The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1907-12-16
WOMAN NEAR
MURDER Scene
GAVE SIGNAL

New York, Dec. 16.--The mystery OF the
murder of Frederick r. Romer, whose
body was found badly beaten early Fri
day morning In his room OF the Park ho-
tel in Orange. N. j.. took a new turn
yesterday when Charles Graham told the
police that ne saw a woman carrying
baby and acting strangely In front OF
the hotel a short time before the tragedy.
He said a low whistle. coming apparent
ly from a hotel window, was answered
by the woman. Chief of Police George
Washer expressed himself as puzzled at
the story. but would not say definitely
what action he was taking with the clue.
Graham is a liquor dealer and lives In
Rosevile avenue. Newark. He had at
tended a smoker given by the knights of
Columbus lodge In Orange and started
for home soon after O'Clock Friday
morning. There was no car In sight and
he swung along Main street and finally
stopped in front OF the Park hotel. at the
Park street crossing.
IL was a cold clear night and tho moon
was well up The street lamp on the side
walk opposite. directly I'm front OF the
North Orange Baptist church. was burn
ing. but the trees made the thoroughfarc
dark. Graham says he saw the woman
walking slowly eastward through the
shadows and noticed particularly that she
carried the baby. who sat very erect, or
her right arm.
1T was the first woman ever saw that
didn't carry a child upon her left arm"
he told Chief Washer. "She appeared to
hold the baby clumsily.'
When the woman got directly opposite
him and opposite the hotel was the time.
Graham declares, he heard a low but dis
tinct two note whistle from the direction
OF the hotel. The woman. he said. with
out turning her head answered with n
sound nearly like the other but weaker
and not so long drawn out. Then there
was n sound as of scraping chain from
the hotel
The woman went east across Park street
and then north on that street half a
block or so. where Graham said he saw
the shadow OF two other figures. appar-
emily men. cross the street and join the
woman. About that time Grahams car
came along and he boarded IL.
The woman was described as being about
5 feet 2 inches tall and rather heavily
built. Neither her face nor the child's
could be seen on account of Wells. The
woman wore a large hat and the child a
round cap
Detective Sergt. John Drabell of the
Orange police department spent a large
part of yesterday in New York trying to
find a woman who is supposed to have
written a letter that was FOUND among the
dead undertaker's possessions. The letter
was written TO Mr. Romer when he was
on hunting trip, In the Maine woods not
long ago. II is said that the police con-
meet the writer with what the undertaken
told Mrs. John Decker. one of the guests
OF the hotel. Thursday. when he said:
81 am a little worried and mad clean
through It's enough 10 make anybody
sore TO be accused of something you had
| nothing TO do with
Mrs. Margaret Codington. Romer
former housekeeper. II was learned ycster-
day. is visiting UP state, and an effort will
be made by the local authorities TO get
into communication with her. as they
have a number OF tho dead mans friends
in the hope of obtaining further clues as
to who might have uttered the threat
Mayor Isaac Shoenthal has received
/ various sums Of money contributed by the
| citizens 60 he added to the fund voted by
! the city council of Orange as reward
for the arrest and conviction of the mur.
Il derar