New-York tribune., 1917-07-18
Tompkins Seen
On Road Where
Three Were Slain
Miner Says He Saw Him
Near Auto in Which
Were Two Victims

Johnstown, Penn, July 17.-George
Naylor, mine foreman, to-day identi-
fed George c. Tompkins as the man ne
declared he saw walking in the drec-
ton of an automobile on a country road
near here Sunday in which he said were
the bodies of woman and boy.
The Identification was made in the
Cambria County Jail. at Ebensburg,
where Tompkins is held, charged with
the murder of Edmund I. Humphrics,
Mrs. Humphries and their son, Edmund,
jr.. aged fifteen.
Naylor said that with his wife and
two children he was en- route from their
home to Ebensburg Sunday when he
saw an automobile standing beside the
road near the Carrollton Fair Grounds.
He said stray dog standing near the
machine with its head covered with
blood first attracted his attention.
"T stopped my machine about one
hundred yards from the standing auto
mobile" said Naylor. land decided TO
investigate. walked to the automo-
bile, and was startled TO find two
bodies i'm the tonneau of the car. One
body was that of woman and the
other boy. | hurried back TO my car.
intending TO drive away, as ! didn't
want my family to see the bodies. But
the children asked me 20 get the dog
for them. and | returned.
"As | picked up the dog ! heard a
noise in the field at the roadside. I
turned and saw Tompkns running zig
gag out of the field
Naylor declared the man. apparently
dazed. walked to the automobile with
out noticing his presence. Naylor then
ran to his automobile and drove to
Carrollton, he said.
Authorities tonight declared they
had found black leather bag contain
ing valuable papers in the Humphreys
automobile. Tompkins is declared to
have stated the bag belonged to him
and had been stolen.
Tompkins. through his attorneys, to-
day waived preliminary examination. 1t
is understood he is preparing to make a
defence, the basis of which will be the
story he told when he drove an automi-
bile containing the bodies of the three
Humphries into Carrollton Sunday. He
said the party had been held up by
masked highwaymen.
Relatives who were with Naylor in
passing the scene of the tragedy Sun
day will be given an opportunity of
identifying Tompklns, it was said to-
night. Joseph Westover, who at yes
terdays inquiry declared he had seen
man running down the road pursued by
another man in an automobile, will
also be taken to the jail to determine.
if possible. whether Tompkins was the
man he saw in the pursuing machine.
In connection with a statement to-
day of District Attorney p. d. Weimer.
that motive for the murders had
been uncovered. n report that Tomp-
kins was financially obligated to Mrs.
Humphres as much discussed to-
night.
Weimer refused to divulge the mo-
tive he said had been found, declaring
it's publication possibly would weaken
the states case.
According TO Sheriff Mulhollen of
Cambria County, the Humphries
family, accompanied by Tompkins,
were en- route TO Philadelphia from
some coal holdings of Humphries when
the shooting occurred Tompkins, il is
said, intended TO mortgage the prop
erty to get funds with which TO nav
off his Indebtedness to Mrs. Humph
ries. With the money. he is reported To
have borrowed. Mulhollen declares.
Tompkins purchased an interest in a
coal development Of Humphries.
MAYORS Identification of Tompkins
to-day was declared by authorities to
end the possibility of the suspect OBJ
tanning his release on habess corpus
proceedings