New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-09-28
Wealthy Los Angeles Woman
Believed To Be Victim of
"White Slave" Gang
Which She Opposed.
NEGRO HELD FOR INQUIRY
Threat Received by Telephone
Made Woman Nervous-Di-
vorced Twenty Years
Ago-Bloodstained
Collar q Clew.
rRv telegraph to The Tribune. J

fRv telegraph 10 The Tribune
los Angeles. Sept. 27.-Lying on her
hack beneath an open window In her
once with a card reading THE Lord
&c nv shepherd. l shall not want" on
.s- breast. and with a peaceful look
On her face. the body Of Mrs. Rebecca
parker Gay. fifty-flve years old, one OF
the most prominent Christian Science
nraetitioners in the West. was found
to-day by Mrs. Joseph Vidos, scrub
uoman while making her rounds OF
the building. Mrs. Gay had been muir
dsred some time Friday afternoon,
Near by lay a piece of gaspipe wrapped
IN a newspaper The head had been
fearfully battered, death evidently re-
sult,ng from the first blow, as any OF
the wounds on the head would have
caused death.
The police have two clews upon which
they are working-the first that Mrs.
GAY was killed by agents OF a white
slave" gang. working under the guise
cf Christian Scientists, which she had
aided in breaking up several months
ago. and the second that she may have
been killed by a relative who was
deeply in her debt. OF the two clews,
the first. however, seems more plaus-
slble
That Mrs Gay struggled desperately
was indicated by the condition Of her
Office. A heavy table and several
chairs were upset and the walls spat-
tered with blood.
The watchman Of the building in
which Mrs Gay had her office was un-
able TO throw any light on the tragedy.
He said he watched the entrances
closely after he went on duty at I p. m.
Yesterday, and was sure that nobody
entered or left the building after that
hour.
He is sure the slayer was in the
building earlier than that, probably
having been in hiding until favorable
opportunity presented itself.
Robert Askew. an insane negro. was
arrested late to-day wifiie attempting
10 butt his brains out on a stone wall
at Sd and Main streets He was for
merly chauffeur for John II. Gay, di-
vorced husband Of Mrs. Gay. San
Diego millionaire. The negro at first
said u didn't do nuthin'." and then
later said: Il won't say anything about
f." The police. while not believing he
is guilty, are holding him for investi-
cation.
Mrs. c. 3. Schaeffer. a Christian
Scientist. who occupies Offices near
those Of Mrs. Gay. told the police to-
day that Mrs. Gay was exceedingly
nervous Friday on account Of a tele-
phone call she had received. AS she
left her office about o'clock. she said,
a man with a small bundle under his
arm was just entering Mrs. Gays Of
fee. She heard Mrs. Gay ask: Are
you the man that telephoned?" and
then the door was closed.
Mrs. Schaeffer said she knew that
Mrs. Gay had been threatened many
times by telephone, and that she had
always laid these threats to the white
slave" gang which had been broken up.
Murderer Takes His Time.
The murderer was methodical in his
work. After Staying his victim, he laid
her body on the floor. opened the win
dow, and then covered the body with
papers and letters. He then washed
his hands at a washstand In the room
and departed, first hanging on the door
Continued on second page, fourth column.