The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-12-18

Philadelphia for the missing Williams. or
Wilson. but no clues were obtained. While
in theil quest, however, the detectives
heard a story TO the effect that a negro
answering the description of the missing
man was playing pool with others of his
race when one of the men in the party
pulled u a newspaper and spoke of the
murder. whereat the negro resembling
Williams. or Wilson. dropped his pool cue
and hurried out, remarking that the police
we're after him. This was merely a story
told, Detective Drabell stated today. and
he did not attach a great deal of value
to it.
With the network of police surveillanca
enmeshed about the various avenues of
travel the police are hopeful that some
quick result in getting their missing man
will be realized. Detective Drabell said
he hoped to hear within a short time some
valuable information. Roundsman Thomas
Ryan, who is the letter writing expert
of the Orange force. spent a busy morning
addressing the circulars to various cities
of the country and has especially followed
the railroad routes of the section South.
The information that the negro seen in
Philadelphia gave Jacksonville, Fla, as
his destination, coupled with the fact that
- - - " ROA - Otil ' lllClts
lis valuable, and the police in proximity to
the railroads touching the districts there
Will be hot on the mans trail. The promi-
hence of the negroes features are bound
to aid in his discovery. the police think.
and with the best Of the railroad detec-
i've forces. on the mans trail a more hope
full view of success has dispelled the gloom
that UP to the present time overcast the
citizens of Orange who became disheart-
ened at the delay In making any arrests.
Following a report of Information In
greater detail as to the noises in the
Park Hotel on the morning of Mr.. Romer's
murder, Chief of Police George P. Washer
sought a woman whose name was not
given out and got further Information con-
corning the racket in Mr.. Romer's room
about the time of the murder-4 O'Clock
a. m. last Friday.
A reporter accompanied the chief to the
Woman, and the lengthy statement that
she had made to the representative of this
paper was repeated to Mr.. Washer.
The woman made one condition. She in
sisted that her name be withheld, and
Chlef washer promised that it would not
be revealed to any other newspaper.
The woman is a resident Of the Park
Hotel, Orange, and has lived there for
some time. Her room was not far dis
tant from that occupied by the
man, and she was awakened by the noise
OF mufhed blows, smothered cries and
what sounded like the dragging Of a limp
body acros5 a 'creaking floor.
1t will be recalled that so far other
guests of the hotel have insisted that
there were no sounds beyond the groans
of the dying man; that one man stated
he saw a figure proWling about Romer,s
apartment at II O'Clock Thursday night;
that another told Of hearing a whistle from
the undertaker's room at 2 o'clock Friday
morning; that Miss Jessie Kieb, Miss Sin
clair and Mr.. Harbie, all OF whom had
rooms near that in which the murder was
committed, heard only the cries of "Ohl
OH OH" and nothing more.
Yet the statement of the new witness
tells of a noisy row. 1t fixes the time of
the row at five minutes to 4 o'clock, and
that without question. 1t dispels the posi-
hility of a man having whistled from Rom
er's window to a woman confederate on
the street at 2 a. m.
TT must have been five minutes to
o'clock when l awoke,' the woman in
formed Chief Washer. Il had been aroused
by a terrific thud, as IL a body had fallen
to the floor. As I sat mp in bed | thought
that Mr.. Romer must have come home In
toxicated and fallen over a chair. The
thId was followed by the noise of a scufle
and it brought me from my bed. / crossed
to the window and looked out. IT was
pitch dark.
Just then the noises ceased. 1t was
quite n relief, for a moment before I had
thought that the house must tumble about
my ears. As / stood at the window the
clock struck four.
II WINS about to go Jack to bed when the
row recommended. At first | thought that
Mr.. Rorler had been taken i'll and was
vomiting. But in the light u later events
I realize that II must have been the sound
Of the murderer dragging his victim across
the room. Probably the corpse was 100
heavy and the murderer was unable to
lift it bodily from the floor. l caltimagioe
the feet Of a man dragging on the IGOR
making noises such as ] heard,
q lit my light and nj that moment 1earl
what seemed to be several blow Then
silence came down oVer everything
At this point the woman was clcssly
questioned by Chief Washer. He ELECTED
information concerning a certain con YER
sation that occurred during the breakfast
hour and remarked at the time thai tne
statement was a highly important one.
Chief Washer, Of Orange, today recalled
a complaint that he had received from a
negro woman in South street, Orange,
about a month ago when she caught Will
Jams. or Wilson. who was stopping at her
house, stealing 2 gold watch. At the time
the woman did not know William5's, or
Wilson's, a Ch1e1 washer told the
woman to find out the mans name and
then come back to him. The woman was
unable to do so, as the man went away
the next day
That was on November Z, the day that
he secured the position at the Park Hotel.
When he was asked for references he said
that he had worked at all of the big hotels
in the country. He mentioned Palm
Beach, st. Augustine and other places,
and said that references became so bulky
that he could not carry them in his
pockets, and tore them up.