New Britain herald., 1930-03-29
Blaze in the Office Tells Tale
 of Big Ihefts

The Impounded Books

John Blank, of the Blank Trad ing company, had his office in small building on the water front close to the immense warehouse that held the company's goods.
 Things didn't seem to be going good with the company. There, were ten stockholders and eight Of them became suspicious. The com pany seemed 10 be taking heavy ; losses where, at first, there hal been profits.
 Swaine, one Of the heavy stock holders, engaged a detective, who managed to get work at the war; house trundling goods in and ouc on hand-trucks.
 Half of those cases in there arc empty,' the detective reported to Swaine.
 Find out why they are empty" Swaine ordered.
 This took longer but finally the detective learned that some of tue valuable merchandise that came i.l was exported in different cases an1 the original cases stored. It looked very much as though Blank WIS selling lot of the company's me- chandise and pocketing the money.
 1 Am the President
 The stockholders got together s4- cretly and, after proper legal p!- ]oting, Swainc and a couple Of ma1 dropped into the little office one day to chat with Blank. Probab: v Blank was suspicious. He pleaded that he was fearfully busy and sai he would come and see Swaine that evening.
 This is the best time in the world to look over the books, , Swaine persisted.
 ''Nonsense-haVn't time-can't be done now-but I'll break an engagement and bring the books to you tonight" Blank clustered.
 Now" Swaine declared, sharply
 T refuse. I'm president. l1l have to ask you 10 leave me alone," Blank declared.
 When the court order WIS shown him, impounding his book 5, Blank seemed to take it as a jok'
 All right" he said bring on your experts
 The accountants will be here in the morning." Swaine told him, and meanwhile we'll take charg , lock up, the office and guard th4 place tonight
 Blank didn't seem to mind that.
 I've got to run across the street and meet a man and put off a, business deal because of this may lose us q lot Of money, but I'll be back in five minutes. Tn , books are on the bottom drawer Of the desk" Blank told them.
 He opened the wide, deep drawer that Swaine and the officer might see, and went out.
 He was back in few minutcz. Briskly he cleaned up his some what filtered desk, turned the keys over to Swainc and his men aEI went out with them. Swaine had already engaged man 10 remain ir the place hat night, because he didn't trust Blank and feared th-t he might come back, get the books and take them away 10 hide or destroy them.
 Blaze in Office
 It was just dark when they lct. the shanty. The watchman saun- tered about the locality, chattcd with some of the dock men, gol some food at a lunch wa Con near there and prepared for a night or
 An hour or so later someone called the attention Of tho watch man to what looked like a blaze in the lttlc office, and it proved to be quite Q fire; the desk m th@ middle of the room seemed to bu 1T flames.
 The watchman sent in an alarm end managed 10 break through q window. as the door had ben locked.
 The place Vas SO full of smoke that the watchman had to era $l out through the window agair. The tiremen managed to put out the fire, but the middle of tue room was guttad--thc dcsk with lit- tlc more than d heap of ashes an l Charred wood.
 Swaina. Was suspicious at once when he heard of il, which Was some hours later, He did not b.