The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-02-22
THIS HAS HAPPENED
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THIS HAS HAPPENED
The body of HANDSOME
HARRY" BORDEN. promoter
Of dubious stock companies, is
found Monday morning by his
secretary, RUTH l. s TER.
sprawled beneath the airshaft
window Of his private office.
The scene of the investigation
is tho office of the victim. The
first suspect questioned by 20.
LICE DETECTIVE MeMANN
is MRS. BORDEN. Borden's
wife and mother of his two chill.
dren, who admits calling Satur-
day afternoon for her monthly
alimony check. but denies knowl-
edge Of the crime.
The second suspect is Ruth
Lester. who confesses Borden's
attempted familiarity with her
on Saturday morning but insists
she knows nothing of the crime.
However, the pistol she kept in
her desk is missing.
The next suspect is Ruth's Fl.
ance. JACK HAYWARD, whose
office is just across the narrow
airshaft from Borden's. His pis.
tol, which he purchased at the
same time he bought q weapon
for Ruth. is also missing!
McMann strengthens the case
against Jack by bringing in
BILL COWAN. who tells Of
telephoning Jack Saturday aft.
ernoon. of being plugged in on a
busy line, and of hearing Bor-
den quarreling violently, pre-.
sumably with Hayward.
The evidence Of the elevator
boys, MICKY MORAN and OF
TO PFLUGER. il damaging
both to Ruth and to Jack. PHIL
LIPS. waiter, who served Ruth
and Jack their Saturday lunch
con, is questioned. McMann
sends for MINNIE CASSIDY
and LETTIE MILLER. clean
ing women for the seventh floor.
A plainclothes detective is also
dispatched to bring in BENNY
SMITH. B0rden's office boy,
and RITA DUBOIS, night club
dancer and friend of Borden's.
NELSON, medical examiner.
calls McMann to tell the results
of his examination.
X \ \
NOW GO ON WITH THE STOR
CHAPTER XXI
"Hello, DR.. Nelson! McMan
the detective sergear
greeted the medical examiner on til
other end Of the wire. Whats til
dope? Fine! And can you tell m
any more definitely when death o,
Cured? -. HIM! Close enough,
guess! Let's see-that places tn
murder between two and four o'cloc
Saturday, Ell? Thanks, doc!"
McMann hung up the receiver an
faced the couple who waited, scare.
ly breathing. SWELL, Hayward,
don't think you'll be surprised
learn that the bullet which kille
Harry Borden was the regulatio
bullet for a Colts .38 caliber auts
matte. Anything to say now, m
lad?" s4f ag S
"Nothing-except that I did n,
kill Borden and have no idea WI
did," Jack Hayward answered steat
lily.
"Mr. McMann, please don't forg.
that my gun was exactly like M
Hayward's-a Colts .38, and that
too, is missing" Ruth begged eal
nestly. "Can't you see that if JAG
had-had killed Mr.. Borden he woul
not have disposed of my gun as we
as his own, because he would kno
that the absence of my pistol woul
make suspicion fall on me?"
Again that CLEAN of admiration
the detectives grim gray eyes. &C
vey, this is Colby Testers daughter
he remarked, with a grin, to h
subordinate. "A chip off the o
block, eh? Now, Miss Leste
there's just one more question +,
the present: Did you yourself di
pose Of your pistol, either before Il
crime on Saturday, so that it won
not be available if Hayward fore,
his way into these offices and qua
relied with Borden, or this mornir
after your discovery Of the body,
confuse the investigation with tv
missing pistols ? Just minute, J.
asking that question Of the daught
Of Colby Lester, the finest and mo
honorable criminal lawyer it h
ever been my privilege to know"
Color swept from Ruth's thro
to the fringe of curls on her for
hnad M shn drnw hp,. small hnx