The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-09-24
Police Send Out General
Alarm to Locate Jo-
seph Ellis.
SYSTEM OF WORK
is VERY CUNNING
Series of Similar Robberies in
Louisville Cause Police to Be
on Lookout at Time Most
Serious Crime of All
Committed-Farily
Is Here.

indianapolis. Ind. September 2s.-
Convinced that the young man who
yesterday brutally murdered and
robbed Joseph Schlansky, a clothing
merchant in a hotel here is tho same
person who has committed similar
crimes In several Eastern and Middle
Western cities, the local police depart
ment tonight asked officers In every
large city east Of the Mississippi River
10 watch for the slayer They believe
tho murderer is Joseph Ellis, about
twenty-one years of age. Of Richmond
Investigation Of the murder of Schlan-
fky showed that 1t had been coolly
planned and the work was SO cum
ningly carried out as TO throw Off
suspicion temporarily.
Goes About business CooIIy.
After numbering the merchant, the
man discarded collar spotted with
blood. walked TO n nearby store where
he purchased another. and then return
ing TO tho lobby OF the hotel wherein
his victim lay dead. remained for an
hour or more Late in the afternoon.
the slayer returned 10 his room. and
then going TO tho Union Depot secured
his suit case from the check room. and
is believed 10 have caught an east
bound train.
From Information gathered by the
police. Ellis. known also az Brokaw
and Robert Duncan committed similar
crimes In Louisville last week and left
there Saturday for Indianapolis. Previ-
Gus to tho Louisville robbercs the man
is supposed 10 have attacked clothing
merchants in Cleveland. Toledo, Phila-
delphia and Pittsburgh
Procedure Always the same.
In each town where the man op-
Grated his scheme was the same He
would register at hotel under an
assumed name call on either ono OF
the smaller clothing merchants, or a
secondhand dealer, and. explaining
that he had some samples he must get
out OF his possession at once, ask the
dealer 10 go to his room Once in the
mans room. the procedure nearly al
WAYS was the Same.
The victim either was struck down
or forced at the point of a revolver
10 submit TO being bound and gagged
Then his valuablcs were stolen, and
the robber. leaving the merchant To
he discovered by hotel employees, de-
parted In every case that was called
to the attention OF the police, 1t was
said the boldness with which the rob
Der worked had thwarted suspicion un-
Ill his victim was found. Ellis did
not attempt 10 use any disGuises. and
always walked from the merchants
store TO his hotel where. in most cases,
he passed through tho lobby chatting
10 his intended victim.
Police on Lookout nj Time.
That the murderer OF Sch!ans!sy is
Joseph Ellis. the police say they feel
certain. He was identified AZ Louis
Vile by photographs sent from his
home. and also from photographs sent
out by the Pittsburgh police, who
wanted tho man under the name OF
Brokaw for nm attack on n merchant
there.
AT the time that Schlansky was
murdered four squads OF detectives
were seeking Ellis here. A telegram
from the Louisville police department
had been received earlier in the day
asking the indianapolis police to ar
rest Ellis. The squads made the in
vest!gation throughout the afternoon
and night and at the hotel where
Schlansky was killed the clerks did
not remember Ellis's description.