New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-06-18
YOUTH SHOT TO DEATH
"Hindu Yogi Arrested and
Held Without Bail.
HE SAYS 1T WAS SUICIDE
Absence of Powder Marks on
Body of Dead Man Leads Po-
lice to Make Tests.

Samri Ellis a clairvOyant, whose aover-
tisements describe him as a natural Hin
du psychic assisted by host of Hindu
Yogi spirits" with rooms in the building at
Nos and West 45th street, according to
the story which he tells the police, was
passing through hallway leading into the
building adjoining the one in which he has
his parlors yesterday, when he heard a re-
volver shot. He ran to room on the
ground floor of the building and found Paul
Hamburger, his young assistant lying on
the floor unconscious with bullet wound
In his breast Beside the young man was
a revolver which Ellis purchased recently.
Upon the discovery of the body, Ellis tells
the police he ran across the street to the
office of a brother, Edward Ellis, and told
him of the shooting. The two returned to
the clairvoyant's rooms and the police
were teephoned for Immediately. DR..
Knapp was also summoned from Flower
Hospital The young man, who was twen-
ty-three years old, died as the surgeon
reached his side.
Hamburger's body had no powder marks
on it Neither had the clothing. This fact,
owing to the clairvoyant's contention that
the young assistant had shot himself, either
accidentally or Intentionally, led Lieutenant
William A. Jones, Of the Homicide Bureau
of Police Headquarters, to conduct series
of tests at the Morgue in an effort to de-
ternine whether not smokelesS powder,
with which the cartridges in the clairvoy-
ants gun were charged, would leave marks
on the clothing or body if fired at close
ran-.
The lieutenant pinned piece of linen to
a pillar. At it he fired four shots The
first shot was fired with the revolver six
inches from the linen The powder made a
smudge about three and a quarter inches
in diameter. The second shot was fired with
the revolver foot from the piece of cloth.
A smudge was made by the powder. The
third shot was fired eighteen inches from
the cloth, and the powder again marked
the cloth. At two feet a smudge was made
by the powder around the bullet hole. This
proved to the satisfaction of the lieutenant.
he said, that Hamburger could not have
fred the bullet which caused his death.
The clatrvoyant is under arrest as a sus-
picious person. He was arrested by De-
tective Tierney, OF the East 51st street sta
ton after Coroner HoltzhauSer and his
physician, Dr.. OHanlon, had viewed the
body.
The autopsy on the body of Hamburger
was held at the Morsue yesterday after
noon. It was found that there was but one
bullet wound. a little to the left Of the
breastbone A second search of the body
failed to show any powder marks. The bull
let which killed Hamburger went through
the heart and imbedded itself in the spinal
column, where it was found.
The revolver will be carefully examined
for finger prints. 1t was purchased. accord
ing to Ellis, when he and a friend visited
sporting goods store yesterday morning.
The clairvoyant said he bought the weapon
for protection, as he frequently car
ried sums of money with him.
Ellis. says he placed the revolver on his
desk IN the reception room of his estab-
Hshment when he returned from the sport
ing goods store, at about Il o'clock. He had
previously loaded it from box of car
tridges provided by John Dempsey, of No
b36 West 145th street, the man who went
with him TO buy the gun. Ellis says he
was Just leaving the reception room in
which he had spoken to Hamburger when
ne heard the shot.
Hamburger, according to Ellis. was a
young man of good habits and had no
worries that he knew Of He was of an
old and wealthy Berlin family, Edward
Ellis told the Coroner. The prisoner is held
at Police Headquarters without bail NJ
Harold Hochdorf, of No. 81 Park Row, his
counsel talked to him in the East 51st
street station house before he left for
Headquarters
Coroner Holtzhauser would make no def
mite accusation against any one. He init
mated, however, that it was his belief that
Hamburger did not shoot himself. The po-
lice say that Ellis is a defendant in an
action now pending against him in the
Court Of Special Sessions in which he IS
accused of practising medicine without a
license.