The Oskaloosa herald., 1917-01-04
DISCOVER CLEW TO
MuRDEREROF MODEL
Wealthy Chicagoan Suspected Of
Killing Grace Roberts.
WAS JEALOUS OF WOMAN
Philadelphia Police Believe Girl Re.
fused 70 Discontinue Friendship
With Other Men and Admirer
Killed Her.

Philadelphia, Jan. 2.-The curtain of
mystery that draped the brutal muir
der of Muzie Colbert alias Mrs. Grace
Roberts, pretty model. who was found
dead in her apartments was drawn
aside and revealed the story of u trag-
edy that rivaled the most weird
dreams of Poe.
The name of the man who tortured
and then killed the woman is now in
the hands of the police, and, according
10 detectives, will lead to man
standing high in business circles of
Chicago and this city. Cropping in the
dark for fiimsy clues, detectives fol-
. lowed the trail 10 New York and then
10 Chicago where, they say, the mys-
terry is virtually ended.
Slayer Is Well Known.
The IMAM from Chicago" had lived
here for some time but conducted
business in the western city, held
membership in some of its best clubs
and was Well known in club life of
Philadelphia. according to the detec-
tives who for two days have been I'M
ravelng the mystery.
He met Mrs. Roberts about year
ago, fell desperately in love with her
and when she refused TO discontinue
her friendship with other men killed
her rather than see his worldly sweet
heart travel the primrose path.
After being murderously beaten the
young woman was beaten TO death
In her apartment with the very ar
ticle of clothing which her figure had
popularized in advertising pictures
throughout the country-a silk stock
ing But death had all but been
dealt the young woman before her
murderer drew the stocking tight
around her neck. Her skull was
fractured; blood was spattered all
over her delicate body and her luXu-
Iious bed furnishings and silk pa
iamas. The wrecked furniture of the
apartment spoke gruesOmely of a
struggle with whoever committed the
crime.
vaIuabIes Are Untouched.
A valuable lavaliere was undis-
turbed and money in bureau drawer
was intact. One piece of jewelry-a
handsome diamond ring of AZ karats
was missing.
In the Wilton apartment, where
Mrs. Roberts lived, no one heard her
death struggles. She was killed,
"suiciGe plant" effected and her as
sailant walked off unscathcd.
Yet Mrs. Roberts struggle against
death had been 81 violent that her
hair was ripped from her head blood
spattered all over the bed clothes and
the once blue silk pajamas had been
dyed red
She had first been struck in the
face with a fish and when she showed
she could fight her aSSailant used
fiat iron to crush her skull and then
tied her own silk stockings around
her throat.
The murderer probably stood and
watched the girl drag herself across
the floor and there collapse. Great
pools Of blood at that spot proved it
was where she had died.
Tries to Cover Up Crime.
BY the dim light of a boudUir lamp
the man lifted her body and placed
it on the bed. lie pulled the stock
ings as tight as possible, pulled the
sheets over her face and tried to
efface any traces of the struggle. A
rubber hose had been attached TO
the gas and placed in the dead wom-
ans hand. Her aSsailant, however,
had forgotten to turn on the gas.
Finger prints. stamped in blood,
covered the bed clothing and walls.
They were all of the same person,
and, detectives pointed out. proved
that, while the man probably had
planned the murder before lie visited
the house, he was s novice at crime.
A master criminal. they said, would
have taken care to use gloves. 1t
is the most damaging evidence he
could have left behind. Another fin
ger-print had been left on. the girls
forehead, where an effort had been
made to pull her hair down over
wound. A blOoG-staiDed silk shirt
and collar that had never been laun-
dered were also found TO have the