The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-03-04
SLAYER OF GIRL
Of "DIP-THE-DIP
HELD TO EXPLAIN
Police Believe Killing
Accident But She Must
Satisfy Them.

NEW YORK. March Although both
the police and Coroner DOo.ey are sat
isfied the shooting OF Mitzel Wagner
known as the Dip of Death Girl, by
Mrs. Antoinette Defranne, in Miss
Wagner's apartment in West FOry-sec-
ond street, last night, was an accident,
il became evident today when Mrs
Defranne was arraigned in West Side
police court that there are several
things she viii have 10 explain before
she is turned loose
First, the jewels of Miss Wagner,
worth thousands of dollars. were found
on Mrs. Defranne when she was
searched at the police station. She eX-
planned that when people began crowd
ing into the room where the tragedy
occurred she had placed them IN her
own pocketbook for safety. In the eN-
element surrounding Miss Wagners
killing she forgot all about the jewels
until they were found in her purse.
II became known today that Miss
Wagner's death had nipped in the bud
q theatrical romance. .. H MOrOk, the
girls manager, Ia the loop ile-Ioo' a.
ia an automobile, and whose name she
had assumed for stage purposes. stated
that he was 10 have married his star
next week.
Do Not Believe Woman Guilty.
Today the police secured statements
from numerous persons, who knew both
Miss Wagner and Mrs. Defranne. All
tend to exonerate the woman slayer.
The two women were the best of friends.
With the coroner's examination IL Is
expected Mrs. Defranne will be freed.
Miss Wagner lodged at Samuel B.
Villas furnished room house, 90 West
Forty-second street, and had very re-
spectacle room on the third floor.
Miss Wagner left the lodging house
early Yesterday afternoon and said she
was going TO a big shop on broadway
She returned home with Mrs, DeItranne,
Mrs. Defranne proceeded 10 relate WltaI
followed her arrival In Mrs Morok
rooms:
she proposed We have some tea, and
/ was very glad. She took on some OF
her entertainments and some OF her
1eWelry and put them on desk. / was
adufring them when / saw revolver
in the desk. 1t Is s French pistol /
know much about guns and pistols ne
cause I have been a marksman. s as
sistant In a vaudeville act
How She Shot Her Friend.
ct ricked up the revolver; I thought
broken. no good. and playfully
at Lizzie. ] pulled the trigger,
like a thunder stroke the pistol
scharged; AIitzeI gave a little
and staggered I dropped the
nd ran 70 her. She mad a tiny
wound in her neck. 7 supported
/ as soon as possible ran for
he poor girl died almost at once.
many people were coming in
ms that I took the iewelry shs
on the desk and little money
them for safetys sake. / was
.ieved. so distressed, that / forgot
-.. about them"
Via, the lodging proprietor, heard
Mrs. Jefferson's shrieks ana was an
swering them when Fred Piersou. a
ledger. entered the house and found a
policeman. AT the station house Mrs.
Jefferson handed to the matrOn her
friends jewelry. in which was included
8 pair of diamond earrings OF three
carats each. and a diamond and mar
quisc ring
Mrs Deffranne said she lived with
her sister. Mrs, Davis, at l03 East
Eighty-niuth street. There three young
women, known to the tenants as the
Davis sisters" live; one is Antoinnette,
one Charlotte. who sings The Merry
Widow" at the German Theater on up
per Third avenue, and the third Helen.
who is employed in q Brooklyn jewelTy
shop