Los Angeles herald., 1909-05-28
TAKE ELLIOTT TO
SCENE OF CRIME
SHERIFF BELIEVES YOUTH IN
N0CEMT OF MURDER
THINKS MEXICAN SLAYER OF
ANNA PoLTERA
Every Effort Made to Find Man Who
Discarded Bloody Shirt Found
dnesday-Teamster
Furnishes CleW

The murder or 9-yedr-Olu Anna fOF
terra is apparently no nearer solution
this morning than on the morning when
the cruelty mistrated body of the child
was found hidden behind a clump of
bushes near the entrance to Griffith
park.
1t is true many clews have been run
down, many suspects have been cleared
of suspicion, and several clews are still
under investigation, but the strenuous
efforts of scores of detectives and at
taches of the sheriff's office-efforts
such as never before have been made
to solve a murder mystery-have as yet
failed to disentangle the mystery that
overshadows the crime and criminal.
Yesterday Ben T. Elliott, the 18-year-
old self-confessed burglar, whose
whereabouts had been eagerly sought
in order to clear up one of the suspi-
cions was put through the fourth de-
gree.
The net result of the days work with
Elliott was to convince the skeptical
that the youth has no near knowledge
of the murder. In order to dispel what
on paper looked like mass of accumu-
latiVe evidence, young Elliott, hand
cuffed to Deputy Sheriff Harry Wright,
accompanied by Sheriff Hammel and
Coroner Hartwell, was taken to the
scene of the murder.
Elliott Taken to Scene
Elliott during the test never showed
the least emotion, and with apparent
unconcern, although with evident eager
ness to convince the officers that he
was telling the truth, went over the
ground he said he travelled before leav-
ing for Redondo. He pointed out the
fAlo Nf hi h11f r4ros hi tn
find a shirt which he said he had dis
carded some time before his arrest.
The officers did not regard this fact
as of great Importance, for with great
force of assertion Elliott said the blood
stained shirt which was found by the
river bed Wednesday afternoon did not
belong to him.
This declaration was made more
forceful when the party visited the
home of Mr.. and Mrs A. e. Bennett at
Tropico, where Elliott made his home
until two months ago. The BENEFITS
were shown the blood stained shirt, and
declared positively Elliott had never
worn such a shirt. To make the dec
laration still more forceful, an employee
of the Bennett house, who was familiar
with Elliott and his clothi--- added her
statement that never had she seen such
shirt in the possession of the youth
She had washed the boys clothing, and
her statement was regarded as COM
plete vindication of the Elliott shirt
theory.
Elliott Believed Innocent
Elliott pointed out To the officers
every step he made when he left his
camp on the Tuesday morning follow
ing the murder, and at the conclusion
of the test Sheriff Hammel reiterated
his belief in the innocence of the young
man.
1t was to satisfy the public and if
possible to eliminate Elliott from the
case that yesterdays move was made.
That all suspicion has been removed
from the boy burglar is not true, for
there are several circumstances that
will be investigated before all are sat
isfied that Elliott or a comrade of Ell
lott has no knowledge of the crime.
The case has now apparently been
boiled down to the one fact-find the
owner of the bloody shirt and the muir
derer of Anna Poltera will be found.
Yesterday, as has been the case every
day since the greWsome discovery was
made. several plausible stories were
brought to the sheriffs office. q. Rosa
q .teamster who in his work travels
along the road to the aqueduct and
carries supplies to various camps in
the vicinity Of San Francisquito can
yon, reported to the sheriff that he had
seen person answering the descrip-
tion of Elliott on the San Fernando
road two days after the murder.
Search for Mexican
Rosa said the youth appeared nerv-
Gus, and asked in regard to chances Of
obtaining work on the aqueduct. Rosa
said he advised the youth not to go
there, and after hanging about for over
an hour the young man disappeared.
Rosa was given an opportunity of
seeing Elliott in the county Jail, but
did not identify him as the young man
who had accosted him.
Sheriff Hammel has become con-
WINGED that the crime was committed
by a Mexican, and strenuous efforts
are being made in the outlying districts
to find the Mexican who was seen near
the scene of the crime on the afternoon
that it was committed.
A Mexican, the only name by which
he is known being Felipe and who is
said to answer the description of the
much wanted Mexican, who was en-
ployed near the Los Feliz school, which
Anna Poltera attended is missing. 1t
is said the Mexican was employed at
the Mt Olive nursery, and has money
due him at that place for which he was
supposed to call wednesday. He did
not appear, nor has he been seen since
Jose Valdez, who has been confined in
the county Jail as suspect in the
case, was released yesterday afternoon.
the officers having become convinced
that he was not connected with the
crime.