Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-01-30
ON TRACK
Of SIGEt SLAYER
AND OPIUM GANG
Letters Seized in Raid May Clear
Murder Mystery and Implicate
Police with SmuggEers.

NEW YORK. Jan 29.-The police de-
partment received evidence today
which, the officers say, may go to heip
In clearing up the mystery surrounding
the murder of Elsie Sigel, whose body
was found in a trunk in the room OF
Leon Ling, a young Chinaman, who
has been missing since the finding OF
the body In June, 1909. The new evil
dence is oaid to be contained in let
tiers AND other data, written in h
nese characters, which were found in
one of the opium dens ralded by Gus
toms inspectors last week. The police
say that the letters are likely to afford
important clues to the whereabouts of
Leon Ling. Evidence in other murder
cases and other crimes Is said to be
included in the mass of Chinese letters.
Wise Admits He Has Evidence.
When It was learned by the custom
house. officials and by Deputy Police
| Commissioner Flynn yesterday that
these facts had become known, they
made a concerted but Intellectual effort
to prevent further details from reach
ing the public. United States District
Attorney Henry A. Wise at first re-
fused to admit he knew anything about
liz lalIC ooN AA3AA 51id Az -
eliminating evidence was In his office.
| Surveyor of the Port Nelson H. Hehry
was more communicative. Mr.. Flynn
accepted the situation philosophically.
Mr.. Wise, when asked at his home
last night to make a statement, seemed
to be greatly annoyed. He said:
Hints There'n BE indictments.
st am not at liberty to make public
- - Iz41I /. 1910 vlfrr TFhnf NU6
have found. The letters discovered are
being translated, and l cannot say how
far the matter will reach. 1 will only
say no indictments have yet been
brought against those whose names ap-
pear in the letters, and until this is
lone / will not talk. Moreover, 1 will
see that my subordinates keep silence"
1t was learned from another source
that only a portion of the letters have
been turned over to Mr.. Wise. These
are in the hands OF Assistant District
Attorney G. H. Dorr, who is being
aided in his Investigations by Deputy
Assistant Pitkin.
Surveyor of the Port Henry said last
night at his home, So West Ninth
street:
80 far as the letters treat of the
Elsie Sigel murder they contain what
may be called gossip between Chinese
relating to the crime. When they ere
all translated they may be found valu-
able information which can be used Ey
the police in tracing the murderer OF
the girl. Personally, 1 am only in
terested in the evidence so far as 1t
relates to the smuggling of opium into
the United States"
Deputy Commissioner Flynn admitted
he had seen some of the letters in
which. the namet of several police Of
ficials appeared.
1t was said last night by a la who
has seen most of the TRANSACTIONS al
ready made that they contain positive
clues to the whereabouts of Leon Ling,
who has long been sought by the police
in connection with the murder of Elsie
Sigel.
A government official, who asked that
his name be withheld, said last night
thai the delay in notifying the local
police department of the finding Of evil
dence duplicating some of Deputy Com
missioner Flynn's men had been caused
by the desire of the Federal authorities
to first make an Investigation througn
the secret service. This preliminary in
vestigation, he said, indicated that
charges would lie against several police
lieutenants.
The Elsie sigeI Mystery.
The murder of Elsie Sigel in June,
1909, was a mystery that has never
been satisfactorily solved, She was the
daughter of MI. and Mrs. Paul Sigel
and a granddaughter of General Franz
| Sigel, whose fame as a fighter in the
Civil War is a matter of history. Else
disappeared from her home, 209 Wads-
worth avenue June 8. On June Is her
body was found in a trunk in a room
at 1872 Eighth avenue, which had been
occupied by a young Chinese, Leon
Ling, known also by his English name
of William L. Leon. The girl had been
strangled with a window-cord. Chong
Sing, who was known to be a friend Of
Ling, was arrested in Amsterdam.
N. z. HI was brought to New York
and told the police that Ling was i'm
plicated in the murder.