The evening times., 1898-10-06
PROBING A MYSTERY.
Police Making Inquiry Into the Dou
hIe Life of DIR. DetNNiIIer.

Newport, r. l., Oct. 6.--The police today
began a systematic inquiry into the
strangely romantic double life of DR.. John
W. Detwiller. formerly of Bethlehem, Pa.
II will be remembered that his death here
last week was followed by the appearance
of two widows claiming. his body and es-
tate, and that yesterday there was found
in the house where he lived some stolen
property from the labratory of Prof. VOL
colt Gibbs. which he confessed on his
deathbed that he had secreted.
The police made thorough and final
search OF his house in Lincoln Street to-
day, but found nothing more of a sensa-
tional nature. They also wired the police
of Denver Col, and Bethlehem, Pa, for
information about the doctor, for they
understood that he lived in Denver for a
time, and also at Cripple Creek. No an
swer has yet been received from either
place.
Witha: DIR. Detwller appears to have
been clever taXidermist for the police
found in his house today several stuffed
and mounted objects, including a shark
and several birds. There were also there
a carpenter shop and laboratory, both well
equipped. Several prescription pads have
been found, indicating that his office in
Bethlehem was at No. 122 South Main
Street The deathbed directions that he
gave his wife to aid her in finding the
stolen goods were written ON a sheet of
one of these pads. These instructions
were as follows:
Under the third attic stair you will find
something Up in the attic near joist
under the floor you will find something
more 1t is not necessary to tear up the
floor"
There followed a diagram showing
more clearly how the concealed proper
ty in the attic could be located. Up to
this time his wife had no knowledge of
what was secreted in the house. Her ca
gerness to follow the deathbed directions
| of her husband, however. resulted in the
matter coming TO the attention of the
probate court and hence to that of the
| police.
Battery Jars were found under the
stairs and aluminium and platinum were
| discovered in the attic under the floor.
| For stolen articles which the doctor is
| believed to have sold in Boston the po-
| lice find he got $50, ,000 They were of plati-
mum.
Prof. Gibbs saw in the newspapers on
Monday the story of the Doctors two
| widows and also that under the floor of
his home there had been found some
platinum articles. Wondering if they
were not his long lost property, he called
| at the police station and stated his sus-
| picions and an investigation showed
| that that the property was his.
Despite the fact that one time DR.. Det-
| willer was worth half million dollars,
| he lived In Newport in actual want, and
| left behind him many unpaid accounts.
| Members of the family of Mr.. W. Fitz-
| hugh Whitehouse, of London and New
| port were among the cottagers who were
| the doctors patients this season.
The first Mrs. Detwiller returned to
| Newport yesterday afternoon. She was
| Miss Dorster of Bethlehem, and is the
mother of the doctors only child. The
| second Mrs. Detwiller was Miss Marga-
| ret Sweigard, also of Bethlehem She is
very beautiful. The Detwillers say she
was never married. Her counsel say she
| can prove that she was: that she left the
| doctor four years ago, when he made a
| certain confession to her and returned
| to him after seventeen weeks.
J There is coming lively fight for the
| doctors Jersey City lots. which he willed
to the second Mrs. Detwiller a week be-
| fore he died.