New Britain herald., 1917-01-12
SEEKING CLUE HERE
 TO MODELS SLAYER
Key Found in Magic Colbert'S Room Made by Russell & Erwin
TRACING ITS HISTORY


 Owned Bit of NIetal-Rome, N. Y.
 Man Under Suspicion.
 Convinced that information rela- tive to the recent whereabouts of key 1731, one of the cylinder lock type manufactured at the Russell &
 Erwin plant. will solve the mystery ! surrounding the sensational murder , of Maizie Colbert, better known as ' Grace Roberts, the perfect mode1,' and the equally as sensational suicide of Bernard w. Lewis, wealthy Pitts i burgher, Detective Oscar Brown of Philadelphia headquarters is in New Britain today and expects to secure clues that are likely to decide Lewis guilt or innocence. With the CO., operation of the New Britain detec- ] tive bureau and officials of the Rus sell & Erwin plant, he hopes to as- certain to whom the key was sold and it's whereabouts until it was found on a dresser near the body of the murdered girl. d., | On Q keyring with several other ordinary type keys was found one bearing the number 1731. of a some what peculiar pattern with an inscrip- tion indicating that it was made at the Russell '& Erwin plant. Although the suicide of Mewis seemed to in- dicate him as guilty of the murder, one of the most sensational in the recent annals of crime, there has been lack of conclusive evidence and the opinion has been strengthened that there were other visitors to the Colbert girls departments on the night of the murder.
 rfoir of n1- tectives James Tate of the Philadel- phia department, in general charge of the investigation, received key 1731 in connection with other evil dence. Convinced that it would be the key to the mystery, he started cam paign to trace from whence it came, it's ownership and its past where abouts. Telegraphing to Capt. T. W. Grace he gave a general description of the key and asked that an at tempt be. made to secure information from the Russell Ss Erwin plant as to its history and for whom it was made. Rome Man Suspected.
 Experts at the plant went through the sales record and found that keys of this type and special locks which ; they fitted had been made in quantity for the Rome State Custodial Asylum of Rome, N. Y. Early in the investi- gation suspicion had been attracted to an attache of the Rome institution. It was strengthened when it was found that the key was one of large order sold to that institution and that one of the attendants who was in position to have the keys could not be located. Detective Brown went to Rome in an attempt to locate the lock that the key fits. It was found that it did not ft the lock attached to door 1731. As there are more than 1,600 locks in the institution that are used with this type of key, it was decided that the quickest way would be to try and trace it through the To- cal factory.
 Detective Brown arrived in New Britain shortly before noon today, called at police headquarters and, after consulting with Captain Grace and Detective Sergeant Bamforth, went to the factory. He was promised every assistance by the Russell & Erwin experts, a search was begun 1 through the sales records and re- port was promised for some time to-
 day. AS soon as given, Detective Brown Is to leave the city either to revisit Rome or return to Philadel- phia Both he and the Russell &, Erwin officials are reticent relative to what has been learned. Detective , Brown feels that, if Lewis is not guilty of the murder, the guilty person IS kceping close watch on the movements l of detectives and sparing neither time nor money to prevent discovery. | The key is of a somewhat peculiar 1 cylinder type. On one side F the number and on the other the words "R. & E. Mfg. Co. Columbia lock-" : with the patent dates. At the factory it was learned that the number 1731 had been added since it left the fac tory By whom and for what purpose is a mystery to the police.
 ! Detective Brown is one of the squad of detectives originally assigned to l the murder and was in the rooms of the Colbert girls apartments shortly after the body was found on the bed. Close by the bed was the dresser upon which the bunch of keys was found. ! Theother keys were of the type that can not easily be distinguished or traced No 1731 was all the more noticeable because of its difference.
 While detectives working on the case feel convinced that Lewis was the i guilty one and that his suicide was | caused by fear Of arrest relatlVes or tho murdered girl, public sentiment and lack of positive proof that Lewis was responsible has resulted in every possible clew being run down. Detec- tive Brown said, that the investigation 1 will be continued until the mystery is ! cleared up or the authorities are con- vinced that there is no use of follow l ing it further.
 1 16 YEAR OLD NEGRO LYNCHED. | McDonough, Ga, Jan. 12.-Harris | Sutton, sixteen years old, negro. as- 1 sa1llted a 1.aor old 1ulaite girl Da-