Riddle:
Dr. Miller was staying with his cousin, Alfred, in Alfredโs lakeside cabin. They were setting up Alfredโs will. Since Dr. Miller was Alfredโs closest living relative, much of Alfredโs estate was being left to him.
One day, Alfred went to Dr. Miller very upset.
โDoctor,โ he began, โI have just found out that an old enemy is out to get me. He is coming very soon. Where will I go? Where can I hide? If he finds me, he will surely kill me. I do not have time to leave this cabin and hide in the woods.โ
Dr. Miller thought for a moment, and then grabbed a 5โฒ long bamboo fishing pole, with a diameter the size of a quarter.
โAlfred, follow me out to the lake. This lake is 4โฒ deep. If you lie on the bottom of the lake and breathe through this pole, your enemy will never find you. I will be in the bulrushes with a shotgun, and I will shoot him when he comes. I will swim down to find you when he is gone.โ
Alfred thought that was a great idea and went down to the lake with the bamboo pole in his mouth.
A few hours later, a ranger passed by. He found Alfredโs body. Dr. Miller told the police of the circumstance, and that Alfred had probably panicked, and died.
Police arrested Dr. Miller on the charge of murdering Alfred. Why?
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Answer:
The pole was 5โฒ long, but only the
size of a quarter. The first time he breathed in, he breathed oxygen. When he exhaled, the air could not travel 5โฒ before he breathed in again. He was just breathing what he exhaled. Before long, all he was breathing was carbon dioxide. He died of CO2 poisoning. Dr. Miller was the one who told him to use the pole. However, he was knowledgeable about the human body and knew breathing only carbon dioxide would result in Alfredโs death. His motive? The money in Alfredโs will.