The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-09-10
Suspect in New York's
Mystery Is Strangely
Missing.
NEWSPAPER MEN
UNDER SUSPICION
Alleged Detectives Visit His
Rooms, Find Them in Disorder,
Question Him Severely, Cause
Him to Faint and Then
Take Him With
Them.

New York. September 9.-Although
several new and promising clues de-
veloped during the day, the police of
this city Hoboken. Weehawken and
North Bergen tonight admitted that
the identity Of the young woman whose
dismembercd body was found In the
hudson River last Friday was still
mystery. The Developments OF the day
Were
Peter II. Sternemann, the eccentric
letter writer who had become n cen
trail figure in the mystery through his
claim that the murdered woman was
his missing daughter Ella. was spirit
ed away from mis- home at 1l3 Globe
Avenue. Jamaica, early to-day by three
men representing themselves as de-
tectives The police and the district
attorneys Office discla!m all knowledge
OF an arrest. and hint that Sternemann
has been hidden away by men in the
employ Of newspaper
Trncing Purchaxes.
One important clue was the discov-
cry that dishcvcled and greatly eX-
cited young man had purchased In
the store OF S. II Hurwitz, on Eighth
Avenue. near Ii7th Street quantity
of ta- paper of the same quality as
that in which the dismembered frag-
ments of the body were wrapped This
purchase was made early last week
The fact that it was a store in this
n>ighborhood that disposed OF the two
pillow slips of the same design and
quality as that in which the fragments
of the body were wrapped leads the
police to believe that the murder was
committed IN this locality
Letters and telephone messages tell
ing of missing girls have flowed in
upon the police to-day from all quar-
ters
May lie HoboI.cn Girl.
Still another clue was rhc inform
alton given the police by CliTside.
y. J.. woman. who believes that the
murder victim was a young woman
named Lulu Thoms. who cloped from
Spring Valley to New York last June
She lived in Hoboken until two weeks
ago. when she dropped out of sight.
The woman said She knew this girl
personally, and that she had a birth
mark on the shoulder. corresponding
with the mark on the shoulder OF the
slain girl.
Sterneinanns disappearance was the
most startling of the days dc:clop-
mcnts. Another long rambling letter
signed by the man was received by
Assistant District Attorney Murphy
this morning. Many names and dates
were mentioned. but in such obscure
connection THAI it was impossible TO
interpret his meaning.
Stcrncmunn Spirited Away.
In the two rooms occupied by
Stornemann. ia jamaica. the police to-
day found a jumbled mass of furniture
crates OF feathers. artiicial ilowers
numerous Bibles and n freshly paint
ed kitchen table. They found that tn.
men who spirited Sterncmann away
shortly aftc:. midnight this morning
had questioned him III the presence OF
his woman before placing him
under arrest. One question was:
What did you do with the head OF
the murdered woman Sterneman
turned pale at this. and gasped:
You don't think murdered my
own daughter, do you?"
Sternemann finally tainted under the
rapid fire of questions. The "detcc-
tivcs" then asked the land!ady about
some newly washed clothing in the
rooms ard about the freshly painted
table. She said StcIncmann had done
all this work himself
Tell ther' that YOU found my cloth
ing was dirty and ordered me to wash
it," he suddenly exclaimed, having re-
covered from his faint.
II guess YOU had better come with
us" said the alleged detectives, and
taking him bt the arms. they disap-
peared into the night.
Indication Of DIsordcrcd Mind.
During the day the police searched
for Sternemann without finding clue.
Examination OF his effects led to the
discovery OF many writings Indicating
a disordcrcd mind.
The man is described as we'll past
It,,,,,na5 o., MIMI 49,.