Albert Fish

A Clue

Nobody wanted to believe that this letter was true.  It had to be the ravings of some perverted, sadistic crank.  But, Detective King realized that the details of his meeting with the Budds and Grace were accurate.  Also, the handwriting on this horrible letter was identical to the letter the elderly kidnapper had written for the Western Union messenger six years earlier.

The envelope had an important clue:  a small hexagonal emblem had the letters N.Y.P.C.B.A. which stood for the New York Private Chauffeur's Benevolent Association.  With the cooperation of the president of the association, an emergency meeting of the members was held.  In the meantime, police checked out the handwritten membership forms looking for handwriting similar to "Frank Howard's."  Detective King then asked the members -- all of whom had passed the handwriting test -- to report anybody who had taken the association's stationery.

A young janitor came forward, admitting that he had taken a couple of sheets of paper and a few envelopes.  He had left the stationery in his old rooming house at 200 East 52nd Street.  The landlady was shocked when she was given "Frank Howard's" description.  He sounded just like the old man who had lived there for two months.

The old man who had checked out of her rooming house just a couple of days earlier.

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1. A Knock at the Door
2. New Recruits
3. Gracie
4. Vanished
5. Without A Trace
6. Where Have You Gone Billy Boy?
7. The Boogey Man
8. The Manhunt
9. A Letter From Hell
10. A Clue
11. Albert H. Fish
12. Confession
13. One-Way Ticket
14. Savagery
15. Finding Gracie
16. A Criminal History
17. The Unspeakable
18. Cannibalistic Cravings
19. The Alienists
20. A True Sadist
21. "Pins and Needles"
22. Legally Insane?
23. The Trial
24. Testimonies
25. On Hands and Knees
26. Signs of Psychosis
27. From the Frying Pan into the Fire
28. Bibliography