New Britain herald., 1929-02-15
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THIS HAS HAPPENED

wueu ltUtA AcSltIs ScC1c y' anus ths dead body of her employer, Handsome Harry" Borden. sprawl ed on the floor beneath the window of his private once. she runs at once to the office of her fiance, Jack Hay ward. His office is just across the narrow airshaft from Borden's.
 Finding Jack out. Ruth searches for his pistol, which he had pur- chased at tho same time he bought an identical weapon for her to keep in her desk. His gun is gone!
 Petrified with fear. she recalls Jacks incriminating, behavior Of the past Saturday and his angry threat against Borden.
 When Jack returns, he accom- panies Ruth to Borden's suite and while he phones for the police, Ruth hurries to close the airshaft window in the private office. fearing Jack shot Borden across the airshaft. The window is already closed! Ruth tells Detective McMann of Borden's two Saturday morning visitors: Rita Du- bois, night club dancer, and Mrs. Borden, his wife and mother of his two children, who called for her monthly alimony check. Mrs. Bor- den comes in during the questioning and McMann accuses her of the mur- der, but she denies it. Ruth tells Me- Mann of the pistol in her desk but l, Tiny footprints of pigeon in drled blood on the window ledge and on the floor near the body indicate the window was open when Borden was shot. Ruth's fear for Jack grows but NcMann insinuates Ruth is the murderess of Borden Moran, the elevator operators testimony makes things look black for Ruth when McMann suddenly asks whose of1lce is that across the airshaft. When he learns if is Jacks, he asks the ele- ,ator operator what time on Satur- day afternoon Jack returned to hls office.
 NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
 CHAPTER KY
 Otto Pfluser hunched his shoul- d,rs and rammed his hands deeper into the pockets of his uniform. "l dunno-about two o'clock. l guess. l ain't keeping tabs on them that's got a right to come and go.'
 Isn't there register record for Saturday afternoon, Coghian"' NC Mann demanded. You require everyone to sign in and out, don't you?"
 Coghlan shook his head. Not until four o'clock Saturdays. Too many tenants coming and going before then"
 "I can tell you almost to the min- ute when I returned and when left the building" Jack Hayward settled the question matter-of-factly. MISS Lester and l went to lunch at the Chester hotel. and just before des- sert was served I discovered that l had left the theater tickets on my desk. We were going to matinee. looked at my watch, found that II was 10 minutes to two, and walked rapidly from the Chester to the Star bridge building-a distance of only two blocks. didn't have to wait for the elevator. so it must have been not later than five or six minutes or two when I got off at the seventh floor. I went to my office and"
 Just 8 minuter McMann inter- rupted. "I'd just a little bit rather have Otto's story before you have a chance to tell him what he remem- bers. And you might .unclench that fist of yours, Hayward. I'm afraid you'll sprain your fingers. and that would be too bad. . Now. Otto. how long was MT. Hayward in his office before he went back down again in your car?"
 T ain't saying he was in his of- flee at all." Otto denied sullenly.
 "Oh!" McMann bounced. "So you saw him head toward this wing of the building when he left the ele- vator. did you?"
 Otto Pfuger shrugged, and slouch- ed lower against the wall. Nav! l an't sayin' he was in his office or he wasn't in his office, because I didn't follow him-seeo I tended to my business and that was runnin' my elevator"
 And right now, young man, your business is to answer my questions. McMann retorted. "1 may not give you tip to keep your mouth shut. as Mir. Hayward evidently did, but can give you free pass to the jail if you don't open up and spill what you know"
 "Mr. Hayward didn't give me no tip Saturday-naw, nor this mornin' neither! He tips us boys reg'lar the first of the month, like most of the other tenants do. Aw, all right. I'm tellin' you, if you'll let me! Ii was about 10 minutes after I took him up before I took him dowr again, guess. because l sent my kid brother. what was hangin' around ir the lobby. over to the drug store across the street to get me cup ot coffee, right after I'd took MT Hay. ward up, and I'd drunk it before hs rung for me to take him down."
 McMann grinned crookcdly as hs made rapid notes of the boys story You didn't have any other passen ger during those 10 minutes, Otto?'
 Nav"