The Case of the College Toilet

Introduction

THE CASE OF THE COLLEGE TOILET. A detective parody. From a letter (#102) to Tevis Clyde Smith, circa February 1929. 

  • Chapter 1: The Case of the College Toilet (Another Whalen Stiff Story)
  • Chapter 2: The Detective Grows Hot!

Summary and cast:

“The Case of the College Toilet” is a comedic detective story centered around the burning of a wooden toilet seat in a girl’s bathroom at Gower-Penn College. The eccentric detective, Whalem Stiff, and his companion, Hatrack, investigate the mysterious event, suspecting a villain named You-can-koo. They interrogate various staff and students, following misleading clues and red herrings. Eventually, it is revealed that the toilet seat was burned due to a hazing ritual where freshman girls were forced to wear asbestos underwear to warm the seats for older girls. Despite the oddity and confusion, Whalem concludes the case, seeing it as another triumph over You-can-koo, even though the villain had nothing to do with the incident.

Main Characters:

  • Whalem Stiff: The eccentric detective who loves to perform tricks and shows his happiness in unusual ways. He leads the investigation and unravels the mystery.
  • Hatrack: Whalem Stiff’s companion, always perplexed by Whalem’s eccentric behavior. He is the narrator of the story.
  • You-can-koo: A recurring villain in Whalem Stiff’s stories. However, he doesn’t have a direct role in this incident.
  • The Dean of Gower-Penn College: He is involved in the investigation and was present during the interrogation sessions.
  • The Matron: She is the one who puts out the fire on the toilet seat and provides initial clues to Whalem.
  • College President: He assists the Dean in handling the incident and interrogating the culprits.
  • Freshman girl & Junior class president: The girls involved in the hazing incident which led to the burning of the toilet seat. Their actions and the material of their undergarments provide the key clue to solving the case.

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