The Savannah morning news., 1901-10-16
SLAIN AND ROBBED
MRS. L. LEVY LOST HER LIFE AND
$1,000.
LITTLE DOUBT OF MURDER.
PLENTY OF EVIDENCE OF ROB-
Berry THAT FOLLOWED.

sasSin-Keys Torn From Around
Her Neck and Her Trunks RitIcd.
She Hoarded Her Wealth and
Much Money Must Have Been
Taken-Had Disposed of Her Rice
and Cattle with a View 10 Coming
to the City-Feared Her Life Would
BE Taken and Had Man sleep on
the PIace-ne Saw Her Last at 3
O'Clock Friday MOrninE-Ad minis-
traitor SiIverstein Made an Inves-
tigation That VIII Probably Lead
TO Arrests.
There appears to be no doubt that
Mrs. L. Levi was murdered and rob-
bed of some $4,000 last Friday at her
store near Burroughs Station. Dave
Silverstein, who was made administra-
tor of the Levi estate when Mr.. Levi
died, spent Monday at Burroughs and
made a thorough investigation by
which considerable important in
formation was obtained. The Of
ncers have been furnished with
clews that may lead to the
arrest of the murderer and robber.
An account of the finding of Mrs.
Levi was given in the Morning News
Saturday She was brought to the city
and taken to the Savannah Hospital
in dying condition. She never re-
gained consciousness, and died without
being able to tell anything about her
assailant. The case was not reported
to the county or city officers and Cor
oner Keller was not asked to hold an
inquest. The only information concern
ing the tragedy was given to the Off
GERS through the Morning News, and
when it was charged that a murder
had been committed Mayor Lagree of
Burroughs Station was asked to make
an investigation. Nothing has been
heard from him since that time and
Mrs, Levi was buried Sunday. without
the holding of a post mortem.
cv Believes $4,000 stolen.
Mr. Silverstein, who qualified as ad-
ministrator on the estate of Mr.. Levi,
when ne died about six months ago,
left Monday for Burroughs and re-
turned yesterday with some informal
tion that throws considerable light on
the killing. The administrator discov,
cred that the place had been robbed
and is sure that in the neighborhood
of 81, 600 was stolen, IL indeed the
amount is not much larger. In the
room occupied by Mrs. Levi everything
was upside down and clothing was
scattered over the place. Trunks had
been broken open and the contents
were strewn over the floor. This was
not the only evidence of the fact that
a robbery had been committed
Tobacco bags that had contained
gold and silver were near the trunks
and the imprint OF the coins that they
had contained could be seen plainly on
the older ones, showing that they had
been tightly stuffed with money. Mrs.
Levi had no confidence in banks ana
boarded her wealth, according to Mr..
Silverstein who was probably her
closest friend. She mistrusted every
one and always looked upon banks
with an eye of suspicion. Mr.. Silver
stein knew this well and remembered
that she told him of one lump of 81 900
that she had stored away before she
disposed of her stock of goods, with
view of moving to the city. r,..
Iron Box Broken Open.
In an iron box she kept other of her
money. with her jewelry and relics.
The box had been broken open, and
only such things as could be readily
identiged were left. All of these were
noted by Mr.. Silverstein. who made an
extensive report of his findings to the
officers. 1t had always been Mrs. Lewis
custom to carry large bunch of keys
around her neck. They fitted the trunks
in her room and the doors about the
place. The keys were the first things
that were looked for by Mr.. Silver
stein when the unconscious woman was
brought to the city. When he had ex-
amined the wounds and had made the
discovery that the keys were missing
he was quite sure that Mrs. Levi had
been assaulted and the place robbed.
The fact that the keys were not in
their accustomed place made him GER
tain of his theory foul play and rub
berry. When the room was searched
Monday the keys were found on the
floor and had been used by the robber
in making a complete search. After
beating the aged woman into a state
of insensibility the murderer tore the
bunch of keys from around her neck
and probably committed his work of
plumber after the dying woman had
been taken from the store. 1t is not
believed that the assault and robbery
occurred at the same time. The Off
GERS are inclined to the opinion that
after committing the murderous assault
the man left the place and probably
visited and robbed the room Friday
night
Lived in Fear.
Mrs. Levi stated several weeks ago
that she was in mortal fear and was
advised by Mr.. Silverstein to sell out
and move to the city Her place was
about half a mile from the station and
in lonely spot. She feared one man
in particular and mentioned his name
to Silverstein. About three weeks ago
Silverstein went to Burroughs to take
stock and found goods valued at 1915
on hand. He again advised Mrs. Levi
to come to the city at once, realizing
that her life was in imminent danger
She stated that she had on hand in
the neighborhood of a hundred bushels
of rice. and that she could not get as
much money for the stock in Savannah
as she could by selling at Burroughs.
Last week she began packing up for
the purpose of moving to the city and
had sold her rice and cattle, realizing
perhaps a considerable sum. 1t was
her intention to move to the city this
week and she had made all arrange
ments for her departure. This fact to-
gether with the intelligence that the
goods and cattle had been sold, was
well known TO the man under sus-
picion, and, too, he probably suspected
where her store of wealth was kept
The only money found by Mr. Silver
stein was $l60 in pennies. This
amount he brought TO the city yester-
day with the trunks and other articles
belonging TO the estate of which he is
administrator.