Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1915-12-02
,my was forgotten.

lower GreenWlch Street; but, to my
surprise, found The front of Szabo's
place locked and unlighted.
Not that intended entering the
saloon off-hand had l found it light
ed and open. I had vague idea of
looking through the window to see
if Szabo Roth was behind the bar.
Circumstances would have guided my
next move.
Twice or three times paced by the
dark entrance, wondering the mean
while why licensed saloon should be
dark at such an early hour. And then
/ made up my mind to descend the
four steps and try the door.
l did; but no sooner had my thumb
depressed the latch than the door flew
open and l was dragged inside.
Powerful arms grasped me by the
throat and arms, and the rays of an
electric pocket-lamp played over my
face.
Half stunned by the rough treat
ment, dizzy and speechless, 1 was
dragged into back room, where grad
ually regained my senses.
"Well!" came a rough voice, "what
did you want in this place."
/ looked at the speaker, and in the
dim light of the back-room l saw that
he was policeman. Two other men
in blue stood near, and groped around
a pool table l saw several heavy
jowled men in plain clothes-men
whom l rightly took to be detectives.
"Speak up!" went on my question
er. "What did you want here?"
II was looking for a man named
Szabo Roth" l answered.
"Well, here he isl" came from one
of the men around the pool table.
With those words the lights flared up
and the room became fairly we'll illu-
minated.
simultaneously two officers gripped
me by the arms and walked me to-
ward the pool table.
At first sight l saw nothing but the
men in plain clothes guarding line
of sullen-faced, manacled prisoners
backed up against the further wall.
Then my eyes dropped to the pool
table, where / saw that which almost
me in spite of my hospital
training.
For two men lay stretched out up
on the faded, green cloth-two big
men, with torn and blood-stained
and sightless eyes turned
toward the low ceiling.
Unwholesome alive, Szabo Roth was
positively repulsive in death. In his
right hand he still clutched the heavy
butt-end of billiard cue.
And beside the dead body of the
lay stretched the corpse
of the pockmarked, tall man l had
seen in the saloon that same after
noon. From his barred chest protrud-
ed the handle of long-bladed pom
lard. l turned from the gruesome
sight.
"Give an account of yourself" or
dered the detective who seemed to be
in charge.
| looked up and down the line of
prisoners, but saw no familiar faces.
Then l turned to my questioner.
1t occurred to me that as yet there
was no need to tell the detectives all
| knew. They would take charge of
the Dalmatian document, it might be
stuck in pigeonhole, there would be
no story for the assistant superinten-
dent.
what do you want to know" 1
asked.
what brought you here at this
time?"
"Why," l parried, " do you imagine
that had anything to do with this
killing?"
NO" came gruffiy from the lips
Of the Central Office man. "We know
che three guys that pulled this off,"
The speaker jerked a.thumb toward
the pool table and continued: "We
got a good description of all three of
'em, and the net is out. What we
want you to do is to answer questions.
Now, what's your name and occupa-
tion?"
answered
"And your purpose in coming
here?"
~ came to see Szabo Roth," I an
swered truthfully. 81 have in my
pocket document written in the Dal-
matian dialect by patient at he
hospital. Our assistant superinten-
dent authorized me to secure trans
lation of it. was given to under
stand that Roth could read the pa
per-"
To back up my assertion I shook
off the grip of one of the policemen,
IL