Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-10-07
HEROINE OF HOLD-UP
IN JERSEY DECLAnhS
CREDIT FOR BRAVERY
'Tm Not Plucky," Says Mrs.
Elsie Smathers. After Daring
Hail Of Bullets to Save Com
panions in Auto
MORE ARRESTS EXPECTED

thrice wounded IN that fatal encounter
today dlsciairns any credit for bravery.
n. am not piuci<y." she persists when
her courageous rescue OF tho occupants OF
The Rider auto In the face Of the bandits
fusillade was mentioned within her hear
! ing at tho Jefferson Hospital
Two bullets have been extracted from
the young woman's body, and, while recov-
cring. she Il too weak from the operation
20 discuss the shooting IN any Of its details.
on account OF Mrs. smathers's condition the
detectives abandoned for the present their
plan TO confront her with Mine d Marco.
the nIneteen-year-old riri suspect. and the
other prisoners held here in connection
with the hoId-up and murder.
But n Mrs smathers IL family modest
IN her disclaimer OF personal courage the
other survivors OF the Rider party are en-
phatic In ascribing TO her the salvation Of
their own lives at risk OF her own.
GREATEST OF NERVE"
Through her son. Harvey Rlgby another
wounded victim OF the tragedy. John Rigby,
the Rider mechanician. pronounces Mrs.
Smathers's action the greatest display OF
nerve by woman he ever saw.
1T Il hadn't been for that girl there
would have been three dead men and one
dead woman in that car instead OF one
dead man" In Rigbys summary OF Mrs.
Smathers's heroic conduct.
Mrs Rider, the young woman's mother.
also praises her daughters heroism. IN
was o'clock when heard the news" she
said. II started az once for the farmhouse.
As soon az got within sight OF II. what
do you suppose that dear girl did7 She
heard me coming and tried to soften the
shock. I'm all right. mother, don't be
frightened she called. There she was.
wounded herself, but seated in chair at n
table writing notes for aid and trying to
get doctors and the police. She hasn't
thought Of herself at all
while she was bleeding. yet Sill driv-
ing the car toward the farmhouse at the
bogs. she thought only OF her uncle. who
lay wounded In the seat beside her. Can
you stand II. Uncle Henry7" she asked again
and again. Can't you lay your head on
my shoulder and be more comfortable p
Then she added, II only could have talSer
some OF the bullets that struck Uncle Henry
then perhaps we might both have pulled
through"
BODY OF MAN FOUND
Camden county authorities are investi.
eating the discovery Of n mans body with
q bullet wound In the head which was found
today along the road between Haddonfield
and Ashland
Detective Lawrence Doran was sent &c
the scene. which is several miles from ths
spot where the Rider tragedy occurred
There Is some suspicion that the body may
be that OF one OF the bandits. who wal
wounded by Rigby during the attack. sum
uner Bridge, where the Rider party wal
held up, is twenty-three miles from thu
place where the body was found.
Dr. Frank p. Cook. Coroner OF Burling
ton County. who lives Mt Laurel Springs
viewed the body found near Ashland. il
was that OF n man about forty years old
about Ave feet ten inches, and weighing 1s(
pounds A pistol lay nearby, and the au
thorities believe the man was a suicide,
Atlantic County detectives are searchnf
for four Italians who left Atlantic City or
wednesday night, left a Reading train NJ
winslow, and thence rode 10 Atsion on tho
New Jersey Central Prosecutor Charles
Moore. OF Atlantic County. and the Bur
lington County authorities are working iT
connection on the local investigation OF tho
crime, with headquarters at Hammonton
Possible friction was dspelled by the Bur
iington County officials accepting the prose
outor's proffer OF help
MORE ARRESTS EXPECTED
The, police are satisfied that some. II no
nll. Of the occupants Of the automobile ol
were behind the fusiilade OF bullets nrec
nj the Rider automobile on a lonely road
The arrest Of four more Italians believes
20 have been in the murder party" Ia ex
pected today. Captain OF Detectives Tate
who has their names. has started a Bearcl
for them. Those under arrest In this cit!
and awaiting extradiction 10 New Jersel
are Mile al Marco. Giuseppe Russo. VIII,
lived with her family at 1928 South Twelfth
street. and vasselia and Frank Ledonne
1852 Passyunk avenue. who furnished tn
automobile. The girl and Russo are sus
pected OF being implicated In the killing
A.. - l..lA aeArN
witnesses.
Uncommunicative In the presence Of de
tectives, Mile al Marco. who Ia nlnetee
years old poured out her story 20 a prizes
OF st. Rita's Catholic Church. She declares
her Innocence 70 him.
STATEMENT TIC PRIEST
To the priest the girl, speaking In Italian
asserted absolute innocence OF any connec
tion with the crime. She declared she wa
the victim OF men who took advantage O
her knowledge OF the cranberry country
After receiving the girls statement, tn
priest expressed confidence In its truth. II
declared he had known her eleven years
that she was modest, retiring and had bee
attentive 20 her mother until the latter wa
removed 10 the Jefferson Hospital He
story. as told by the priest. Is as follows;
am innocent OF any wronEdoing In
connect on with the affair in New Jer-
sey. Russo. who occupied a room above
mine at 1923 South Twelfth street was
very attentive 70 me, On Thursday
morning he said 'Afillle. YOU are work.
ing too hard how would you like 20
take a trip TO New Jersey with me7"
I said would 80. 70 Russo man who
drove the car and I started out
When we reached summit Bridge the
male members OF the party left the
car 1 heard shots. but paid no atten-
tlon 70 them.
When Russo ana his companions re-
turned they appeared 70 be excited.
Then Il was l noticed one OF the men
was missing We drove on AZ high
speed when we arrived In Philadelphia
II asked 10 be let down at the Jefferson
Hosp tall for wished 20 v.slt my
mother.
All OF the prisoners maintain their limit
.... o<nce Ledonua and FaAaella say their o.
cnpation IL that Of chauffeur. Russo sas
he IL stonemas0n and works for Cal
men spltaro. 7o6 Manton street. The Il
raid she worked In a department std
Three years ago, she said. she was en-
ployed By A J. Rider picking cranberri'