, Cramer lights a cigar in Wolfe's office during "Instead of Evidence" in which the murder weapon is an exploding cigar! First name is given as Fergus one time, but generally accepted as Lionel. Had a son in the Army Air Corps during WWII. Archie has called Mrs. Cramer on the phone more than once to reach the Inspector at home. Archie's favorite alias for him is "the man about the chair" or "any name with a double "d", e.g., Mr. Judd".
At no time is Inspector Cramer ever referred to in the books as "Lionel T." Cramer; his first name is given as "Fergus" in "Where There's a Will." There is a lone later reference to him as L.T.C. (The Silent Speaker), but never Lionel. Stout's biographer, John McAleer, asked Stout to explain the "Fergus"/"L.T.C" discrepancy; Stout replied: "No significance. Laziness. I didn't bother to check on whether he already had a first name. Of course, all discrepancies in the Nero Wolfe stories are Archie Goodwin's fault." (from "Royal Decree; Conversations with Rex Stout)
He is featured in a book by Stout called Red Threads, first published 1939, tracking down a killer with a young fashion designer. There is no reference to Nero Wolfe.
Reserved notes for this case
Mentioned by Archie.
Character description19th century English author.
Reserved notes for this case
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
Has been out of the Army for 1 week. Blaney says he has a good baritone voice.
Character descriptionNero Wolfe's tough and witty assistant.
Reserved notes for this case
He's been out of the Army 2 months and is settling back into his old job. Appears at the murder scene claiming to have followed Helen Vardis.
Character descriptionFactory foreman, Blaney & Poor Novelties.
Reserved notes for this caseMartha Davis was his girl, but she married the boss while he was in the Army.
Mentioned. Archie says an unidentified body up White Plains way might be his, since his was never found.
Character descriptionInfamous leader of Nazi Germany.
Reserved notes for this case
Hit-and-run murder victim, identified eventually through Wolfe's efforts.
Character descriptionEmployee of the Beck Products Corporation.
Reserved notes for this caseStole top-secret explosive from his employer used to kill the real Eugene Poor; then was murdered himself. Posed as Eugene Poor in the initial meeting with Wolfe. Wolfe knew he was an imposter when he found out that Poor was heavy cigar smoker and Howell fumbled with a cigar like an amatuer at the meeting with Wolfe.
Initially unavailable, assigned by Wolfe (without Archie's knowledge) to make inquiries at the Beck Products Corporation.
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 caseAfter obtaining a photo of Arthur Howell, takes a nap in Wolfe's room and accompanies Archie to confront the killer.
Wants to hire Wolfe either to keep Blaney from killing him, or to make sure Blaney doesn't get away with it.
Character descriptionHalf owner of Blaney & Poor Novelties, married Martha Davis.
Reserved notes for this case
Wants Eugene to sell out rather than risk being murdered.
Character descriptionMarried to Eugene R. Poor.
Reserved notes for this caseWent with Arthur Howell, who was impersonating her husband, to meeting with Wolfe to implicate Conroy Blaney in the death of her husband, Eugene Poor.
At the murder scene, but Cramer is in charge. Archie says both he himself and Stebbins would love to see Rowcliff as a murder victim.
Character descriptionLieutenant in NYPD. Has antagonistic relationship with Archie and Wolfe.
Reserved notes for this case
Part of the police team investigating the Poor murder.
Character descriptionInitially an employee in N.Y. D.A.'s office. Later Cramer's man.
Detective (sergeant). Unfriendly.
Reserved notes for this case
The unlucky girl being questioned by Rowcliff when Archie arrives at the murder scene.
Character descriptionEmployee with Blaney & Poor.
Reserved notes for this caseWas secretly reporting to Eugene Poor the actions of Conroy Blaney.
Refuses to take the job as first stated, since anybody can kill anybody if determined enough.
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 case
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