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 – fire-arms expert.
Dr. Doremus – Medical Examiner.
Francis Swacker – Secretary to the District Attorney.
Currie – Vance’s valet.