South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-01-03
Was Showed Into Bath Room
When Second SuitOr Ar
rived and Witness
eS the Staying.
BOTH ARE PRoMINEN IN
PENNSYLVANIA SOCIETY
Attempt on Part of Mrs. Rob-
ertS to Play Two SuitorS
Led to Tragedy-WOm-
an Began the Attack.
international News Service :

international news service.
PHILADELPHIA. Pa, Jan. g.
The battling search for the slayer of
Grace Colbert Roberts, the corset
model whose form was described as
divine" narrowed down today to
two of her many wealthy admirers.
One of these men, according to
the police, killed the girl while the
other looked on unseen from the
bath room. Both are well known to
the police, they say and any at
tempt on their part to leave Phila-
delphia will lead 10 their instant
arrest. Unless they attempt TO get
away, the detectives Will go ahead
and quietly complete their case be-
fore making the arrests.
The man who killed the model
and the man who looked on from
the bath room are both wealthy, &C
cording 10 the police, and both their
names are well known in Philadel-
phia and Pennsylvania society.
Tale Most Amazing.
The tale as unfolded by detec-
tives today is one of the most amaZ-
ing in the city's criminal annals. and
runs the gamut of love, hate, pas
sion, and finally blackmail.
The killing resulted directly from
a flash of temper displayed by the
pretty model, according to the po-
lice The story as unfolded follows:
Mrs. Roberts was playing" her
two suitors heavily. One of these
was an upstate man of wealth, So
cially prominent and eminently re-
spected. The other was a Phila-
delphian of almost the same de-
scription. At the behest of the lat
ter she wrote the upstate man that
she was considering breach of
promise action, and that the mat
ter had already been placed in the
hands of her attorney.
The effect of this letter, it was
said. was to bring the upstate man
10 Philadelphia posthaste. But in
stead Of going 10 see her lawyer. he
went 20 the luxurious apartment at
18th and Poplar SITS.
Pushed Into Bath Room.
Mrs. Roberts and her Phila-
delphia admirer watched him as he
came up the street. Then the model
told her companion that it would
never do for him 10 be seen there at
that time, and she literally pushed
him into the bath room. She open
ed the door and admitted the man
herself. They talked. and as they
talked both grew somewhat angry.
Finally, in a burst of temper. Mrs.
Roberts seized the nearest object,
which happened 10 hc lie f1atirOn
which has figured so prominently in
the case. and struck him on the
head repeatedly. The man was
dazed and the anger already smold-
ering. famed into a rage. He start
ed back, knocked her down, and
then. throwing caution to the winds.
proceeded to Kill her.
The man in the bath room es-
capped unseen by the window. The
apartment was ground floor one
and il was easy. The window was
left open and was found SO by the
janitor next day.
The police declare confidently
that this IS the true story. Whether
any arrests Will he made today is
predetermined
Feared for Her Life.
\ story that the pretty model
lived in fear of her life from one of
her suitors resulted today in several
detectives being thrown on this
angle.
The story told the police is that
the man. not a resident of Phila-
delphia. was intensely jealous OF
Mrs. Roberts and had even threat
ened 20 kill her if she persisted in
frequenting gay cafes with her
other admirers According TO the
police. the model told a friend only
q few days before her death that
this man was now in Chicago. but
is coming home this week. and am
afraid OF him."