You don’t see descriptions of suspects like this any more. Height? Weight? Build? Complexion? Who knows? All I remember is that protruding upper lip and drooping eyelid!

SHORT CHANGE
ARTIST HUNTED

Works Trick at One Grocery,
Fails at Another – Rob-
Bers Active

A man with a protruding upper lip and a decided droop to his left eyelid was being sought by police as a short-changer Sunday. The man rides in a large sedan with a California license, which is driven by a woman.

Through deft and rapid handling of money, the man short-changed Samuel I. Braman, proprietor a grocery at 1611 East Lake street, of $5, and got away before Mr. Braman figured out just what had happened. When the stunt failed to work at Warren’s grocery, Twenty-eighth avenue south and East Lake street, the man excused himself, saying he had made a mistake, and left.

Drops Boat Motor

Police also were seeking the owner of a two-cylinder outboard motor left behind by a prowler who just missed capture by police in the rear of 1440 Sheridan avenue north. A neighbor reported that a youth about 17 was prowling around the place. The prowler fled as police drove up.

A bandit with a scar on the left side of his face robbed M. H. Mentzel, grocer at 1810 Third avenue south of $25.

Unable to open a safe after knocking off the knob, prowlers stole a half-dozen fountain pens from the A. H. Fjelstad drug store, 3451 Cedar avenue. Five rings valued at $11 and a tin box containing 500 Indian pennies were stolen from the home of Samuel Brown, 1313 Queen avenue north.

This profitable-looking Minneapolis grocery, photographed in October 1932, must surely have been the target of an occasional cheat or thief. (Photo courtesy mnhs.org)

The word “miscreant” has not appeared in a Star Tribune headline in at least 20 years. “Fiend” turned up in a headline just once in that time span. I vow to work one of these two delicious words into a Star Tribune headline before the year is out.

Snappy dresser Edna Buschmann of St. Paul, shown here in about 1915, would have been a prime target for the villainous besmircher of Grand Central station. (Photo courtesy mnhs.org)

MISCREANT RUINS
WOMEN’S GOWNS
BY DASH OF SYRUP

A miscreant with a passion for ruining women’s gowns by daubing them with chocolate-colored syrup is being sought by detectives stationed in and near the Grand Central station, New York. The first case of the kind was brought to the attention of the authorities six months ago and since then several women have come into the dressing rooms at the station to have the stains removed, according to Mrs. Hendry, the matron. All efforts to locate the person have been fruitless.

“It is usually a large blotch of the syrup on the back of the coat or waist, as if it had been shot from a squirt gun,” said Mrs. Hendry. “From what all the women have said it must have happened in the street, right near the station. Whoever the fiend is, he knows good dresses, for it is always the very costly and beautiful ones that are ruined.”

The railroad has detailed special detectives to watch the inside of the station and the police department has men posted outside.

This Minneapolis Star story about a nude man chased by police includes a terrific dangling … um … modifier. Can you spot it?

NUDIST SUSPECT
NABBED FLEEING
POLICE BULLETS

Prisoner Captured When
His Car Rams Into
Tree

Suspected of being the nudist who has annoyed a score of women in the city, a 45-year-old man was jailed by police early today after a wild chase in which four shots were fired and which ended when the alleged nudist’s car crashed into a tree.

The man jailed is Bart King, Route 3, Hopkins. When taken into custody, King was wearing only shoes, stockings and a topcoat, police said. Other garments were in the back seat of his car.

Captain of Detectives James Mullen said numerous women who have seen the “Lake Harriet nudist” will be asked in to view King at a showup. King was being questioned today and a statement taken from him.

Stephen Woodley, 36, an employe of the city comptroller’s office, sent police on the trail of King at 2 a.m. today. While walking to his room in the Wisconsin hotel, 1700 Portland avenue, Woodley told police he saw a man enter the Seventeenth street entrance.

The man wore only shoes and sox, Woodley said, and fled in a car.

Woodley jotted down the license number of the car and notified police. Detectives Fred Borchardt and John Coskran answered the call. While Coskran was questioning Woodley in the hotel, Borchardt saw a car with the license number given by Woodley pass him.

Without waiting for his partner Borchardt started in pursuit. The chase led up Portland avenue to Franklin, out Franklin avenue to the Lake of the Isles. The nudist crashed into a tree and the pursuit was ended.

Police said King told them that he was en route to his home. Worn out after a hard day, King said he wanted to be ready to hop into bed when he arrived home and undressed en route. He denied he was the nudist seen by Woodley.

Woodley identified King as the man he saw.

On the same morning that a nude man was spotted at the Wisconsin Hotel on Portland Avenue, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt was holding court after breakfast about a mile away at the Nicollet Hotel. She was in town to give a speech on “War or Peace” at the Minneapolis Auditorium. (mnhs.org photo)