The evening star and Newark advertiser., 1907-12-16
Police Looking for Negro
HalIbOy Who Had Been
Discharged.
THEFT THEORY REVIVED
Man Tried TO Pawn Ring Re-
sembling Murdered Under.
takers in philadelphia..Miss
Kieb Says Rebbery--Wo
an Theory Dropped.

A new twist was given to the Ronler
murder mystery in Orange today. whau
clue was obtained leaning toward the
theory that the rich undertaken was
killed in his room az the Park Hotel.
Orange. early last Friday morning, not
by a woman or by man because OF a
woman. but by a negro for the pllr-
pose Of robbery This would explain
the absence of Mr.. Romer's 1885 dia-
mond ring,
This negro is said to have been re-
Gently Discharged as hallboy in the
hotel.
1t is said that the Orange police have
learned that he was connected with the
murder of an indianapolis policeman
some time ago. They are now pro-
ceediug on the assumption that he can
clear up the mystery If he can be found.
The negro was known in Orange as
George Williams. The police say he
was known in Indianapolis as Jesse Coe,
or Cole. He worked only two weeks at
the Park Hotel and then was dis
charged. He made a threat that he
would "get even"
The clue came in letter addressed
to Chief of Police George p. Washer. of
Orange, and was received from James
J. Donaghy, captain of detectives in
Philadelphia On Friday. when the po-
/ lice got their first bearings, Detective
! Sergeant John Drabell, who with
James f. Mason, from the county de-
tective force. has been bearing the
brunt of the investigation, sent out tele-
grams to various cities asking the au-
| thorities to keep watch for man seek
ing to pawn a diamond ring, about
three carats in size and OF Tiffany set
ting. and the letter received by the
| Orange authorities today was as fol-
lows;
George P. Washer, Chief of Police of Or
Dear slr-Replying to your telegram OF
/ the 18th inst, this information Is for what
! it is worth. We have informatlon about
! colored man, so years old. fiye feet nine
/ inches. about 165 pounds, black skin
| smooth face, high cheekbones and two
sold teeth, upper front. lie ,r wore ,ri. dark
hat. He tried to dispose OF a diamond
ring about 80 last evening 10 a 1eweler
IN this city The ring was ;.5 between ~ , and
3 carats but t was not a Tiffany settling
it was what is known as a tooth setting
! He claimed TO have been in New York for
three or -four weeks, and WIS on his way
may be possible you miss such man from
| the neighborhood where this occurred. We
could NOT get any ndle+ I OURS very. truly
JAMES J. DONAGHY,
Captain of Detectives"
| Mr. Romer's associates all agreed today
that his ring was about two and half
carats and Of tooth ana not Tiffany SET
/ ting.
| Upon the receipt or this letter the Or
ange police at once bent their energies 10
atind George Williams, a negro, who was
employed as hall boy at the Park Hotel UP
to about three weeks ago. He had been
! there for a short Ieriod, succeeding an
italian resident OF Newark WHO had seen
discharged for betting on the horse races
and incidentally asking MI. Romer for .
loan Of money with which 20 keep up his
| extensive pasiime. Tin negro Wilson,
who was discharged, according to Miss
Jessie l<ieb daughter of the proprietor OF
the Park Hotel. had been dishonest in his
treatment of patrons Of the hotel As
halboy he had occasion to offer bill to
one man who had run an account Of s.
ard he told the man The amount was 81.
according TO Miss Eieb It was later
found that the negro had also overcharged
another man for an account, Miss kieh
said. and when Francis j. fSieb. proprietor
of the hotel learned OF the alleged dis
honesty he discharged WILSON,
The negro vas Indignant, according %
Miss Kieb, when he was told to go He
CONTINUED ON seventh Pnge9