Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-09-03
WOMAN HIRED MEN
TO KILL HUSBAND
Mrs. Elizabeth Mohr Held in
$4,000 Bail, Charged With
1nstigating Crime.
MAKES VIGOROUS DENIAL
Negroes, in Confession, Say She
Offered Them $4,000 Re-
ward for Deed
VIGOROUS DENIAL

PROVIDENCE. r. l.. September g
Mrs. Elizabeth Tiffany Blair Mohr. ar
rested to-day as result of the con-
fession by three negroes that she had
hired them for SIS. 900 to kill her nus
band. c. Franklin Mohr. n wealthy
physician of this city and Newport,
was released in $4,000 bail tonight.
In view of the serious charge that
she had aided. counseled and hired
the three men to kill DR.. Mohr. who
was shot down at the time his secre-
tary. Miss Emily G. Burger. was scri-
ously wounded. as they sat in their
stalled automobile in dark spot on
Nayatt Road Tuesday night. Assistant
District Attorney Claud Beach ask ed
that bail he fixed at S25. 900.
Judge Brown. of the Superior Court,
held. however. that 10000 was suf-
hcicnt The amount was furnished by
James NJ. F!nan. retired business
man: Robert Jones. an undertaken: Mr..
and Mrs. Eugene F.. Clifford. neighbors
Of Mrs. Mohr's. and Arthur Gushing,
one Of Mrs. Mohr's counsel.
Mrs. Mohr was driven soon after
ward to tho house where she boarded,
with her three children. near the late
home OF her husband
Mrs. Mohr appeared not the least
disturbed throughout the proceedings.
She is diminutivc of body and was
dressed In a blue tailored suit and a
modish straw hat. the spreading brim
of which half hid her features At
the station house she sent out for n
brown Veil. which she so arranged that
all but the lower part of her face was
concealed. In her gloved hands she
carried vanity box Mrs. Mohr
greeted the officers and her lawyer with
smiles.
The police entertain two possible
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. toward Miss Burger,
and an alleged desire by the wife to
obtain possession of her husbands con-
siderable estate. a few hours after
her husband died, Mrs. A1ohr made ap-
plication in the Municipal Court for
appointment AS custodian for his prop
erty. This was granted
WOMAN MAKES DENIAL
OF CHARGES AGAINST HER
The only statement obtained from
Mrs. Mohr during the day was a denial
OF the charges against her. When con-
fronted with Cecil Victor Brown. the
former hostler on the Mohr estate,
whose confession led to her arrest she
said:
1T is not SO. You know you came
UP TO my house and said that YOU were
going TO get square with the doctor,
because he did not pay YOU what he
owed you. I told you not to be
foolish"
Brown. with his two alleged accom-
pllces. Henry Spellman. his half
brother. and George W. Heals. the
doctors chauffeur, were locked up to-
night in the Bristol County Jail. All
three are charged with murder.
At the Rhode Island Hospital. where
Miss Burger is kept in seclusiop, il was
said she was recovering from her two
wounds.
Healis had been detained since the
shooting. rs his account OF the affair
conflicted with that OF Miss Burger.
Brown was arrested last night. after
Heals had told the police that he and
the hostler had plotted TO rob DR.. Mohr.
Brown was subjected TO searching
examination. during which. the police
say. he broke down and admitted that
he was concerned in the shooting. and
that Mrs. Mohr had offered him $4,000
~ MIL ueI HuSDallu means ana spell
man corroborated Browns story.
According to Browns story as given
out by the police, Mrs. Mohr proposed
several weeks ago that he kill DR..
Mohr promising to pay him $4,000 nine
days after the killing. He said he
asked Spellman to help him out. and
brought his half-brothcr up TO talk
the matter over with Mrs. Mohr.
Hpo1iS h,-r os
Mohr, Brown said. Spellman was TO
receive $1,000 and Brown and Heals
$4,000 each
The arrangements were carried out
in detail, according to the confession
AT designated spot on the Nayatt
Road, Heals stalled the engine, and
Brown and Spellnan. who had ap-
preached on motorcycles. crept through
the bushes and fred at the occupants
of the car. Brown said he shot DR..
Mohr and Spellman wounded Miss Bur-
ger. After the shooting they went
back to the motorcycles. They threw
the revolvers into brook.
TOLD HIM TO DE SURE
TO KILL THE DOCTOR
Brown declares that Mrs. Mohr told
him to he sure to kill the doctor, and
to kill Miss Burger if he could. His
instructions, he said, were to shoot
anybody in the tonneau. After SPELL
man and Healis had corrobora ted
Browns story. two detectives brought
Mrs. Mohr to police headquarters,
where later she was formally placed
under arrest. She made vigorous
denial of the charges
DR.. and Mrs. Mohr were married
twelve years ago. Recently Mrs. Mohr
instituted separation proceedings. and
the doctor brought counter suit
Mrs. Mohr said that she did not ask
for a divorce. as she hoped the~causes
which prompted her to seek a separa-
ton might be removed some time and
a reconciliation would be effected.