On the evening of December 31, 1928, Adelaide Voss dissolved chloral hydrate into a bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne delivered to her hotel room at 9:45 PM. She carried the bottle to Evelyn Hart's dressing room at The Velvet Room, poured a glass, and left. Evelyn Hart drank it. She did not choose to die. She was two hours from the performance of her life.

The motive was a discovery Hart had made in the weeks prior: the publishing company controlling her royalties was a shell entity — Midnight Songs Publishing Co., incorporated by Voss in Delaware without Hart's knowledge — through which her 50% contractual share had been silently reduced to 15%, with over $6,000 diverted over two years. Hart telegraphed Voss on December 28: "Found something in the accounts that does not add up."

Voss understood what that meant. She had three days to act. An unsigned note found in Hart's hotel room — "please let this matter rest" — was her first attempt. The champagne, three days later, was her second.

The Veronal pill bottle was staged at the scene after Hart lost consciousness. The second champagne glass was removed. The door was locked from outside with a duplicate key. Detective Malone closed the case eight days later without waiting for the toxicology report.

Raymond Hollis, WNYX Vice President, who had knowledge of the fraud and assisted in its concealment, telegraphed Voss at 9:14 the following morning: "Consider this matter closed." The case was sealed in a metal strongbox and placed in the basement of the club. It remained there for ninety-six years.

The truth was in the details.