New-York tribune., 1918-08-24
Only 81 Minute Hiatus
Now Remains in Move
ments of Slain Pair
One Bullet Found
To Have Gone Wild
New Light Cast on Killing
of Edith Janney and
Arthur Kupfer

PERTH AMBOY, N. j., Aug. 23.-
Detectives are within fifty-two min
utes of solving the mystery surround
ing the murder Of Arthur Kupfer and
Edith Janney, who were shot early yes
teEday morning in an automobile
which the murderers then used to make
their escape. But where the young
man and the young woman we're in
those fifty-two minutes, whom they met
and why they were killed, are things
which the detectives know nothing
about.
1t was at 10:30 p. m. Wednesday that
Kupfer and his companion left Isaac
Sake and Mrs. Genevieve Hendrickson
in this city, and until to-day the police
had no idea where they spent the time
between then and 2:07 q. M, when the
Rev. Frank A. Moore saw two men
dump Kupfer's body into the gutter in
Railway and drive off.
To-day. however, Police Chief Bed
ford, of Highland Park, notified the
Perth Amboy police that couple re-
sembling Kupfer and Miss Janney had
sat until 1:l5 a. m. yesterday in the
Highland Park Hotel. Rudolph Oster-
valid, proprietor Of the hotel, and his
wife, who knew both Kupfer and Miss
Janney, confirmed the information. The
young people had stopped on their way
from Perth Amboy to Railway, and had
sat with the proprietor and his wife
until 1:16. slipping soft drinks and
talking.
Miss Janney. the woman said. had
been amazed at discovering the hour,
and in her sudden panic had at first
insisted on spending the night with
Mrs. Osterwald, saying it was too late
to go home. The innkeeper's wife. how
ever, persuaded her that her mother
would worry less if she went home late
than If she had no word Of her until
morning, and the pair departed.
So at 1:15 they started along the
Lincoln Highway They were familiar
with the detour of Metuchen, Oster-
wald said, and irtended to take it.
The police have discovered no one who
saw either Kupfer or Miss Janney alive
sftet that
John A. Gallatiaa, chief of detectives
on the staff of the Union County Pros
ecutor. has disposed of Kupfer's $500
diamond ring as a possible motive for
the murder. He learned yesterday that
kupfer had sold the ring several weeks
ago to \ foreman in the cigar factory
here Of which Kupfer was superin-
tendent.
One Bullet Went Wild
Gallatian. who had taken charge Of
the investigation, discovered also that
at least one bullet was fired wild, q
circumstance which interested him in
view Of the theory that the killing was
done by some one whom Kupfer met on
the road and invited to have ride
II, as the authorities believe, Kupfer
and Miss Janney were in the front
seat and those whom they met in the
rear seat, there would be no reason for
the murderer to waste bullet, un-
less perhaps his own accomplice seized
his arm. The couple on the front seat
would be entirely at his mercy. Yet a
bullet was found day imbedded in one
OF the folding seats between the rear
and front seats, its position being such
that it must have been fired almost di-
Tectly downward at a time when the
folding seat was extended.
Ia. AuOOic eNiC lic poiiEe INdL WncR
the automobile tore off after the mur-
.derers had deposited their victim s
body, he was almost certain he caught
glimpse OF woman sitting in the
rear seat. The woman was not life
less body, propped up to simulate life,
he said. He saw the figure move and
thought it was she to whom the men
referred when one of them exclaimed: ::
Get that girl out of there"
Police Chiefs Confer
Mamie Ramsin, near whose home
Miss janney's body was left, said she
saw 1t before it had been disturbed and
Its situation convinced her that
those who had placed it there had done
50 with the utmost care, lowering il
gently that it might accumulate no
dirt and composing the garments and
limbs. AN
The police chiefs of Railway and th;s
city are in conference on the case to-
night, but without much prospect Of
finding promising lead.
Funeral services were held here to-
day for Kupfer and were attended bv
several thousand persons. The en-
ployes Of the factory where he was su-
perintendent attended in BODY.
Borden Praises u. S.