The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-01-05
Suicide of Pittsburgh Man
May Clear Up Model Murder
LEWIS HAD KNOWLEDGE
OF CRIME IS BELIEF
EVEN IF NOT THE
ACTUAL MURDERER
Telephoned Twice to Sisters
in Germantown Asking
What to Do.

PHILADELPHIA. Pa. Jan. THE
death By his own hand in an Atlantic
| City hotel tonight of Bernard W.
! Lewis, Il wealthy young PittSburgher,
! as he was about To be arrested in con-
nection with the murder OF Maize Col
J bert. the artists model, the police
declare, leads them to believe them toj
believe that he had knowledge of the
crime even if he was not actually the
slayer. Although reports from Allan
tic City late tonight said that Lewis
had lett no written statement, local
authorities were hopeful that some
) thing would yet be found among his
effects 10 clear up the mystery which
! for four days has balfled the efforts Of
Il score or more detectives.
a warrant for Lewis arrest on the
technical charge of defrauding a taxi
cab driver out Of his fare early Fri
, day, the day the crime is believed to
have been committed, was Nsued
today and flierS were sent broadcast
by the police with a description of the
Pittsburgher. Lewis name had fur
nished the authorities by Misses Ethel
and Mabel Kyle, sisters. both of whom
were public sisters, who said that the
young man had taken them home in
, a taXicab after a dinner party down
town. Elwood Powell, the chauffeur
in an affidavit before a magistrate,
stated that he had later taken the
man to the apartment house where
! Miss Colbert lived.
Lewis twice this afternoon tele-
7 phoned, apparently from Atlantic
City. to the home of the Kyle sisters
/ in Germantown. His calls we're answ-
cred by Miss May Kyle, a third sist-
er, and Lewis, she said. plunged at
! once into the subject OF the murder
What shall | do?" he is reported to
have said. Isn't this terribe?"
! Did you know the Colbert girl?"
Miss Kyle said she asked him.
| 'Cf course did not know her." he
is said 10 have replied.
! Then why have YOU not called on
the detectives and explained where
YOU were on Friday" Miss Kyle ask
! ed. "Why didn't you let them know
before this "
Lewis is said to have replied: "1
! thought the easiest way was the
best"
Lewis was silent for a few NOM
ents and then said. according TO Miss
Kyle, Don't Worry. l am going to
) straighten this thing out. have ar
! ranged to see good lawyer and will
! do whatever he says"
7 !,
He called again In few minutes, it
! is said, and repeated his admonition
! that the sisters should not worry
about the matter.
! Warrant Is Issued
! PHILADELPHIA, Jan. with the
issuance of a. warrant today for The
arrest Of Bernard W. Lewis. the
wealthy son of Wenman A, Lewis.
retired coal operator living in the fash
ionable East End section of Pittsburgh
fresh impetus was given tonight to
the search for the slayer Of Maize Col
bert, otherwise known as Mrs. Grace
Roberts, an artists model whose
bruised body was found in her apart
ments late Saturday night. Lewis. who
is said to be we'll known among the
dancing set at leading hotel cafes and
roof gardens In New York. Atlantic
City and Philadelphia, is wanted on a
technical charge Of violating an act
Of Assembly in Defrauding a taXicab
chauffeur out of his fare early Friday
morning, when the murder is believed
to have been committed. Local 1eLac-
tives, now IN New York expect to ar
rest Lewis tonight.
Elwood Powell, the chauffeur, made
an affidavit before a magistrate that
Lewis Is the man he drove 10 the
apartment house where Miss Colbert
lived. Lewis name was furnished the
police by Miss Ethel Kyle and Miss
Mabel Kyle, sisters, both high school
fContinued on Page Eighty