New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1929-02-28

longer. her voice QulNeTeu WIN
anger an she dashed out at the self
satisfied detective: That's not fair.
MIR. McMann. Rita Dubois has
cleared Jack by insisting that MIR.
Borden Was alive when she came
here Saturday afternoon at II min
utes after two. at which time Jack
was with me in the Chester Hotel
dining room"
The grin left McMann's broad,
thin mouth. He looked at the an
cry. trembling girl gravely. almost
compassionately. I'm sorry. Miss
Lester. but what Rita Dubois says
doesn't mean that TO me-" and the
detective snapped his fingers.
You saw me catch her in lie
after lie. The facts are all I'M in
terestei in. Rita had key 10
this Office. She could have en-
tered, whether Borden was alive or
dead. She got from him-aiive or
dead-half Of $500 bill and $500
more in smaller bills. At least We
know she got the torn half of the
$500 banknote. and we can take the
other money for granted. | think.
"Alive, Borden wouldn't have
given her a cent until shed come
across -. kept her part OF the bar
gain. which was to go away with
him and become his mistress. You
heard him say so yourself. There
fore. she got the money from Bor-
den. dead, not Borden alive"
But Ruth was not defeated by the
detectives logic. Then you think
she was so greedy that she stole my
gun. too-walked out OF here with
the very weapon which she must
have believed had killed Mr.. Bor-
den? And which did kill him.
know 1t did
McMann shrugged. And Hay
wards gun? What about that
Ruth tried TO control her anger.
to speak reasonably. convincingly:
Mr.. McMdnn, | don't believe the
disappearance of Mr.. Hayward I'd ,
gun has any connection at all wit
this case. He himself told you he
owned it. where TO look for it. Was
that the action of a guilty man?
Won't you work - just for the sake
or fairness on the theory that
MIR. Hayward's gun was stolen by
petty thief. prowling through the
building SATURDAY,?
There was a gun in these Of
fices-please don't forget that. W.,
know, from the thumbprints on the
bottom drawer of my desk. that
Mr.. Borden opened that drawer, in
all probability to get the gun to
defend himself against threatenc..
attack. Maybe he always kept il
handy when he was alone in the
office. l don't know. But he al
most certainly had it in his posses
sion or on his desk Saturday be
fore he was killed.
An unknown woman was N
these offices some tim. SATURDAY,
afternoon. You have the finger
prints. ! believe that Rita was
telling the truth when she said
that Borden was alive. that he CAV.
her his half OF the $500 bill ia
| make his peace with her. for hay.
ing missed the train to Winter
Haven. After all, she had KEEP,
her part OF the bargain. She ha
waited for him at the station; h.
could not know that she wouI
ditch him after getting the money
The $500. for some reason. WI.
of vital importance TO Rita Du.
tois. Either Mr.. Borden gave il
TO her of his own accord. or-sh.
Killed him in desperation when h,
refused. That is the only reaso,
why Rita Dubois would have take,
my gun away with her - bccaus,
she had used Vt upon Harry Dor
den"
McMann hal listened patiently
even respectfully, to Ruth's Ion.
passIonately sincere speech. Whel
she paused. breathless. he aske.
quietly: You don't believe tina
hita killed Borden. do you, Mis-
Lester?"
Mo- ] know she lied a lot, an.
mat she was desperate for money
Eut don't believe she killed him
Neither do believe she robbie,
his dead body. What ! do believ.
Mr.. McMann. is that Harry Bor
den's murderer - or murt]oress -
has not yet been Questioned"
| McM Mann smiled. but not dcrjs
lively. Cleo Gilman? If she wa
here Saturday afternoon. sh,
walked up - part Of the way. a
least. Moran. the elevator opera
tor. seemed pretty sure that he ha.
brought no other passengers to thi
floor"
j wouldn't count too heavily o,
Mfcky Moran's memory. Mr.. Nc
Mann" Ruth flashed. land grant
ing that Micky is infallible. ism
1t reasonable TO suppose that per
son coming here to see Mr.. Border
after telephone quarrel Wit
MIN. person he feared an.
armed himself against, would hay
walked at least a flight or two
rather than he seen getting off III
elevator right in front of Mr.. Bor
denis Offices"
Just a minute. Miss Lester,
McMann brushed her auestio
aside. you refer to a teI enhou
quarrel. Surely you're not forge,
ting that that telephone quarrel. g
part OF II. WIS overheard nv ri
Co"an. when he was cut in on ua,
wards busy line? How can yo
explain that? You don't think
was your petty thief rrowlin
through the Starbrjdge Bui,din,
who called up Borden and qua,
relied with him. after stealing Hay
wards gum
Ruth looked staggered for a mo
ment. than triumphant. "Telcphon
operators have been known to pi,
wrong numbers rs well as plurgin
new calls in on busy lineS NJ D..