Pulp Fiction, 1942 · page 85 of 116
10 Story Detective, July 1942 — page 85: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page Analysis: "Design for a Rub-Out" This is a **story prose page** (page 83) from a hardboiled crime pulp magazine. The text depicts a confrontation between two men—apparently Donovan and Rathborne—discussing criminal activity related to a kidnapping and extortion scheme. Rathborne threatens to expose Donovan's involvement to authorities and demands a confession before a stenographer and police official. The illustration below shows several men in formal attire gathered around a table with a large spider web backdrop, suggesting intrigue or entrapment. The page depicts classic pulp crime fiction themes: blackmail, corruption, and threats of legal exposure.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
DESIGN FOR A RUB-OUT of the $25,000 was false, but I will pay off the boys who were hired for the actual abduction. Muggsy won’t do anything because he doesn’t know I was in on the deal.” “You’re doing pretty good,” Dono- van nodded approvingly, “but I’m way ahead of you. In the first place, when Muggsy learns from me that you were behind the kidnaping and that you are paying off his confeder- ates while he goes to the chair, he’s going to turn state’s evidence and im- plicate you as well as his pals. “You’re going to have a lot of ex- plaining to do, especially about how the boy was kept a prisoner in his own home without you being aware of it. Rathborne laughed confidently. “Money can do a lot of things,” he said contemptuously. “If you try to prove your ridiculous story I’ll have a battery of expensive lawyers who will make you look like a hick. I'll pay off the boys, and Muggsy’s story won’t even reach the jury.” Donovan stood up. “‘You’re entirely right,” he said regretfully. “But I’m bringing Thatcher and a police stenog- rapher in here. I want you to dictate a complete confession to them and sign it. That’s the only way I’ll have an airtight case.” ——___--83 Rathborne laughed harshly, but Donovan’s words eut him short. “If you don’t,” he said mildly, “I won’t even push charges against you. I don’t know who your playmates were—I’m depending on you to tell us that—but they mustn’t be very nice. Rather than face them Muggsy Roberts was willing to take a mprder rap square on the chin. If you don’t confess [ll turn you loose to see what they will do to you—when they find.you welsh- ing on the snatch payoff.” “You fool! ’m not welshing. The boys will get their money.” Donovan shook his head. “The only debt you will pay is the one you owe to the state. Your wife was wise to you, remember, and two days before she died she made a will. That will names her son as sole heir, with the First National Bank as trustee. She left you exactly one dollar and I’m afraid that won’t be enough to satisfy your friends.” He waited a moment, watching Rathborne cover his pale face with shaking hands. Donovan touched a bell on his desk. “The stenographer will be here in 2 mn he said. “Get ready to talk.” GORiGooo S (C(O) im