New Britain herald., 1929-02-27
THIS HAS HAPPENED


 Borden, promoter and ladies' man murdered Saturday afternoon. found beneath the closed airshat window of his private office Mon day by his secretary. Ruth Lester.
 Detective McMann learns of fiv' people who had opportunity ant possible motive for the murder Mrs. Elizabeth Borden. estranget wife: Ruth Lester. who admits ownership of a pistol. now missing from her desk: Benny Smith. office boy: Jack Hayward. insurance brok CT. with offices directly across tht airshaft; and Rita Dubois, Borden: sweetheart.
 Suspicion falls most heavily or Hayward. Ruths' fiance. because o overheard threats against Borden his presence in the building Satur' day, the location of his office, and the disappearance of his own pisto from his desk.
 Bloody footprints of pigeon in' side and outside the airshaft win dow indicate the window was oper until after Borden's death. Benny Smith, who has not reported for work, is sent for. as are Minnie Cas- sidy and Lefty Miller, scrubwomen
 Bill Cowan strengthens suspicion against Hayward by telling of a telephone call 70 Hayward's offices Saturday at 2:10. when he was put on a busy wire and heard Borden's voice in anger, presumably agains. Hayward.
 Ruth tells McMann about Cleo Gilman. recently discarded mistress of Borden. She is sought. Rita Du- bois arrives. admits she had planned a weekend trip with Borden. but had telephoned him from the sta tion when he had failed to meet her. Rita says she went to the office but his door was locked.
 Ruth tells McMann of Borden's having given the dancer the torn half of yellow backed bill. Bor- den's half is missing from the body, as we'll as $500 more in smaller bills. Rita admits. under griling, that she saw Borden. that he gave her the other half of $500 bill, but insists that he was alive when she left him at c:30 promis- ing to meet him later. Borden's manservant. Frank Ashe, is sent for by the police for questioning. NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
 CHAPTER NXV
 "All right. Birdwell," McMann nodded to his subordinate. T told Mrs. Borden to come back at two o'clock. How's her sick child? :. Better? That's good!" and oddly, Ruth Lester thought, the stern de- tective seemed to be genuinely pleased. We won't keep her from the kid longer than necessary. Sick. all right. l talked to the doctor my self. Tell Ferber to come in. Hold Ashe out there till I'm ready for him. And send around for Mir. Hay ward. He's in his own office"
 Ruth eyes dilated with fear. Was McMann going to arrest Jack now, convinced. as she was sure the detective was, that Hayward had shot Harry Borden through the open windows facing each other across the airshaft. and that Rita. arriving very soon afterwards. had robbed his body? If so, how was McMann accounting to himself for the disappearance of her pistol? Or did he still stubbornly hold to his belief that she. Ruth, fearing trouble between the two men Hayward and Borden - had taken the too-handy weapon away with her on Saturday?
 Ferber, the fingerprint expert. was entering the private office, a large portfolio under his arm. when McMann shot another ques- tion at Rita Dutois:
 Was that window open or closed when you were in this of flee Saturday afternoon?" And he pointed to the window looking out upon the airshaft
 Rita's terror-stricken black eyes went blank. Window? I don't know. Yes, l do. It was open, because I noticed some pig eons-or at least one black pigeon walking up and down the window ledge"
 Hello. Ferber, Let's see what you've got there. Good, clear prints?"
 Lots of 'em, McMann." the fin- gerprint expert answered cheer fully. smiling and holding at Ruth Lester. He spread the sheaf of en- larged photographed fingerprints upon Borden's desk. Heres one peculiar set-found it half a dozen places." and he pointed to pie ture. Look! The middle finger of the right hand is a stub - about half an inch of it missing, I'd say.
 Ruth started eagerly toward the desk. Those are Minnie Cassi- dy's fingerprints. Half of the first joint of her middle right finger was cut off in an accident when she was a child. She told me about it when she was dusting my desk one afternoon"
 Thanks. Miss Lester" McMann grunted. as he bent over the pho- tographs. studying them frowning- ly. He looked up as Jack Hayward entered the room. jerked a nod at him, which Jack answered with smiling courtesy before he crossed the room to take his place beside Ruth Lester.
 "; nd Mrs. Borden in, Birdwell," /" Nc,ilrn called through the door "ninh Jack left ajar.
 E.H."n Mrs. Borden was shown in
 he prlvate office by Birdwell,
 ann stuck his hands deep in is pockets and regarded his c.-llr c;ion of guests with upraised brows and that now familiar