New Britain herald., 1929-03-04
THIS HAS HAPPENED

THIS HAS HAPPENED
 Ruth Lester, secretary. finds the body of her employer. Handsome Harry" Borden. Monday morning sprawled beneath the airshaft win dow of his private office. He wal shot some time between one and four o'clock, Saturday afternoon.
 McMann, detective sergeant. con. ducting the investigation in the victims office, Quizzes Mrs. Borden the dead mans estranged wife and mother of his two children. wht admits coming to the office Satur, day afternoon for her alimony check but who insists she left Bor. den alive.
 Ruth is the next suspect question. ed. Ruth realizes McMann is draw ing the net around her fiance Jack Hayward, whose office is just across the narrow airshaft from Borden's. He tells McMann he re- turned to the seventh floor Satur. day afternoon to get his and Ruth. matinee tickets. Suspicion is further thrown on Jack by the testimony o1 the elevator boys. Micky Moran and Otto Pfuger. and by Bill Cowan. g friend, who tells of having heard Jack threaten Borden's life Satur. struggling with Ruth in the oppo. site office.
 McMann sends detectives for Cleo Gilman. Borden's discarded mistress and Minnie Cassidy and Lefty Miller seventh floor scrubwomen. Mean. while Rita Dubois, night club danc. CT. admits her call on Borden Sat, urday afternoon but insists she Jeff him alive.
 Ashe, Borden's manservant, tells of woman with a beautiful con- tralto voice whom Borden refused to talk to on the telephone. Benny Smith, Borden's office boy, Is brought in. He admits returning tc the office Saturday afternoon to gel Ruth's gun for target practice and of finding it already gone. He sayi Borden ordered him out. Minnia Cassidy accompanies Ruth to the scene of the investigation.
 NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
 CHAPTER xxx
 Poor dearie!" Minnie Cassidy the cleaning woman murmured commiseratingly, as she and Ruth started together down the hall to-
 off ssThav Ar say the fool cops are sayin' your man did it, but as me and Lefty was tellin' each other not five minutes ago, Mir. Hayward is not the boy as would hurt a fly-so kind-hearted and open- handed he is. Just you pray the Blessed Mother. miss. and oh, Lordy! What's that?"
 Flashlights" Ruth informed her behind hands which she had flung up 10 cover her face.
 Me picture in the papers?" Min nie cried. as delighted as child And me with this old calico mother-hubbard on,"
 Lets run." Ruth begged, drag ging at Minnie's gnarled old hand Patrolman Biggers, still on guard outside the Borden offices, grinned sympat hetically as he swung open the door for them.
 "Mr. McMann is in MT. Borden's private office, Minnie. I'll take you in-oh!" she broke off. with star. tied exclamation, then ran to her own desk, where Benny Smith was sitting, his head bowed on his out flung arms, terrible sobs shaking his thin body. Whats the matter. Benny? Benny, dear. what is the matter?" she implored, stroking his sandy hair.
 "The big stiff, The big old bully" Benny sobbed. "I'll punch his nose through his face. I will"
 The door to the private office opened, and McMann's curt voice interrupted any confidence that Benny might have been about to make.
 Come in. Miss Lester. Is this Minnie Cassidy"
 "Missus Minnie Cassidy" the cleaning woman corrected the de- tective with surprising spirit. And ye're Tommy McMann. Me hus- tand-God rest his soul.-was a rookie along with ye, Tommy Mo Mann. Many's the poker game he's won your good money off ye and brought 1t home to Minnie Cas- sidy."
 McMann chuckled and thrust out . big hand which Minnie Cassidy seized and shook warmly. "So you're Tim Cassidy's widow, Minnie! Poor Tim! As grand a 'big-foot' as ever walked a beat! Come in, Minnie. Miss Lester will stand by and see that I don't use any third degree methods on you"
 As if ye could" Minnie wagged her head at him derisively. Pm on to ye cops, l am. Hot air and bluff, the lot of ye. Now what did ye want to know. Tommy Me- Mann? So ye're a detective sergeant now! My Tim would-a been your captain if the gangsters hadn't got him.
 I'm sure of it, Minnie." McMann answered heartily, with a humor- ous lift of his bushy eyebrows to- ward Ruth, who had slipped into a -