Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 71 — page 103: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

» a ~ t. AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION with a blunt instrument.” Mark glanced at Stanley. “And that’s not all. According to the report the man is a mess in every sense of the word. Death was caused by internal hemorrhage and shock. No signs of poison, though there are traces of other drugs, none unduly harmful. Death took place ap- proximately sixty hours ago.” “It fits,’ said Stanley. “Say they dumped the body soon after death. It was covered with rubbish and left. Next morning the dump-trucks. covered it even deeper, but the day after the bulldozer came and levelled off the heap. The watchman went on the prowl to see what he could find and spotted the victim this morning.” Stanley nodded as if satisfied at his own deductions. “It was pure luck that the body was found at all. One more day and it would have been buried real deep.” “Luck,” said Mark, and frowned. “The boys get anything?” *“No. They’ve been the rounds but, as far as they can learn, no one’s missing. I’ve had photographs made and circulated them to the missing persons bureau, the Salvation Army and some of the agencies. They may help.” “I doubt it.” Mark blew smoke at the ceiling, stared at it, then looked at the lieutenant. “Done anything with the fingerprints?” “Sure. I’ve wired copies to the central records, but we can’t rely on them. They won’t help unless he’s done time, worked at a government plant, been in the armed forces or is an immigrant. But if he was an honest man who kept him- self to himself, his prints will be just another set for the y files.” “Honest?” Mark shrugged. “J doubt it. Someone must have hated the victim pretty badly. Those injuries were — done before death, remember. Now, who would want to kidnap a harmless, honest man and literally torture him to death? To me it looks like 102 comichooks.com