New Britain herald., 1929-07-27

many out-of-toWn papers sent their star reporters. One New York paper bad three men and a sob sister there. Even the society reporters showed ID. which was most unusu- al, as society reporters are custom arily wed 10 responsibility But then this was d most unusual trial.
 The defendant was an artist. A "socicty artist" the papers called him. which meant that he had very fashionable following. He was handsome man. and the petted darling of many smart women.
 Although Lionel Barrows seemed an esthetic type. 'e had engaged in love affair that had, apparently, no eSthctic side. The woman was beautiful and infamous, And now she was dead. Barrows was charged with her murder.
 There had been a lengthy investi- gation. during which many men were questioned. For some time Barrows name had been kept out of it. His aunt was a very wealthy | dowacar, and socially prominent. 1 And he had friends among the most influential people in the city. | But tho district attorneys office, it developed. had it's eagle eye the while on the slim. handsome artist. And one day Barrows, without so much as preliminary questioning,
 
 "How." asked the city editor one Saturday night. How would you like. Miss Durnham, to cover q mur- der trial?"
 Don't kid me" she bcsought him. That's cruelty to girls"
 But mean it." he grinned This Ralrous case-Charlie Ryan will file running story. and were sending Slim along for high lights, But there's a lot of woman stuff that Slim isn't going to get It'll be meat for you. All those society danes ogling their little Boy Blue. And Boy Blue on trial for the mcanest murder on record"
 You don't mean ." Molly sasped, h@eathIcss,
 Sure I mean it." insisted the city editor "Why not? You car do if. cant you?"
 "Oh. l can. know l can, Mr
 Wharton, I'd love to. It's just
 wonderful of you to let me lis
 oh, it's perfectly glorious"
 
 Wharton grinned amably. "I
 takes story like this to give yol girls the breaks,' he observed. "Bu : don't put the hooks in Barrows , Molly. I don't believe they've tn, goods on him. Guilty as the devi , and all that But he has zoe, chance of getting off. We cant con . virt man in the newspapers vol
 know"
 "Oh, I'll be carcfulI" she prom ; isod
 t "Wcll lay off Barrows." he ad monishcd.
 ) That night Molly stayed at tn l office until dawn, reading hundred 7 of clippings that told of the mur g der of Bernice Bradford. ex-artist' p model. who lived and died in flori r splendor in the most exclusive resi- ! dental section of the city, e 1}crnice was not a good girl Bu ] she had been a rarely bcautift | ono. Girlhood photographs sur | piled by her heart-hrokcn motho | proved that. She had been slin
 white thing. with a crimson moutl l And golden hair, and little, twir n ing hands
 $ Many mon had valued her charm - sufficiently 10 pay bills that wer
 many and varied. Bernico Ina y driven m expensive ear. and kcI - an expensive maid. had worn beal e tiful clothes, and lived in a cost a apartment
 " The medical examiner said I a had never seen q woman so perfc
 in death. Her hair framed h, 2 white face like q cloud of golde n glory and she looked. in her uoffi l. more like saint than sinner y Eut for all her still and love o look, Bernice Bradford had died ir dreadful death. She had bee d poisoned
 Earrows' lawyers would contcr n it might have been suicide Keith, L. eide was prepared to explain il V. mystery of the wedding gown th e hung in Bernicc's closet The Sta IS would naturally declare that 1t woman anticipating marriage wou .c hardly commit suicide The q y fcnse, on the other hand was req, q to allcec that the girl might ha y met her death at the hands of d unknown slayer -- the man who
 she expected 10 marry. Barrow a -.....a. ,., {, ..-n..1I