The Washington herald., 1917-01-04
POLICE SLUGGISH
IN ''MODEL" "CASE
Ugly Hints Of Money Influence
Delaying Probe Of Case,
Philadelphia Hears.
BY tn. International New. service.)

luxurtous apartments TO be considered
simply ar incident TO be forgotten like
an ugly dream?
The wording may be as varied a. the
member Of questioners but these are the
thoughts in hundreds OF minds in this
city tonight. No arrests have been made,
although at least a dozen autographed
photographs and scores of letters-some
containing the threats OF Jealous cour-
tfers-have been found by the police In
Grace Roberts rooms
And despite the fact that one Of the
most prominent young men in Philadel-
phta society is alleged to have told all
Chestnut street that he knows the name
Of the man who has threatened repeated
ly the beautiful models life, the detec-
tives have made no arrests.
We aren't sure. We can't learn the
whole truth. We cannot accuse whom
we do not suspect
These are the replies that Detective
Captain Tate issued when asked to listen
to the one story that Is being talked
over cafe tables and in the street cars
and suburban trains.
The story as told this morning has
not changed Rather 1t has gained wider
circulation
A city Official tells it openly. One
of Grace Roberts girl friends laughed
today when she was asked whether she
knew who killed the unfortunate beauty
Of the Wilton Apartments.
Intoxicated In Hotel.
Know she replied. who doesn't
know2 Do you mean to say the police
do no. know who the man was who was
found In one OF our smaller hotels help
lessly intoxicated and without his shirt
and collar? Do you believe that the police
have not heard the story of the fight
in Grace's apartments?
Go to any cafe that Grace Roberts
and her crowd frequented and keep your
ears open. We all know that the fight
started when Grace slapped a mans
face in her apartments on Friday even
ing. He was beastly drunk and hEd been
for some days All the beautiful glass
work in her dining room was broken.
iron-was thrown and Grace caught II
with her head.
THE only mystery we know # con-
Germs the failure of the police to do some
thing. At least, they can arrest material
witnesses"
The girls story is current in every sec
ton OF the city. 1t Is the one topic OF
convers ton. Folks have no hesitaney
In ment 7ning names. But Capt Tate to-
night s-ys thet there are no suspects;
that he has no hope of an arrest; that
the case is as much Of a mystery now as
ever.
But" he adds, I'VE have eliminated
nobody from suspicion and we shall not
cease working.
One OF the angles of the Philadelphia
tragedy tonight is mulled over bet yeen
hilarious jests and cynical shrugs. 1t is
the fact that fully one-half of the mani
curists in the Keith Building, where the
majority Of Grace Roberts girl friends
worked as manicurists, have closed their
Offices and posted signs that they may
not be expected back for several days.
Likewise there has been a remarkable
exodus Of men who spent their nights in
the cafes with the Grace Roberts set
one Of them a man Of considerable wealth
and no occupation than that Of making
merry, leaving town, saying that he
would not return for six months at least.
Brewers Son Not Held.
The police declare that, after plying
Charles Kier with questions for three
days they have been compelled to drop
him as the possessor OF no knowledge Of
the case. He is the son Of deceased
brewer, who made a great fortune in
Mahaney City. Pa.
The police declare that he has told
Straightforward story of his activities
since Thursday, and that they have cor
roborated every detail of his story. Thus
eliminated Kier. who is known as
Champagne Charlie" Is spending his
time in his apartment in the Vendig
Hotel. recuperating from a nervous break
down. He plans to go to Atlantic City
as soon as his doctor will permit him.
There is no secret about his friendship
for Grace Roberts Her death precipitat-
ed his Illness. The MANAGEMENT of the
Vendig Hotel declares that Kier vas in
his apartments Wednesday, Thursday,
Friday and Saturday nishts. One of his
most intimate friends, c. Emery Titman,
said to reporters today:
ITO suspect Rier was absurd in the
first place. He / red her, yes; but so
did many men. Sh was a very c. arsning
girl. But he was not strong er ough to
have overpowered her. She was a pow
erful woman and could have thrown Kier
out the window. The murderer o Grace
Roberts was one of her recent a.quaint-
ances"
This recent acquaintance-threaten
Grace Roberts several times, 1t Is said.
A day or two before her death, the model
tcld one Of her riends of his menacings.
Feare' New suitor,
He Is now in Chicago" she said. land
I hope he stays there. 1 liked him lntil
he became insanely Jealous and began
to get nasty. I am afraid of him. He
told me several times that he would kill
me unless / gave up all other friends"
1t was learned tonight that on the glass
top Of the dining-room table in Grace
Roberts apartments the detectives have
found one set OF clear finger prints of a
left hand. 1t Is not a woman's hand. The
hand, judging by the prints, was small
and tapering but masculine This is the
first set Of clear prints that the police
have been able to find. All. the others
have been hopelessly blurred as though
the owner Of the hand was clutching
rapidly or moving about swiftly.
With this print in their possession, the
police hope to make some progress. 1t
was declared tonight that they have al
ready taken the finger prints OF two men
who failed to satisfy them by their re-
plies to the storm of questions every
person summoned to headquarters has
been subjected 20.
A wild story the police refuse to spon-
sor came out of nowhere today. 1t was
said that the sleuths had found In the
wrecked apartment, a mans shirt that
was highly scented with an inexpensive
perfume. The numerous friends of the
dead girl sneer at the story.
Capt. Tate laughed when asked to
verify or deny the story. He declined
10 Ia afa