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Until murder struck on Wednesday night, September 12th, 1945, taking the life of a 71-year-old Taylor, most veteran sleuths of the New York City

police were confident that no development in a homicide case ever could startle or shock them.

No matter how violent or bizarre, they had determined, murders invariably followed definite patterns.

In this instance, however, Detective Joseph Sullivan became aware the moment he arrived at the scene shortly after midnight that something was amiss.

Still, he has yet had little idea of what was in store for them.

There was nothing colorful or dramatic in the setting of the crime.

It was a dreary residential neighborhood of weather-beaten frame buildings in the white stone section of the city.

And as Sullivan climbed out of his car at 14th

Avenue in Clintonville Street, a tense stillness seemed to settle about him as though time had

passed the community by. There was no sign of life, however, except for two women and a man

huddled on the sidewalk in front of a two-story

building on the southwest corner and a police radio car parked nearby. A dim light inside the

tailor shop on the ground floor of this corner building was the only visible illumination in any

habitation. On the other three corners there were

clockwise, a cigar and stationery store, a gas station, and a church, all dark and deserted.

In the yard of a private home lost in the shadows down the street, a dog howled dismally as if it were a signal.

There was movement inside the tailor shop.

Patrolman Thomas McLaughlin appeared in the doorway.

Siding Sullivan, he flipped his nightstick and casual salute in here he called witnesses he added

jerking his thumb toward the two women and the man passing Sullivan glanced to the

witnesses and was struck by the beauty of the younger woman inside he looked

...