The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-10-25
The C1ew O9 the
 Forgotten Murder.

was just a month or so ago. know she had birthday, and l think 1t was her 22d. It may have been her 23d, but I think she was 22."
 And she's a brunet?"
 "Yes. She has black eyes and black hair. She has a windblown bob"
 How tall is she?"
 "She is just about my build. We could wear each others clothes. In fact, she let me wear her clothes lots of the time."
 She had plenty?" asked Griff.
 "She had lot more than I did" Alice Lorton waved her arm in an inclusive gesture. Nearly all of this stuff is hers-the books, many of the clothes, nearly all of the little nick-nacks. I didn't have very much. She had quite few things" - Sidney Griff crossed to the book case, picked out several of the books, looked at the names on the fly leaves.
 "Is this her signature?" he asked.
 Alice Lorton came and looked over his shoulder.
 "Yes," she said, that's it."
 Griff glanced meaningly at Blocker.
 II think" he said, when they travel by plane they're required to sign a duplicate ticket that has certain clauses in it concerning limitations of liability. the right to ground planes under adverse weather conditions, the excess rate on baggage, and things of that sort. By checking up the signatures on the outgoing planes, we mightsfind out of she took passage under an assumed name, and we've got a pretty fair description of her clothes"
 Blocker pulled out a notebook and made a notation.
 How much" asked Griff abruptly, "were you paying for the apartment?"
 T don't know" she said slowly, "how much Esther was paying for it. Esther was the one who had the dealings with the landlord. She paid him. paid her what she said my share amounted to-"
 How much did she say your share amounted to?"
 Twenty dollars a month," Alice Lorton said in a low voice.
 Griff looked about the apart ment.
 You didn't get this apartment for any $40 a month," he told her.
 "I kEow it," she said. That is, suspected it, but Esther always told me it was none of my busi- ness; that she made the business arrangements and if she could get the, apartment cheap I didn't have to worry about it.'' You mean she knew the land lord personally that is, there was some reason why the landlord made her reduced rate?"
 "Oh, mo-" Alice said hastily. T don't think there was anything like that. I don't think she even knew the landlord
 You paid her the $2O every month";"
 "Yes. Once or twice I had to skip a month, but Esther carried me. She seems to have plenty of money"
 NO. she said she was looking for employment" Who's the landlord?"
 "The Lippman Realty Co have charge of the apartments. There isn't a manager in the building. I don't know their address. I remem- Der hearing Esther say that she made checks to the Lippman Real ty Co.,"
 Do you mind" asked Sidney Griff. If look around?" "Oh no,' she said anxiously, "I want you to. You know, l cant help but feel something awful has happened to Esther. I feel that she went away, but she went away be- cause of some cloud, some horrible misunderstanding. Perhaps she was forced to accompany some one.''
 How about men friends?" ask ed Griff.
 "She had one or two. I don't know their names. That was one understanding we had about boy friends. Whenever l had boy friend coming to the apartment to see me, would tell Esther and she'd leave the apartment. When ever she had young man coming to see her, I'd leave. That was one of the arrangements that Esther insisted on. She said that shed had roommates before, and that they'd always tried to steal her men. or had accused her of trying to steal theirs
 
 Griff nodded and stood for a moment with his eyes closed. his right hand stretched out in front of him, the fingers moving in that peculiar groping, stroking motion.
 T see," he said at length.
 He walked about the apartment, which consisted or a sitting room, a bedISSom and a bath.
 "One e you girls slept in the wall bed in the sitting room? he asked.
 ..Most of the times" Alice Lor-