| abstract | - Casimir Karpinski was a police sergeant in Thetford, Atlantis. He was also part of the conspriacy of several police officials, including Inspector La Strada, to frame the House of Universal Devotion for the murder of its critics. Karpinski overreached himself and doomed the conspiracy when Athelstan Helms and James Walton came to Thetford. Karpinski met Helms and Walton at the train station on their arrival in Thetford. Helms recognized a nearby janitor as Samuel Jones, also called "the Preacher", and interrogated him about the series of murders of critics of the House of Universal Devotion. Karpinski did not hide his contempt for the House, and threatened to arrest Jones, although Helms intervened. When Benjamin Joshua Morris, a critic of the House, approached Helms and Walton about evidence he had of Jones dalliances with young women, Karpinski saw an opportunity to convince Helms. He murdered Morris just outside the Belvedere Hotel. However, he carried out the murder in a clumsy fashion, using his own .465 Manstopper to carry out the crime, and "arriving" on the scene much too quickly, alerting Helms. Helms' investigations were not helped when Walton insulted Karpinski and the Thetford Police began to shut them out. Nonetheless, Helms gathered evidence that proved Karpinski was guilty of Morris' murder. At a press conference held at Bronvard University, Hanover, Helms accused Karpinski of being part of a larger conspiracy. Karpinski admitted, implicating Inspector La Strada among others. La Strada attempted to shoot Karpinski, but a reporter stopped him.
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