The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-06-20
Settlement Worker Informs
Police That William Leon
Was infatuated With Pret-
ty Miss Sigel.
TWO THOUSAND LOVE
LETTERS DISCOVERED
These EpistIes Show That the
chinaman Was a Genuine
Don Juan-c From All
Over the Country.

New York, June 19-Miss Frances
Todd. missionary In the Moot street
quarter. told the Tolice today that Will
liam Leon, the Americanized China
man, who is being sought for the mur-
der Of Miss Elsie Sigel, the 20 year
old missionary, was infatuated with the
girl, and that he had threatened to kill
her II she frowned upon his suit.
This Information was given to the
police after they had found nearly two
thousand love letters in Icons room
at 782 Eighth ayerue where the Sigel
girls body was found packed In .
trunk after she he'd been slain. The
latter show Leon genuine Don Juan.
They had come from many cities In
the United States. including Chicago,
Philadelphia, Boston and towns In ILL.,
nois. and were couched in endearing
terms. They were from Sunday school
teachers and other women. Simultan-
esusly the police were prosecuting
Nit easing vlgor their search for
lee:l ami his colnrade, Ii Chung, an
other suspect. in oil the large cities,
especially those with large Chinese
quarters, such as Chicago, San Francis
co and Boston.
Told Of Love Affairs.
The granddaughter OF old General
Gisel, the Civil War hero. had pre-
science Of trouble and she told Mrs.
Todd of her love affairs. Mrs. Todd
declared that Leon had gone to the
Eigel home seversZ days aog for the
hand of Miss Elsie in marriage. He
was thrown out by the family who
had never suspected the affection be-
platonic- as would be natural be-
tween convert and teacher.
It was hinted today that the two
were engaged. But with this knowl-
edge came tho further information that
Il was also In love with the young
woman, and one theory resulting is
that Ii and Leon as rivals had quar-
relied and one, or perhaps both, had
been slain. Leon drew considerable
revenue from his syndicate of ball-and-
pocket games located here and Pater-
son. N. j.. and Norfolk, Va. He was
IN indiscriminate love maker, and in
His travels concentrated his energies
on the securing Of new sweethearts.
The story Of a strange dream, told by
Leon to Miss Sigel. in which he had
eeen the young woman strangled to
death and her body secreted, was In
turn told by Elsie to Mrs. Todd.
She Was Weeping.
Elsie came to me about two weeks
ago" said Mrs. rodd. "She was weep
Ing and nervous anf when asked her
what was the matter she told me that
Leon wanted her to become his wife
and she couldn't give him definite an.
swer.
Elsie told me that Leon had asked
her II she believed In dreams. Elsie
him she did not. and asked him what
made him ask. He told her that he
had dreamed of seeing q strange man
enter her chamber and choke her to
to death, after which he tied cord
around her neck and hid her body In
4 trunk. This made Elsie very nerv.
GUS. but she was afraid to take steps
against Leon"
The detectives learned this afternoon
that Leon, and perhaps Ii. were mem
bers of q party Of Chinese who had
departed for their native home severa.
days after the date upon which Mis-.
Sigel Is supposed to have met hel
death.
The police learned this Afternoon
that Miss Sigel was poisoned and mo-
strangled. as was first supposed. Sht
1raa ra.t an the fr,apk vhi1a still ahys
and asphyxiated before the poison hat
done It's work.
This startling phase developed as /:
result Of an autopsy performed on tn,
body In the morxue by Coroner's Phys
ician Chanton.