The evening world., 1913-02-14
PARK AUTO DEATH
MYSTERY SOLVED,
DRIVER IS HELD
Troubled Conscience of Chauf-
feur'S Friend Takes Him
to Police Chaplain. s.
ROTHElM IS ARRESTED.
In Felix fsman's Car He Ran
Down Policeman Fitzsim-
mons, He Confesses.

TIE killing OF Policeman Peter Fits
simmons by an automobile in Central
Park on Nov. was cleared up BY the
confession early to-day OF Robert
Rotheim. twenty.six. of No. us Fast
one Hundred and sixty-nfth street.
chauffeur for Felix Isman. the wealthy
theatrical promoter OF New York and
Philadelphia. Rotheim says It was NJ.
1sman's car that struck the policeman.
that he was the only person In II and
that Mr.. Isman knew nothing about It.
Rothhcin. who was arrested yester-
day evening. and kept over night In the
fremont avenue station. In the Bronx.
was arraigned before Coroner Henen-
stein, to-day. and charged with hodni-
eide. He was held without bail 10
await the action OF the Grand Jury
and was committed to the Tombs.
Fitzsimmons. known ne Jolly Peter"
was fifty-two years old. had been on
the force twenty-four years and lived
at No. gl< East Twenty-frst street with
his four children. About l.2o o'clock on
the morning Of Nov. his body was
found near seventy-Hfth street and the
West Drive In Central Park. His skull
was fractured and both legs broken.
lie died on the way to Polyclinlc Hos
pital.
The police had about given up hope
OF ever solving the mystery. when =
troubled conscience came to their aid.
SAYS HE saw CHAUFFEUR
BRING IN eLOop.srAiNEo CAR.
Joseph Wade. twenty-six years old. Of
No. t2i East F1fty-sccond street. has
been employed In Hilrs garage. No. 1928
Boston Road. II appears from the DO
Ice account OF the arrest that several
days ago Wade went TO Father Francis
J. Sullivan OF st. AIMS Church In
Twelfth street to unburden himself out
aide the confessional. Father Sullivan
II . police chaplain.
Wade 10 understood to have said he
was working In the Boston Road gar.
ASe the morning Of Nov. when q man
drove In . big so-horsepower car spat-
tered with blood. with Tampa broken.
windshield smashed. rods bent and 9th.
srwise damaged. The chauffeur, he said.
removed the stains from the machine,
took all the broken parts and put them
In big sack. and Dumped the sack
Into the Bronx Lake.
Father Sullivan last Thursday sent
Wede to Detective Lesson. . parishlon-
- Of the church and Lesson persuaded
hin to 20 to Inspector Faurot Acting
Captain Price OF tho Bronx detective
6ursau. Acting Captain Tannsy of the
Wsst Forty-seventh street station and
D0tsctive Mccormack were put on the
49, and last niEht arrested Rotheim
nGR Fiftieth street and Broadway. The
chsu6eur was taken to Hsadquartsrs
ana put through the third degree" by
Inspector Faurot. For several hours no
denied everything.
suddenly Capt. Tunney came into the
rom with the two broken lamps from
Nothsim's car They had been found In
the unusued car In the Bronx garage.
Rotheim then admitted sverything. the
police say.
According to his story. Mr.. Isman told
him he might use the car the night OF
the accident
WENT TO HIS DEATH IN DOING
HIS DUTY.
Starting home alone he entered che
park at Fhty-ninth street. He said he
had reached Eighty-sixth street when he
heard his license number dangling ana
got out to fasten II. A. he got back
into the car . big black machine 6lled
with men and women passed him, prob
ably going home from Q Halloween
party. ana several turned to shout some
ming In bantering tone.
Rotheim said he does not know why
he did H. but ho turned n NJ, ata "a IA ~