The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-06-21
ELSIE SIGEl'S
SLAYERS MAKE
THEIR ESCAPE
Police Regard Search as Hope
less, and Father Admits
Identity of Dead Girl
Trail of Fugitives Leads to Chi
cago, Where They En-
trained for Vancouver


r. Jew YORK, June 2o.-Leon Ling,
the Chinese suspected of mur-
derfng Elsie Sigel. may never be
found. According to an announcement
made tonight the police regard the
search for him as wel1nigh hopeless.
girl left behind in a trunk in his room
will not be buried in the Potter's field.
Paul Sigel. the father, claimed and
positively identified the body at the
morgue tonight
The girls mother, now in sana-
torium, had previously identified the
jewelry; another woman had identified
the underclothing, and relatives had
said the murdered girl was Elsie Sigel.
granddaughter of General Franz Sigel.
Until tonight, however. the father had
maintained silence. But after a con-
ference at police headquarters this aft
ernoon he visited the morgue, accom-
panied by Franz Sigel. brother; Reg
inald, his son, and Mabel Sigel, cousin
of the victim.
Teeth and Hands identified
First the clothing on the body was
examined by Mabel sigel. Elsie"
said the girl. as she examined it, used
to wear a peculiar white headed PIN
A detective ran his fingers through
the clothing and in a moment held up
white headed pin Mabel sigel
nodded.
Elsie wore that" she said
The face was uncovered and the
teeth examined. The father was silent,
but Mabel Sigel was quick to note the
teeth.
Those are EIsie's teeth" she said,
and her hands, too"
Paul sigei nodded his head affirma-
lively as each new feature was brought
out to strengthen the identification.
Manner of Death Uncertain
Elsie Sigers stomach will be analyzed
at Columbia university. While the
autopsy determined that death probably
was due to asphyxiation, whether she
was choked. smothered under a pillow
or drugged. bound with ropes and left
to die horribly in the trunk, is as much
mystery as is the whereabouts of
/ Leon Ling and his pal.
Chu Gain, manager of the Port Ar
thur restaurant, who was detained last
night as a witness, was held today
without bail until Tuesday. He has
admitted that he knew Elsie Sigel we'll
and had incurred the enmity of Leon
Ling, and that both he (Chu Gain) and
the girl had been threatened with
death.
Substitution Is Suggested
Mrs. E. Smith, who processes to have
known the family well. suggests that
the victim is not Elsie Sigel, but a
mysterious Nellie" who had figured in
Leon Ling's love affairs. Mrs. Smith
holds that it is possible she and the
Chinese were preparing to elope when
| Nellie" appeared, created scene and
was killed. The substitution of the
clothing and the packing of the body in
the trunk complete this feminine Sher-
lock Holmes theory.
Before going to the morgue Mabel
Sigel said Elsie had been in love with
an army man in Wyoming. She read
extracts from letters which were writ
ten by this man to Elsie, all of which
were couched in .affectionate words and
were signed, "Your Old Swestheart,
Howard
Suspect Left Washington
WASHINGTON. June 2e.--Leon Ling,
the Chinese suspected OF the murder of
Elsie Sigel. is supposed to have re-
mained here two or three days about
the time of the murder. A special de-
livery letter, addressed to William
Leon, care of G. f. Schutt National
hotel washington. D. Co." was received
here June IL from New York. Ling
left the same day and the letter was
not delivered. A young girl resembling
| the murdered girl was seen here in
company with the man believed to be
Leon.
Fugitives Booked to Coast
/ CHICAGO, June 20.-w. d. Conley,
an empIoye of baggage transfer COM
| pany of this city, said that two Chinese
! answering the description OF Leon Ling
/ and Chun Sin arrived here from Wash
ington Friday morning and departed
almost Immediately for st. Paul over
the wisconsin Central railroad. The
men had tickets over the Canadian Pa
ciic for Vancouver, B. c.. but declined
to check their baggage, which consisted
| of two trunks. One OF the Chinese.
who was well dressed. Travelled first
class, while his companion travelled
second class