Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-09-09
SERVANT HELPS
GANG OF TOUGHS
SLAY MISTRESS
Confesses Aged Widow of
Millionaire Died When
They Demanded Gems
JEWELS WORTH $5OO,oOO

NWNNNAAN
reclusion Of the library Of her palaual
home At 5th avenue and East 18th street
last night when she was tired she went
20 her bedroom. There she found gang
Of youthful New York toughs ransackins
the apartment for her strong box, which
they believed 20 contain half million
doiihfe worth OF Jewels.
The thieves set upon the aged woman,
demanding the location OF the box and
It's key. The old woman resisted with
her last strength. She died in their arms.
Alarmed by her death, they stripped the
diamonds from her fingers and fed, leaV-
Ing onnie Tails. the hallboy their ae-
complice. to tace the police. Tails was
bound and gagged that he might be able
70 tell the oficers a satisfactory story.
Aftsr an ail-night grilling. during the
entire ten hours Of which Talls faced
ccnselees Are OF questions from Inspector
Faurot the haliboy confessed, giving the
names OF his accomplices ana their ad-
dresses. Police are hunting them now.
The story Is like a tale by Gsboriau,
the French detective story writer. who
dealt largely in plots and intrigues OF
servants.
Forty detectives are securing pawn
shops for 1000 in diamond rings strip
ped from the fingers OF the woman.
onnie Tails, the hallboy; Edith Lang
cook IN the Nichols household, were taken
20 the Detective Bureau for examination
as soon az the murder was discovered.
The boy and maid. found bound and
gagged In the servants quarters, frst
told the police OF admitting the three
robbers to the house when the servants
entrance boil rang. The maid said she
Recognized one Of the men as a former
emrloye OF Mrs. Nichols. The two said
the men, with pistols in their hands,
forced their way into the house, threat
ening to kill them II they made any out
cry, and then bound and gagged them,
leaving them lying on the noor.
BuTLER's NIGHT OFF.
II was the regular night of of Ernest
Vital, the butler. and there was no man
IN the house but Tails.
II was common gossip among the SER
wants that Mrs. Nichols kept her fortune
In gems In a strong box In private
safe set into the wall OF the house. These
things and the alleged conflicting stories
Of Tails and the maid led Inspector
Faurot to the theory that the murder
was done by somebody familiar with the
Nichols household.
FORMER SERVANT IN PLOT.
That part Of the confession OF the foot
man. Onnie Tails. given out by the in
spector was to the effect that one Of the
three robbers was Arthur Walters,
Finn, whose real name Is Waldemar
who was discharged as second butler by
Mrs. Nichols about fve weeks ago.
walters. according to the alleged con-
fession, needed money, and kept begging
Tails 10 allow him and some other men
TO enter the house and rob Mrs. Nichols.
Tails knew the butler and cook would be
away last night and the robbery was
arranged.
-s-.-Knew they did not intend to do Mrs.
[s1Sichols any harm" is statement at
tributed to Tails. II guess she dropped
dead When the men came downstairs
and went out they passed the room
where Edith and l were. but they said
The footman said that the maid was
the first to get herself free. She loosed
him. and then called the watchman on
the block and the police and told them
of the robbery
Il did not go upstairs and did not know
Mrs Nichols was dead until the police
told me when they arrested me-" Tails
concluded.
JEWELS NOT IN HOUSE.
That the robbers did not get the $780,
900 in jewelry was first made known today
by Maitland f. Grisgs. nephew and lawyer
OF the murdered woman. who came down
from Ardsley-on-th the Hudson to take
charge OF the house. Griggs said Mrs
Nichols kept the bulk Of her gems in a
safety deposit vault, where he found them
intact
II was impossible to tell before an
autopsy whether Mrs. Nichols died from
strangulation or from shock. The muir
der. committed so boldly in a fashionable
part Of New York. created a tremendou
sensation
The large hve-story dwelling is next
)or 10 the corner OF 5th avenue On
,e corner is the home of Isaac d.
fletcher. which is closed. and through
/hich one Of the murderers is believed to
rave reached the Nichols home. At 8
East 18th street, adjoining the Nichols
home on the east. is the home OF William
r. Stanford. ink manufacturer. Across
the street are the homes OF Isaac ".
fBrokaw, Charles NJ Kahn and other
wealthy families.
A policeman. hearing the maids cries.
discovered the murder.
Instead Of reporting to police head
quarters at once. this policeman sent 10
Flower Hospital for an ambulance and
much time was lost. Doctor Delahunt
went 10 the house In an ambulance from
Flower Hospital and found Mrs. Nichols
was dead. He made no report until he
returned 20 the hospital. and then tele-
phoned 20 the Coroner that Mrs Nichols
EA0 Hea hAta " WHNH NOil-
fronted by robbers in her home.
The Coroner's office. notlned police
headquarters and quick action followed
Inspector Faurot. Inspector Cray and
dozens OF detectives hurried TO the large
dwelling A police photographer was sent
70 the place. and while detectives were
questioning every one this photographeF
took many fiashiight pictures inside and
outside the house for police purposes.
FinEer-print experts also took impress
sions and reproductions OF all hnEey
prints found IN the house.
POLICE GUARD HOUSE.
Inspector FauFot. In charge OF dstee.
ffves. placed uniformed policemen about
the house. and no one but detectives was
permitted 20 approach. The servants
were placed IN separate rooms and the
long process OF Questioning them sepa.
Iately and collectively was begun. oths,
d<tectieeB we're sent out 10 hnd the but.
lal. =. 40. Naa taiStng a night on 70 see a
he could throw any light upon the crime
~ soon a. Inspector Cray, In charge
Or The Homicide Bureau. reached ths
scene he made minute examination a,
the hody He said Mrs Nichols had beer
oIr4nEIed BY powerful hands and had moi
1iod n frishf as Doctor Delahunt had
Mr. Nichols was the CHIEF beneaciar,
under the viii Of her husband. Janes y
fisho|s one Of the founders OF the whole.