One Is Guilty (1934)

Unpopular boxing champion Kid Roberts is found murdered in an empty Rexford Arms apartment, with nothing in his pockets but a letter to his manager, Jack Allan, and some feminine jewelry. Inspector Trent is called to the scene, where he discovers a woman's scarf and a lipstick-stained cigarette butt. He immediately suspects Sally Grey, another occupant of the building, but he discovers that her gun is of a different caliber than the murderer's weapon. Later, Trent sees Lola Deveroux, the wife of Rexford Arms owner Wells Deveroux, sneak into the apartment. He learns that both the scarf and the cigarette butt were hers. The detective then finds Allan in the apartment of Mabel Kane, the cabaret performer who was Roberts' sweetheart. Their alibis for the murder night do not match. Trent searches the apartment once more, and finds a theatre seat stub. An unknown assailant attacks Trent and takes the stub, and the detective is later found unconscious by Sally. Trent remembers the seat number, however, and the police begin a search for those attending the performance that night. Meanwhile, Allan is found dead, with another lipstick-stained cigarette butt next to him. Mabel tells Trent that she had seen an unknown woman with both Roberts and Wells. The apartment owner becomes suspicious of his wife, as a bullet is missing from his gun. Lola confesses to having had an affair with Roberts, but denies being his murderer. Harley, the man seated behind the mystery seat in the theatre, contacts the police, and though he cannot identify the wanted man, he remembers that his watch was missing its minute hand. Trent discovers that Wells' minute hand is missing, and accuses him of murdering Roberts out of jealousy, then killing Allan when the manager discovered the truth. Wells tries to escape, but Trent captures him. With the case solved, Trent is now free to pursue Sally, rather than fugitives.