The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-01-05
Examination of Suicides
Body Reveals Evidence,
Say Police
HAIR MATCHES THAT
FOUND IN GIRLS HAND
Sen OF Wealthy Pittsburgh Coal Oper-
ator, Who Shot Himself Last Night,
Believed to Have Killed Philadelphia
Art Model.

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. g. Circum-
Stantlal evidence which the police say
eouvlnces them that Bernard w. Lewis.
son OF wealthy retired Pittsburg coal
operator, who ended his life in an At
lantic City hotel last night, was the
slayer OF Maize Colbert, the model,
was revealed early today by an exami-
nation OF the young man s body.
Lewis was positively identified bv
kIwood Powell, the chauffeur who
drove him and the Misses Ethel and
Mabel Kyle to their home in German
town last Thursday night, as the man
he later took to Miss Colbert S apart
ment.
Philadelphia detectives who went to
Atlantic City last night say that
Lewis s hair matches that found
elutched in the dead girls hand and
that Lewis was found to be wearing a
woman 5 undershirt which corresponds
exactly to garments worn by Miss
Colbert. A blood stained handkerchief +
was found in his pocketbook.
The Misses Kyle, through whom the
police learned Of Lewis S identity.
maintain that he is innocent and that
he committed suicide because he be-
heved his reputation had been ruined.
ATLANTIC CITY. y. j.. Jan. ;. =
With his feet braced against the head
of the bathtub. Bernard Lewis. scion
of wealthy Pittsburgh family, want
ed in connection with the murder of
Maize Colbert, the artist 5 model in
Philadelphia, pulled the trigger Of a
22-caliber rife in the bathroom adioin-
ing his bedroom in the exclusive States
villa on States avenue last night at
SO 0 clock as Detectives Farley and
Iotten of the local Headquarters staff,
raped for admittance on the door Of
his room.
The bullet entered the man 5 temple
and death is believed to have been
instantaneous. That Lewis anticipated
arrest and made preparations to kill
himself is indicated by the fact that
the rifle was brand new.
Wednesday Captain Of Detectives
Alalsced received a communication
from Philadelphia asking him to en-
deayor to locate Lewis. Detectives
Farley and Totten were assigned to
the case. They succeeded in learning
that Bernard Lewis was known at
States Villa.
About clock last night word came
over the telephone to Capt. Malseed s
once that man answering the de
scrlptlon of Lewis had entered States
Villa and was then eating supper. Far
ley and Totten hurried to the house
on States avenue. Learning that Lewis
had gone to his room on the third
floor they went there and raped ON
the door.
Who IS there?' Lewis called out.
We have a message for yOu,' Far
ley answered. Let us in. -
"All right was the reply.
A moment later the detectives heard
door bang inside the room. Think
ing Lewis was attempting to escape
through window they rushed to an
adjoining room. AS they tried the
door the rifle shot rang out.
They tried to insert KEY in the
door, but found that the kew hole
had been plugged. They then broke
open the door to the bathroom.
Lewis was found half reclining in
the bathtub with his foot braced
against the head. The trigger of the
rifle was still clasped in his hand and
the end of the barrel rested against
his temple.