The Benson Murder Case · Chapter
Gathering Information explained
The police investigation into Alvin Benson's murder intensifies but yields few concrete leads.
What happens
The police investigation into Alvin Benson's murder intensifies but yields few concrete leads. Markham assigns men to investigate Benson's female acquaintances and the housekeeper Mrs. Platz, while Heath searches for the grey Cadillac. A street-cleaner finds two fishing rods in Central Park, possibly linked to the Cadillac. Vance, unusually interested, reads newspaper accounts and arranges a lunch with Markham at the Stuyvesant Club. At lunch, Vance criticizes the police's oversight of key details like Benson's toupee and collar, and Markham reveals that his men have identified the woman who left the handbag and gloves at the crime scene.
Themes in this chapter
Psychological Detection vs. Conventional Policing
Vance criticizes the police for ignoring essential psychological clues like Benson's toupee and collar, contrasting his analytical approach with Heath's focus on physical evidence.
Secrecy and Deception in Relationships
The investigation uncovers that Benson had a hidden side to his life, particularly his unconventional relations with women, suggesting deception in his personal affairs.
Characters to notice
- Philo Vance
Shows uncharacteristic interest in the crime, reading newspapers and arranging a lunch with Markham to discuss the case.
- John Markham
Leads the investigation from the District Attorney's office, assigns men to investigate Benson's female acquaintances, and shares progress with Vance at lunch.
- Ernest Heath
Heads the Homicide Bureau's investigation, orders a citywide search for the grey Cadillac, and is criticized by Vance for missing essential clues.
- Major Anthony Benson
Provides limited information about his brother's affairs, suggesting a possible motive involving women, but offers no specific leads.
- Anna Platz
Background check reveals she was born in Pennsylvania, widowed for 16 years, and had a daughter; no suspicious connections found.
- Currie
Sent by Vance to buy all available newspapers for his perusal of the crime accounts.
Key passages
“No, Van old dear," he explained languidly, "I am not becoming sentimental or even human, as that word is erroneously used today. I can not say with Terence, ' Homo sum, humani nihil a me alienum puto ,' because I regard most things that are called human as decidedly alien to myself. But, y' know, this little flurry in crime has proved rather int'restin', or, as the magazine writers say, intriguing—beastly word!”
Vance tells Van that he is not becoming sentimental or human, as he finds most human things alien, but admits the crime has piqued his interest.
Vance explains his unusual fascination with the murder case, distancing himself from conventional human empathy.
“In my foolish amateur way," said Vance, "I looked upon dear Alvin's toupee as a rather conspicuous essential, don't y' know.”
Vance remarks that he considered Alvin Benson's toupee an important clue, unlike the police.
Vance highlights the police's failure to notice Benson's toupee as a key detail.
“The whole proceedings constituted a masterpiece of absurdity. Everything relevant was sublimely ignored. There were at least a dozen points de départ , all leading in the same direction, but not one of them apparently was even noticed by any of the officiating pourparlers.”
Vance calls the investigation absurd, saying all relevant clues were ignored despite many obvious starting points.
Vance criticizes the police investigation for missing obvious leads.
