The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-08
STURTEYANT MURDER SUSPECT
Az ITALIAN HELD FOR KILLING
TIE BANKER'S DAUGHTER.

Arrest I'd In Bost on while Comfng Into Town
on His Observation-Disclosures Fled OH a
Wheei--He Had Expected to Secure
| the Bank Receipts for the Evening.
| BosToN, May 7--Tommaso lombard
/ the Italian laborer arrested here carly
! this morning upon suspicion that he might
! be the robber who murdered Miss Nellie
| Sturtevant, daughter Of j. :. Sturtevant,
| the banker, in front Of her home at Medfortt
| late last night, was taken to Maiden this
, forenoon and arraigned before Judge
| Bruce on the charge Of murder. He was
represented by ]. j. Walsh, a Maiden lawyer,
who waived the reading OF the complaint
| The Italian said that he could not speak
English. The case was postponed until
| next Tuesday and he was committed TO
the East Cambridge jail.
lombard was arrested in Boston while
f from dsss s1 ~as about az f h"ur
| and a half after the Sturtevant murder.
| The Boston police had been notified by
, the Medford authorities that the murderer
had escaped from Medford on a bicycle.
| 1t is asserted that lombard answers the
description given by Mr.. and Mrs. Sturte-
! want and that Medford letter ca rrier thinks
he can identify him as having been in Med
| ford late last night.
IL BiuHOeTStOOO LOmDaTQl VIII eflueaNOT
to establish an alibi He said early this
morning that he had been riding with
Giogama Tentnto. a fellow boarder. during
the evening, and this statement is corrobo-
rated by the latter in part. Tentinto says
he went wheeling. but quit at O'Clock.
lombard was found on Catiseway street
at l:l5 A. NJ.
James Sweeney and j. j. Brady, linemen.
who saw man answering the description
of the murderer in Medford last night.
We're unable to identify him. During the
early morning hours the Medford police
arrested Daniel j. Murphy of Arlington on
suspicion Of having committed the murder.
He was taken to Maiden with the Italian
but the charge against him was dropped
Miss Sturtevant was well known in Med
ford, especially in the Hillside district.
and for several years had been leader in
social affairs. She was interested in the
Cniversalist Church, at Medford Hillside.
and ever since her father became treasurer
of the Cooperative Bank she had acted as
his assistant.
When she attended the monthly meet
ings of the bank Miss Surtevant always
carried a satchel with her. and it is the
theory OF the police that the murderer was
thoroughly conversant with her actions.
and doubtless Thought that when she re-
turned from the bank she carried with her
all the cash which had been collected from
the stockholders
~ u matter Oh IdCt 'le IllTtleTtT was ms
taken, for il has been for several years
the custom of Mr., S;urtevanl 20 lock the
cash up in big safe in the bank rooms,
which are in Smals block. Medford Centre.
Nothing has ever been carried in the satchel
but a few deposit books and some checks
The monthly meeting Of the bank takes
place on the first "Wednesday evening, and
the father and daughter went to the meet
ing last evening as usual, Mrs Sturte-
want, instead of going TO me meeting. spent
-,
Gray on Marshall street At the con-
clusion of their work, Mr. Sturtevant and
his daughter called at the Gray residence
for Mrs Sturtevant. Then they proceeded
TO their nome on Chester avenue, where
they arrived just before ll:oO P. NJ.
When the Sturtevants left their home
early In the evening they left the incan-
descent light over their front piazza burn
ing and it was still lighted when they re-
turned. As the family, neared the house
wife and daughter and reached the front
door while they we're on a bit Of concrete
walk which divides the two flights Of steps
Mr.. .Sturtevant had taken his latch key
from his pocket and was about to put It
into the lock. when man came around the
corner OF the house and. pointing a revolver
at Miss Sturtevant, told her to throw up her
hands and give him the bag,
According TO Mr.. Sturtevan,. his daugh..
tor at once turned on the man and started
brella. Instantly there was shot. and
Miss Sturevant fell on the steps,
Mr.. Sturtevant then started for the man,
who grabbed the handbag which the daugh-
ter had carried. ..
The man next turned his attention to Mr..
Sturtevant, and while the latter was chasing
him fired two shots from the revolver both
missing their mark. The rohber then ran
up Chester avenue toward Winthrop street.
Mr. Sturtevant chased him some distance,
I,,f bo Inn, nod an hicvClla MI ich had
been resting against a fence 4 short dis
lance from the scene Of the shooting and
made his escape
Mr.. SturtevAnt then returned TO where
Mrs. Sturtevant carried her into the house
DR., Chandler was quickly summoned.
He fourd bulle, wound in her head about
one inch over the right eye and saw that it
was impossible for her TO live. Miss
Sturtevant died at 1925
Chief Holmes of the Medford police this
morning called into the case Det ective
Whitney Of the State police. Both decided
that the murder was committed by novice
that his chief motive was that Of robbery,
moment when attacked by Miss sturtevant,
he lost his self-possession, and thought
only Of his escape
The police gay that no professional W ould
have adopted such measures on defe nee
less man or woman unless he was in bad
corner with no chance for escape. The
murderer in this case had plenty Of OPP
portnnity to escape. In discussing the
murder to-day, Mr. SturtevHnt recalled
the fact that week ago he was followed
by bicycle rider.
At that time Mr.. Sturtevant didn't think
anything of the incident, bur to-day he
remembered that he was followed from
a secluded spot on Winthrop street until
he turned into Chestnut avenue. Mr..
Sturtevant believes that the man who
followed him was his daughters murderer.