Characters of the Book + 

Philo Vance. + 

John F.-X. Markham. District Attorney of New York County + 

Alvin H. Benson. Well-known Wall Street broker and man-about-town, who was mysteriously murdered in his home + 

Major Anthony Benson. Brother of the murdered man + 

Mrs. Anna Platz. Housekeeper for Alvin Benson + 

Muriel St. Clair. A young singer + 

Captain Philip Leacock. Miss St. Clair’s fiancé + 

Leander Pfyfe. Intimate friend of Alvin Benson’s + 

Mrs. Paula Banning. A friend of Leander Pfyfe’s + 

Elsie Hoffman. Secretary of the firm of Benson and Benson + 

Colonel Bigsby Ostrander. A retired army officer + 

William H. Moriarty. An alderman, Borough of the Bronx + 

Jack Prisco. Elevator-boy at the Chatham Arms + 

George G. Stitt. Of the firm of Stitt and McCoy, Public Accountants + 

Maurice Dinwiddie. Assistant District Attorney + 

Chief Inspector O’Brien. Of the Police Department of New York City + 

William M. Moran. Commanding Officer of the Detective Bureau + 

Ernest Heath. Sergeant of the Homicide Bureau + 

Burke. Detective of the Homicide Bureau + 

Snitkin. Detective of the Homicide Bureau + 

Emery. Detective of the Homicide Bureau + 

Ben Hanlon. Commanding Officer of Detectives assigned to District Attorney’s office + 

Phelps. Detective assigned to District Attorney’s office + 

Tracy. Detective assigned to District Attorney’s office + 

Springer. Detective assigned to District Attorney’s office + 

Higginbotham. Detective assigned to District Attorney’s office + 

Captain Carl Hagedorn. Firearms expert + 

Dr. Doremus. Medical Examiner + 

Francis Swacker. Secretary to the District Attorney + 

Currie. Vance’s valet + 