The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-22
IN TERROR OF AUTO DRYER.
MRS. DELMONT SAYS HE ATTACK
ED HER IN ROOM AT HASTINGS.

Doctor Held Him by Telephone While De.
t~ectives Nabbed Him In SalOOn-Gun
Pound on HIm-FOrmer Employer Says
He Wanted $40 900 TO Go 10 Mexico.
Edgar Purdy, an automobile driver, was
arrested about 8 O'Clock last night in a
saloon at the northeast corner Of Seventy
seventh street and Broadway by Detec-
tives MCGEE and Maher of the Tenderloin
station house. Purdy was locked up on a
charge of carrying concealed weapons.
The police then notified Mrs. Isabella
belmont, from whom they received notice
Of Purdy's whereabouts. She will appear
against him this morning in Jefferson Mar
ket police court. Mrs. belmont lives at the
Hotel Stratford, at II East Thirty-second
street, and formerly employed Purdy,
Mrs. belmont said last night that Purdy
las been annoying her for some time.
She is afraid he will kill her il he il not
placed under restraint.
Mrs. belmont declared to the police that
on February 10. while she was at the house
Of c, l.. Brandt, at Hastings-on-Hudso
Purdy broke into her room one night and
put a revolver to her head. She says that
she wrestled with him, and although she
finally got the revolver away he struck her
on the head and neck, bruising her severely,
Purdy had to hurry away, and she says
that he threw her down hard on the floor,
~injuring her internally. Since that time,
Mrs. belmont says, she has been under
the care of DR.. T. H. Burch of 1906 West
Fifty-seventh street.
After the Hastings affair, she turned the
revolver over to the police up there and a
MS I@rupt made nttt For pttrlu hn-
oording to her story, the chief Of police at
Hastings still has that warrana.
Mrs. Purdy and her aunt, Mrs. Moseman
OF Eighty-fourth street and West End
avenue, were out shopping for a time yes
terday. They got back to the hotel about
half past 5 o'clock, and Purdy was on the
opposite side of the street. Mrs. belmont
stopped to expostulate with Purdy and they
had some words. About two hours later,
she says, the driver called up the hotel and
tried to talk to her.
DR., Burch answered the telephone and the
two started an argument. Mr.. Moseman
was there at the time and lie used another
telephone to call up Police Headquarters.
The two detectives went over to the hotel
and found the doctor still talking over the
telephone to Purdy, who had told where
he was. 1t was agreed that the doctor
should hold the driver as long as possible
while the two detectives and Mr.. Nose
man went to look for Purdy, Purdy, ac-
cording to Mrs. belmont. had had two
forty minute conversations on the tele-
phone, so that the delay would not ma Ike
him suspicious.
The detectives found Purdy in a saloon
and arrested him. They searched him
in the saloon and found the revolver.
They took Purdy to the west Thirtieth
street station house and Mrs. belmont
was sent for. She identified Purdy. The
driver was annoyed at the arrest.
You're not going to let them lock me
up, are your" he asked Mrs. belmont. Il
don't want to stay here"
Yes, indeed, 1 am was Ms. De!ulont's
reply.
Mrs. belmont told the police that Purdy
was formerly in her employ, and that she
thought he was crazy from drink. He
had an idea that she was wealthy and he
wanted $40, 600 to go into business in Mexico.
Mrs. belmont refused him because she
said she was not wealthy, having nothing
but her alimony to live on. Her divorced
husband was a broker. She said she was
moe in The Country Mouse" company
with Edna Wallace Hopper.