The Topeka state journal., 1916-12-21
FIND A new CLUE
Man Saw Auto on .Viaduct
Where Sim Was Killed.
lSuicide Theory Doesn't Account
for Missing Valuables.

+
Kansas City, Dec. 21.-The police of
Kansas City, Kan, tocay came upon a
new clew which they believe makes
certain the theory that Arthur b. Sim,
wealthy oil man of Wichita. Kan.
was thrown from the intercity viaduct
by robbers The clew was the state
ment of Leslie Perkins. driver for a
dry goods store here, that he saw, late
Monday night or early Tuesday morn
ing, a motor car standing on the via
duct at about the same distance from
the Kansas river as Sims body was
found. Perkins said he was returning
to this city after making deliveries in
Kansas City. Kan, when his car al
most ran into another automobile
standing near the side of the viaduct.
In it, he said was woman and one
man. He added there might have
been a second man. He drove on
without stopping.
The Kansas City. Kan, police scout
the belief of the police of this city
that Sim committed suicide. The only
other development in the case today
was the action of the police here in
turning over to the county prosecutor
the three persons who were arrested
yesterday and have been held for pos
sible connection with the crime. As
the police say they have no reason
to hold the three further it was con-
sidered doubtful whether the prosecu-
tor would take any action.
Police Ready to Give Up.
Kansas City. Dec. 21.-The mystery
surrounding the death of Arthur b.
Sim, wealthy oil man of Wichita. may
never be solved in the opinion of police
officers here today. who declared there
was only a chance that information
might be found to shed definite light
upon the events which led to the
finding of his crushed body below the
l =.
After two days of investigation j.
L. Ghent, chief of detectives said to-
day that he was inclined to believe
that Sim might have committed sui
eide
"Grief-stricken over the estrange-
ment with his wife and in the condi-
ton he was in, he might have wan
dered on the viaduct and jumped off"
the detective chief said. 1--WE have
run into a stone wall in our investiga-
ton and may never learn the true
facts concerning his death.'
VIII Release Suspects.
AItho Edna Miller, Harry Fitzpatrick
and Joe Macoluso were still being held
by the police. Chief Gheit declared
the stories they told concerning events
the night be4vre Sims body was found
had been shown to be correct He
added they would be releas ed.
The theory that Sim might have
been thrown from the motor car which
dashed across the yiaduct early Tues
day morning was dissipated. according
TO the police, when the toll keeper said
he watched the car as far as he could
see 1t and that it did not .verve or
stop as it passed the spot where the
body was found. Also it was pointed
out that Sim might have crossed the
viaduct without the toll keeper seeing
him as. a cold night such as Mon
day and Tuesday morning, the toll
keeper might haze been in hiS watch
mans house as the oil man passed
The police today werestiil endeavor-
ing to learn where Sim went after
Edna Miller left him at a hotel, fol-
lowing visits to several cafes From
there all trace of him seems to have
vanished and investigators declared
themselves at loss today to do more
than guess what might have occurred
between that time and his death.