New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-10-12
POLICE STILL IN THE DARK.
UNABLE TO THROW ANY LIGHT on THE
MURDER MYSTERY.

The murder mystery goes on from day TO day
without much advance being made by the police.
a suspicious prisoner was confined in the
West Twentieth-st. police station last night. 1t
has been learned that his name Is John Con-
nOTs, twenty-one years old. and he was arrested.
presumably, by Central Office detectives at
Tenth-ave and Nnetcenth-st. late yesterday
afternoon Late last night a woman. who said
She was a sister Of the man. called at the
station and asked the sergeant in charge If a
man by that name had been arrested.
Yes" replied the sergeant.
What is the charge against him. asked she
suspicious person" replied the sergeant
The woman then said that policeman had
erudge against her brother and had arrested
him.
"Oh. no." replied the sergeant. he was not
arrested by any Of that gang"
Just before that the coseted with
Detective Sergeant Samuel Price in a back room
Of the station for twenty minutes
At the end of the conference Price said that he
had called at the station house to see Captain
Schmittberger He refused all Information con-
corning the mysterious prisoner.
Captain SchmittbeTger If the West Tween
ueth-st station, who has been working on the
case, yesterday made three arrests OF suS-
picious characters" which gave rise 10 a report
mystery. II turned out that they had nothing
to DO with the .ase.
The police have begun distributing large
number Of the photographs OF Mrs Gertru"r
Billings. who has been reported missing since
September 20 10y her husband saioonkeepcr'
Of SO. sjl COlumbus-ave. When she Glsal'-
pearcd she wore a number Of diamonds. said
10 be- valued at 500. There were five or SIX
diamond rings and one made Of diamonds. gar
nets and sapphires t. represent the American
Eric Larson. Of 80 IL East Ninety
eighth-st. a motorman in the employ OF the
New York Electric cab Company at FIFTY -thifd-
st. and broadway. told Captain SchmittheIser
that last Friday night at 10 O'Clock ne was
in a restaurant on the south SIDE OF f"Ui-
teenth- ST, between sixth and S"yenth aveS ,
When he emerged from the restaurant ne s"N
a Young man standing beside his cab with TWO
bundles. The man wore black SUIT OF oi",n's
and q brown beard. He asked him to take MN
To- HObOktn. Larson said he tod hiin mat ne
did not have electricity enough ne young
man then boarded in Fourteenth-s'
Larson then stated that on Tuesday night ne
was AT the East T~enty-ihird-st. ferry Mhcn me
same man accostrd him and asked to be taken
to the Grand Union. ana inquired thr pflcr
The man had shaved of his beard Larson
SAID that he charged 81 -. bat the man "ou'u
not pay IL and be boarded a car
Late on Tuesday night at Homestead y, d.
Detective Wcintnai. Of liobohen; ana Deseo"VF
O'Rourke. Of Ncw-lork. found puhdle oi
wornan's clothing saturated with blood. Chiel
of Police Devery. of New-York received lei-
ter written by some one on the Jersey slde OF tne
chief Devery's attention to the fact that while
walking along the road al Homestead on Mon
day he or she saw a bundle wrapped in news
paper and tied with thread.
''W men ! went to look at it,. the letter said.
at made me sick and left II alone. Thinking
il might interest you send you this letter.
The remainder Of the communication was de-
voted to 4 description Of the spot at which the
bundle 10 be found
Exactly on the spot indicated by the letter thy
found the bundle. hidden under rock On open
ing II il was found 10 contain several articles ~
woman's clothing and underwear all saturated
with blood.
They carried the bundle to New-York
John 4. Hunt. in the employ Of Coy. Hunt
CO. paper dealers. Of No - Duane St. yester-
day furnished the police possible cew, 10 the
following up Of which they devoted consid-
cradle time. on Friday morning stranger
visited the store in Duane-st. and asked for
some strong manila wrapping paper. He
seemed to be particular about the SIZE ana
quality. He looked at the samples as be held
the sheets against the light, and nnally selected
three sheets 4sxGi inches. Mr. Hunt SAYS that
he thinks IL would he impossible 70 IDENTIFY the
paper II II should he water SOAKED but " IL
should be dry he could tell whether IL was
bought at his store -,
Michael KTlcR. the clerk VINO tied UP the
sheets for the stranger said yesterday hiter-
noon that the man was n little under HehiuHi
height dark with small black nlus'hriic' n'u
wore A dark yellow ovefcoat he ala not apPe".
10 be nervous and the transaction niu not
arouse his suspicion that any thIhf ""s "'o'"