New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-09-09
HOTEL CLERK MURDERED.
SEARCH FOR BELLBOY.
Latter English, Speaking Portu-
gueSe- $3.50 Taken.

Sands H Butler, night clerk at the Greek
Hotel. at No 30 East Forty-second-st. was
found murdered in small room in the rear OF
the hotel oflce early yesterday morning The
murder had been committed with some heavy,
sharp instrument, which had struck the man
the temple and penetrated the skull into
the brain. The cash drawer of the hotel had
been emptied- The police have sent out an
alarm for a night bellboy, Percy Howard
Howard is an T1nglishman who had fought in
the Boer war and later in a South Central
American revolution Butler had been night
clerk at the hotel for three years. He was six
ty-f4ve years old. but strong and well preserved.
tie lived No 459 Lexlngton-ave- He had
been In the hotel business most Of his life, hav-
Ing lived IN Poughkeepsie prior 10 coming TO
New-York about twenty years ago. Hts son
Charles. who has the cigar stand at Martins,
Twenty-sixth-st and Broadway, and a daugh-
ter. Mary. lived with him. The daughter is
deaconess In the Metropolitan Temple in Sew
enth-ave. Another son. ". I. Butler. lives in
San Francisco Butler widOwer.
Five days ago Howard applied at the hotel for
a place as belIboy- He had recommended
lions but the hotel needed a night bellboy and
he was engaged. Butler engaged him after
Howard had told q hard luck" story. one of
Towards duties was awaken some of the
chambermaids. Yesterday two not awak-
They found Buffers body sitting in chair
The police discovered that Butler himself had
not been robbed. In his pockets were his gold
watch and chain and S175 i'm bills. From the
cash drawer. however. $3.50 in office f pds had
been taken. The hotel safe was not touched. In
II were the valua bles Of guests. The proprietor
of the hotel. DemetriUs Polyr1no told the po-
lice that another OF Howard's duties was to
ring a time clock at stated periods lnVesu-
CATION shove that the last time the clock had
been rung was at $50 a. IN The police said this
showed that Howard if he was guilty. had over
two hours start of the police. as the murder
was not discovered until 6.05
Police Captain Cooney thinks Butler was
struck first from behind. Butler was probably
doing at the time. The object OF the assault
Captain Cooney says. was undoubtedly to get
the keys t. the desk where the cash drawer was
The murderer the captain thinks in passing be-
fore Butler Was Mortified at his act, and did
not wait TO search Buffers clothes
The address given by Howard as his home.
No So Bank-st is a three-story furnished room
and boarding house managed by James Peter
son. Peterson said that Howard came there last
Fridsy He had only a parcel but received
room Another roomer. Charles Y. Bell, paid
FIoward's advance room money. Bell is
young man, and. with his brother lived IN
rooms in the Bank-st house. Bell told the po-
lice that early last week he was stopped on the
street by Howard. VINO asked for nights lodg-
ing Bell took him home and made a shake
down for him TO sleep that night On the
following night "wednesday Howard did not
appear at the house. but he did call on Bell on
thursday night ana told Bell he had obtained
a position as beIIboy in the Greek Hotel. and
wished room for himself In the boarding house.
Bell advanced him the necessary s.
Reu said that afterward Howard told him
What purported 10 be the story of his life. How
ard said he had fought in the Boer war and re-
ce3ved A wound in the head; that afterward he
had gone to Central or South America and taken
mart in A revolution. There too, he was injured
He came TO America a month ago and wished
only TO get money enough TO get back TO the
country where he had taken part in the revolu-
ton Howard expressed an eagerness to take
charge Of certain army operations. Bell said
Howard slept nervously starting at slight
sounds and often getting out Of bed, as though
afraid Of something.
Iuspector McCiusky last night sent out five
thousand printed circulars about Howard The
circulars say in part:
An Fnglishman. twenty-one years of age
about five feet ten inches in height, with light
reddish curly hair, large. straight nose; long,
Suil fare. light blue eyes, somewhat boodshot
teeth decayed in front, and mostly missing on
right side of mouth; one tooth somewhat pro-
truding on left side in front; speaks with Eng
lish accent: wore gray suit, with small Drown
can: born IN Nottingham, England. ana be-
lieved to be in this country but one month";
Speaks English. Portuguese and some French
Has travelled great deal. and has been IN
South or Central America .,
He is slightly stoopshouldered ana extremely
nearsighted-