Solve It! The Grim Death of a Gentle Scholar
— From the Archives: A 1920s Article by Lanie Price —
Dear Reader,
Our beloved community, rich with culture and history, has its shadows, too. Two years ago, a brutal and mysterious crime shook us to our core. Miss Lucy Tate, the dedicated librarian of the 135th Street Branch of the New York Public Library, was found bludgeoned to death in her office. She was 34. A lengthy police investigation failed to reveal her killer. Today, we revisit the details of this chilling cold case in hopes that fresh eyes may shed new light on the mystery.
The Sinister Scene
The gloomy rain pelted the windows of the 135th Street Branch of the New York Public Library on that fateful evening, April 15, 1923. Inside, the lamps burned low as the devoted head librarian, Miss Tate, pored over documents at her desk. Little did she know that her diligent work would soon come to a permanent and horrific end.
As the clock inched toward closing time, the library's elderly janitor, Mr. Amos Roth, began his nightly rounds. Shuffling down the dimly lit corridor toward Miss Tate’s office, he was alarmed to find the door ajar. Peering inside with trembling hands, he was horrified to see Miss Tate slumped over her desk, lifeless, her eyes open and staring, blood seeping from a savage wound on the back of her head. The heavy, owl-shaped bookend she had received as a service award that very day lay ominously beside her, stained with blood and strands of her chestnut hair.
Clues Unearthed by Investigators
Homicide detectives found several critical clues:
The Owl-Shaped Bookend: This heavy object was used to deliver the fatal blow. It was covered in fingerprints—from many people. Police only told the public that the killer had used a blunt object found in Miss Tate’s office but did not specify the object. Although reporters later learned that the owl-shaped bookend was used, this detail was never widely reported.
The Desk: Documents lay scattered on the desk like fallen leaves. They included a new purchasing bid on a building, a letter concerning library privileges, and a reminder about an appointment to talk to the police. In addition, her desk drawers had been pulled open and emptied on the floor.
The File Cabinet: The file cabinet drawers stood open and clearly had been rifled through, with several folders dumped on the floor.
Footprints: Muddy footprints leading to the reading room indicated the killer entered through a side entrance. The size and type of these footprints were key to narrowing down the suspect list.
The Main Suspects
Several individuals emerged as primary suspects, each with a potential motive and connection to Miss Tate:
Miss Ellen Rogers: A fellow librarian who harbored deep resentment towards Lucy. A colored woman born and raised in Harlem, Miss Rogers felt she was better suited to understand and serve the community than the white, Midwestern-born Miss Tate. Miss Rogers told investigators that she came up with many of the programs and innovations for which Miss Tate received credit. On the day of the murder, Miss Rogers begrudgingly presented Miss Tate with an owl-shaped bookend, gritting her teeth as her rival was lauded yet again.
Miss Rogers’ fingerprints were found on the bookend—along with those of many others.
No evidence linked her to the muddy footprints.
Witnesses confirmed that Miss Rogers attended a prayer service during the time of the murder.
Miss Rogers made these statements to reporters:
Statement 1: "I was at a prayer service that entire evening. Miss Tate and I, we had our differences. I did feel that she was taking credit for my ideas—that award should've been mine—and we did have a heated argument earlier in the week. But I respected her dedication."
Mr. James "Jimmy" Barnes: Miss Tate’s ex-fiancé and a respected historian, Mr. Barnes had brokered the library’s recent purchase of papers said to have belonged to Frederick Douglass. Police learned that Miss Tate came to suspect that Mr. Barnes had forged the papers, and she threatened to expose him if he didn't return the library's funds. Mr. Barnes, having already spent the money, allegedly feared both the legal consequences and the potential destruction of his reputation.
Police found records of payments to Mr. Barnes, but no trace of the fake documents. Police suspected that Mr. Barnes killed Miss Tate and stole the papers so she could not present them as evidence.
Mr. Barnes’ shoes did not match the muddy footprints found at the scene.
Witnesses confirmed that Mr. Barnes was indeed playing poker during the time of the murder but noted that he arrived late.
Mr. Barnes made these statements from jail while awaiting trial on fraud charges:
Statement 1: "I went to see Miss Tate to apologize for our past and to see if we could start over. Lucy wasn’t very receptive, though. She seemed worried and preoccupied. I left after a few minutes.”
Statement 2: “Forgery? I don’t know what you’re talking about. I would never be involved in something like that or put Lucy’s reputation in danger that way.”
Reverend Samuel Green: The esteemed pastor was involved in a fierce dispute with Miss Tate over a building they both wanted to purchase. He envisioned a community center bearing his name, and she saw a chance to significantly expand the library. She said his interest in the building was more a matter of his pride than interest in serving his flock. He denied this and said he was ‘simply a man of great vision.’ He, in turn, accused her of being driven. She said she was indeed, but more for the community than for herself. She then offered a compromise: why not share the building and combine nourishment for the mind and the soul in one place? She was awaiting his response at the time of her death.
Police found no evidence linking Reverend Green to the muddy footprints.
It was impossible to determine conclusively if Reverend Green's fingerprints were on the bookend.
Miss Rogers stated that Reverend Green was late to the prayer service on the night of the murder.
The week after the murder, Reverend Green gave a sermon inspired by Isaiah 34:11.
Reverend Green’s statements to investigators:
Statement 1: "I led a prayer service that evening. My congregation can vouch for me. Miss Tate and I disagreed about the new building, yes, but we were working on a compromise. I never wanted her harmed."
Statement 2: "Miss Tate’s vision for the library was commendable, but the church’s needs are also great. We both wanted what’s best for the community, even if we had different ideas on how to achieve it."
Mr. Alex Taylor: Mr. Taylor, a plumber, had recently lost his job and faced impending homelessness. He'd been using the library to not only try to educate himself and improve his chances of finding work but to clean up and sometimes even sleep. Unfortunately, the schizophrenic outbursts that caused him to lose his job in the first place also cost him his access to his one place of refuge—the library—when Miss Tate made him leave and banned him from future entry.
The letter found on Miss Tate's desk indicated that she had reconsidered and decided to restore Mr. Taylor’s library privileges.
No one saw Mr. Taylor at the speakeasy where he claimed to be that night.
Mr. Taylor’s shoes matched the size and pattern of impressions found in the footprints.
Mr. Taylor told anyone who would listen:
Statement 1: "I didn’t kill her! Yes, I was upset about her kicking me out like that, but I wouldn’t have killed her over it. I wasn’t even near the library last night. I was at the speakeasy down the street, and some people saw me there."
Statement 2: "I mean, yeah, I saw her earlier that day—it was late afternoon. I tried to talk to her about letting me back in. But she was firm. Said the decision was final. I got angry, sure, and maybe I said some things I shouldn’t have. But I never would’ve hurt her. She was good people—and too important to the community."
Statement 3: "Those muddy footprints? It’s been raining all week. Anyone could’ve tracked mud into the library. Besides, I don’t even own shoes that would leave those kinds of prints."
You’re invited to revisit this cold case. Analyze the clues, consider the suspects, and share your theories on who might have taken Miss Tate’s life. Your fresh perspective might bring justice to this beloved figure of our community.
Stay tuned for updates as we explore the dark secrets hidden within our vibrant community. Together, we can unravel the threads of this cold case and honor the memory of Lucy Tate.
Yours in pursuit of the truth,
Lanie Price
Society Reporter for The Harlem Chronicle
02 August 1925
(Note: This case is a work of fiction and the characters involved are wholly imaginary.)
