New-York tribune., 1917-01-03
Philadelphia Police Fail to
Arrest Rich Man Who
Menaced Model
IGNORANT NEGRO"
OR WHITE SOUGHT
Ex-Collegian She Loved
May Aid CaSe-Position
of Body a Clew
lRr Te!.nsph TO tn. Tribune ]


Philadelphia, Jan. Although the
police have known since Sunday morn
ing that a wealthy man frequently
threatened to kill Grace Roberts, or
Maize Colbert, the model found muir
dered Saturday morning, they had made
no arrests tonight, and were advancing
varying theories that an Ignorant de-
generate" a negro, or white man
with a scar had killed the girl.
Captain Tate said tonight that
theories based on the known threats OF
this wealthy man were "on the wrong
track"
as II true that you accepted as this
mans alibl that he was with another
woman at the tins the crime was com
mitted?" ?" was asked.
ooh, you have that confused with
another man m the case"
"The Colbert or Roberts woman was
struck three blows on the back Of her
head by some instrument, such as a
blackjack or a heavy ice pick said
DR. Charles f. Bricker, the police sur
geon who was called when the body
was found.
Odd Position OF Body
HThe thing that appears TO me TO be
singular is that the body was lying
on the bed with the head near the side,
at the head of the bed, and the feet
near the other side, at the foot OF the
bed. Ii seems to me that two persons
must have put the body on the bed.
as il would have been necessary 70 lift
the feet over the footboard, and that
would naturally place the feet further
away from the edge of the bed near
which the head rested.
"When | saw the wounds | said that
they must have been caused by black
jack or a heavy ice pick. When men,
toned an ice pick the girls sister said:
Grace had an ice pick like that But
it is missing and has not been located
yet"
The son Of an upstate brewer, ques-
toned for hours on Monday by detec-
tiycs, was again sought to-day, but he
had left the hotel where he was
guest and could not be located.
Miss Colbert was infatuated with a
University Of Pennsylvania graduate
and former football player, but they
had been estranRed for several months,
the authorities say a municipal en-
ploye told them to-day. Several weeks
ago the man, who lived at Cynwyd,
suburb, sought a reconciliation, and ar
ranged for a dinner party with the
young woman on New Years Day, ac-
cording 10 the detectives informant.
One theory Of the police is that an
other of Miss Colbert's admirers
learned OF the reconciliation and began
n jealous quarrel that ended with the
girls death.
Girl Showed Jealousy
The police to-day tried to locate the
young Cynwyd man, but did not sue
ceed. They expect TO find him to-mor-
row. To show the depth OF the girls
infatuation for him, the city employe
is said 10 have related an alleged in
cident in which Miss Colbert in a jesl-
Gus rage attacked the young man at
hotel ball because she had not been in
vited and because he was dancing with
other women.
The authorities are now convinced
that a wealthy clubman from another
city. who had been under suspicion. is
not the SLAYER. a further examination
to-day showed that the girl was beaten
and kicked, but that death was due TO
strangulation. Her front teeth were
knocked out and silk stocking was
tied tightly around her neck.