New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-09-14
Ex-Butler's Story Re-
suits in Capture of
MulhOlland.
LEHTO AND TWO
OTHERS ACCUSED
Prisoner Admits Part in
Robbery, but Not in
Actual Strangling.

The trail left by the slayers of Mrs.
Elizabeth Nichols, strangled to death
IN her home on September 8, 1915; led
back yesterday from Ironwood, Mich,
where Arthur Waltonen was arrested
on Tuesday, to New York 1t ended
last night in the Third Branch De-
tective Bureau, when, after nearly
twenty-four hours of grilling, Joseph
A. Mulhclland was placed under arrest
on a charge of homicide.
IL was the confession of Onni Talas,
whose death sentence at Sing Sing was
commuted to life Imprisonment. that
led to the arrest of Waltonen. It was
Waltonen's confession, the police say,
that led to the arrest of Mulholland
Waltonen, in his confession to New
York detectives at Ironwood, is said
to have implicated three other men
beside Mulholland. He left for New
York last night. ready, ne declared. "to
go back and take his medicine"
Lehto Named as Accomplice.
"But the other fellows will have to
take theirs, too" he added, vindictive-
ly. "l'll see TO that"
Besides Mulholland, Waltonen is said
TO have named as his accompliees, Ed
die Lehto, who helped him oyerpower
Mrs. Nichols in her home at East
Seventy Street; Millen Holden
and Alex Simpson. lie also mentioned
Onni Talas, the bellboy.
"Waltonen's confession has cleared
up one Of the most daring crimes in
recent New York history" the New
York detectives said last night before
starting East. 1--WE have the three
other men under our fingers | would
not be surprised if they were all ar
rested before we reach the city"
Mulholland, who lives at SO East
l27th Street, was arrested at his home
Tuesday evening by Detectives Deshly.
Murphy and Lennon. He was taken to
the Sd Branch Bureau, where all night
and all day yesterday he maintained
that he had had nothing to do with
the crime.
At o'clock last night, detectives
say, he broke down under the unremit-
ting strain and confessed that he had
been in the Nichols house at the time
of the tragedy.
This is the story which the police
give out as coming from the lips of
Mulholland.
The man met Waltonen one night 10
Mount Morris Park, about two months
before the murder. They became
friendly and used to shoot pool togeth-
er evenings. When their intimacy in
creased Waltonen told his acquaintance
of the plans for the robbery, and in
troduced him 10 Talas. Mulholland
agreed to act as outside man" He
was to remain on the sidewalk in front
of the building and give warning Of
the approach of any one.
Forced to Accompany Pair.
On the night of September s, how
ever, when Talas opened the door of
the home, on The prearranged signal,
Waltonen and Lehto forced the man to
accompany them upstairs, it is said.
Those who heard Mulholland's state
ment say he admits having helped tie
and gag the maid, and bind up Talas,
TO make it appear like - <tside job"
but adds that he denies being in the
room when the other men attacked the
old woman so roughly that she either
was frightened or strangled to death.
After the men had taken all the jew
els, they left the building and Mulhol-
land accompanied them, the police say,
TO a restaurant in l25th Street where
they ate and drank until morning.
When Waltonen and Lehto read the
papers and found out that Mrs. Nichols
had been killed, they were frightened
and prepared to leave the city at once.
Mulholland refused TO accompany them.
the detectives assert. and has remained
in New York for the last year. working
for time at his trade of plumber and
later serving as a strike breaking ticket
chopper in the Fourteenth Street sui
way station.
The police believe he is the man who
disposed of the jewels and hope that
through further admissions from him
they will be able to recover most Of
the loot which cost Mrs. Nichols her
life.