something happens when he enters the elevator. elevators are manually operated by a wheel. it takes a great am of skill to get the floor of the elevator and the actual floor to line up. that particularly elevate oar was very difficult to center, so the belief is is that sarah didn't quite have it level. that as dick walked on to the elevator he tripped and by reflex threw his hands out to cushion the fall, that he grabbed sarah by the shoulder, ripped her dress. she screams and he realizes this is a dangerous moment for him d runs out of the elevator and takes off. but there was a white clerk at a clothing store who heard the screen, saw dick run out of the building and he puts two and two