Whom the Gods Would Destroy

• 1915
• Drama, Other

James Rice and John Strong are partners in the firm of Rice & Strong, mining engineers. Rice is gentle and generous except in business where he never allows sentiment to become a part of it. He is a widower with an only son whom he maintains in a sumptuous home so that he may be well provided for when Nell Strong shall have become his wife. Plans, however, become disarranged by the winning of Rice's heart by Laska Ayon, a wealthy Brazilian visiting the United States with her father. She eventually becomes engaged to Rice. Strong is the direct antithesis of Rice, both in morals and business, and has often been unscrupulous and cunning enough to conceal his shortcomings from Rice. Although a married man, he maintains an Oriental studio which it pleases him to call Bohemia. Excesses and bad speculation place him on the verge of bankruptcy. He requests a large loan from his partner, but Rice tells him he must secure the money elsewhere. The partnership agreement specifies that when one of them dies, the surviving partner shall be repaid from the estate of the deceased the amount of capital invested by him in the firm. His many failures to secure the loan of $500,000 induce the thought of doing away with his more business-like partner and so secure the money he so sorely needs. Strong appeals to the wealthy Laska and her father, and they express willingness to loan the money if Rice will endorse. Rice, however, refuses to guarantee payment, and Strong becomes more bitter than ever. There is only one way left, which is the death of his partner, and he carefully studies out a way that will defy detection. A letter which Rice has written to Strong furnishes the cue, which reads: "My dear John: Things cannot go on as they are. I cannot stand it any longer and mean to put an end to it for all time. You must straighten up and attend to our business or I will sue for a dissolution of partnership. Jim." The part of the letter which speaks of putting an end of it for all time will furnish grounds for the belief that he has done away with himself. Rice has an inordinate liking for sweets and has a box of candy on his desk at all times. On the evening when there is to be a double wedding between Rice and Laska and Tom and Nell Strong, the plot is carried into fatal effect. Strong purchases a box of bon bons. This he takes to a druggist, who is known to sell drugs to unfortunates, and who for a tempting bribe poisons the candy. This is sent to Rice's address and before the wedding ceremony can be concluded, Rice falls to the floor dead. In the meantime Strong has prepared his proof of suicide by cutting away the top and bottom of the letter leaving the words, "Things cannot go on as they are. I cannot stand it any longer and therefore mean to put an end to it for all time." The verdict of suicide was duly accepted by everybody except Laska, and Strong's attempt to borrow money aroused her suspicions. She visits the detective department and offers a reward of $100,000 for the arrest of the murderer, but could interest only one man named Whitaker, who does not agree with the suicide theory, and they join forces. The druggist reading the report, visits Strong and attempts to extort money. Whitaker on the watch follows him and discovers the long suspected dope store. Strong, feeling himself unsafe, visits the drug store and shoots the druggist. He, however, does not die immediately and with a piece of charcoal writes upon the wall the words, "John Strong murdered Rice and me." Shortly after Whitaker enters the drug store and, finding the man dead, reads the lines on the wall. He then persuades Laska to make friends with Strong, which she does, and one night at one of his orgies he proposes to make her his favorite, to which she replies, "Are you quite sure that you will not send me poisoned candy whenever you grow jealous?" Strong demands why she makes the remark, and Laska replies, "Because 1 believe you murdered James Rice." Strong becomes paralyzed with fear, and Laska calls upon Whitaker to arrest him. He escapes in an automobile, Whitaker close behind. In the chase Strong attempts to cross a railroad track, an express train hurls the machine up in the air, and retributive justice comes to the murderer through the hand of fate.