"The butler did it" (was Re: [ADS-L] Google Answers is dead--Barry?)

[Stephen Goranson]

Fred, I'm not claiming this is earlier, because I haven't checked the
date with
a paper copy, but, in case it's of interest, google-books claims a 1912 use.
That, by itself, counts for little, because it's in a serial (and g-bks often
errs with dating them), but WorldCat says the title ran from 1909 to 1932:
The Dramatist. Luther B Anthony 1909-1932
English  Serial Publication : Periodical : Quarterly (every 3 months) v. ; 24
cm. Easton, Pa. : [Dramatist Co.],

google bk:
The Dramatist, a Journal of Dramatic Technology edited by Luther B. Anthony
p.1277 "1912"


Problem
1. A girl thinks she committed murder.
2. A fake psychic exempts her.
3. He proves the butler did it. Here is the fat part
any actor might be expected to elect. In order to project this drunken [...]

Stephen




Quoting Fred Shapiro <fred.shapiro at YALE.EDU>:

> Good riddance to Google Answers.  I once offered a $200 reward there for
> pre-1938 citation of "the butler did it."  Someone came up with
> information from a web site _which clearly was presenting it as a joke_
> and Google Answers told me I should pay the person.

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