The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-05-05

Even the bed had not been
spared. The covers had been
yanked back and the pillows
thrown to the floor. The mattress
was half off.
The door to a closet stood wide
open. 1t, too. had been ravished
Dresses had been ripped off their
hangers and lay in confused
silken heap on the floor, together
with a number of pairs of slip
pers. They were expensive-looking
clothes, despite their tragic dis
array, and I was particularly i'm
pressed with a gorgeous white eve
ming wrap trimmed in fur which
half emerged from the pile.
Returning to the living room
the bath was on the left Of the
little hallway, and another clothes
closet on the right. Like the other
one, this had been ransacked, but
apparently Margie Shannon had
kept most of her finery in the first
one and reserved this for heavier
wraps and overshoes and such
things, though it did contain q
costly-looking fur coat.
The bath apparently had been
spared an overhauling, for my
casual look around showed me
nothing unusual, and I went back
to the living room just as Whitacre
entered with the apartment man
ager.
He was a dumpy little man with
a series of chinS and an important
air. His black hair was brushed
back carefully in a vain effort to
conceal his bald spot and a heavy
beard showed blue-black beneath
the skin.
Managers Statement
COrrObOrates Maids
He said that his name was
Weiss. CropSy commanded him to
tell what he know about the muir
der and his story corroborated the
maids; he had been summoned,
he said, by the phone operator and
told Of Bertha Ramsey's discovery;
whereupon he had asked that the
police be called and had accom-
panied the maid up to the Shan
non apartment where he had seen
the body of Margie Shannon. Then
he had closed the door and waited
for the police.
That's everything?" Cropsy
asked.
Weiss shrugged. How should
I know more? First I make sure
that the maid is telling the truth;
then I wait. That is all can do,
isn't it?"
"Never mind that now" Cropsy
said. I could see that he was
annoyed at Weiss air Of assur-
ance. Tell me something about
the girl. Who was she? Where
did she come from? Did she
have any friends among the other
tenants?"
Again the manager shrugged.
IT know very little about her. She
has lived here perhaps a year
perhaps little less; can tell you
exactly when look at my books.
Where she came from I don't
know; it is not my business to
ask. I do not believe she had
many friends in the building. She
kept pretty much to herself"
Where did she work? I under
stand she was an artists model"
Eyes. She was employed by Mr..
Howard Wrenn, who is very fine
artist"
"He runs an art school out near
University Circle" put in Korn'
man.
Cropsy nodded. I've heard Of
him. .Whitacre, get hold Of
Wrenn and have him come down
here" To Weiss he said, "You
haven't any idea, I suppose, who
last saw Miss Shannon alive?
Who's at the switchboard at
night? Did they see her go out
or come IMP"
The manager smiled deprecat-
ingly. You always ask me two
or three questions at once. A
young man named Joe Lewicki is
on the switchboard at night. He
reports at 7 in the evening. But
Mrs. Carran. who is on duty in
the daytime, told me she saw Mr..
Wrenn and Miss Shannon come
In the building about 6 o'clock.
Cropsy cooked his head in sud
den interest. "She did, did she?
Why didn't you tell me that be-
fore?"
"You didn't let me finish"
Weiss said with his shrug. "she
said Mr.. Wrenn left a few min
utes later"
THAT don't make any differ
ence," Numbered Kornman. "You
come clean with us or there'll be
trouble. I guess this bird WSenn
will have some explaining to do,
he added to CropSy.
mot unless he came back
again." his superior answered. u