Evening journal., 1918-08-30
Spy SUSPECT IS
KILLED BY GUARD
Prowler on Beach Slain
After Fight With Coast
Patrolman
SIGNALS HAD BEEN
FLASHED AT NIGHT

] OCEAN CITY. n. j., Aug 30.-A United
States coast guard shot and killed a
man whose name is believed, from pa
pers in his pocket. to be Thomas Ellis,
at Ocean City last night when he re-
fused to submit to arrest on suspicion
OF being a German spy, signaling to
submarines.
Two men had been signaling from
widely separated sections Of the beach
at Ocean City for two nights, according
to the coast guards. Last night an
armed guard. whose name is withheld
from station No. iO6. Fourth street and
Atlantic avenue. was placed on the
beach at Fourth street.
He was under orders to watch for
the man and arrest him II ne showed
up. Anoher guard was placed on the
beach between Fortleth and Sixtieth
streets to watch for the other man.
No one Is allowed on the beach at
night. but soon after the guard took
his place at Fourth street. the man came
down 10 the beach from the boardwalk.
This was about 10 o'clock.
The guard stopped the suspect. and
when he could not give a satisfactory
explanation placed him under arrest
When the guard told his prisoner to
walk ahead, the man seized the rifle
and wrested II from the guards hands.
The guard took II back again, and In
the struggle both fell to the sand.
When the guard regained his feet he |
jumped few feet away from the sus- |
pect and told him 10 throw up his /.
hands. Instead OF complying. the man /
sprang at the guard again. The guard /
fired point blank, the bullet passing I
through the mans left chest near the /
heart.
officers OF the Coast Guard say the
two men had been using lights to Sig
nal from the beach. but whether the
man who was killed had a lantern last
night could not be learned. One account
was that he had no lantern with him.
but that one was found hidden un-
der the Boardwalk near where he was
killed. II Is asserted the second man
will be arrested today.
After the lights were seen on the two
sections Of the beach night before last.
he Coast Guards informed the Secret
Service and men were sent 20 Ocean
lity from Philadelphia and Atlantic
1ity. They were IN Ocean City when
he man was killed and are believed 10
De on the trail Of the second suspect
The usual quiet Of Ocean City was
haken by the shooting Many vacation
SIS heard the shot fired and a number
u men rushed to the beach. The guard ;
vas standing over the PROSTATE form
when the first persons arrived. The
'ody was examined Immediately after
he shooting by Or. W. p. Haines, ply
icians for the Coast Guard station, and
{ was found he had been killed in /
family.
In the pockets OF the mans coat there :
we're letters and other papers addressed
o Thomas Ellis. The Coast Guards and
ecret Service men have refused to re-
eal the street numbers to which the
stters weer addressed. Some were sent
o an address In Trenton, II was said.
'hile others were sent to middle West
IN cities. Secret Service men have been
snt to all Of the addresses to make in
The man was about % years old. He II
'as about ; feet : inches tall. and a
'eighed about i60 pounds. He had dark q
air and was dressed in inexpensive r
othing. The leather band in his hat 4
as cut full Of holes and peculiar de-
sns which. IL is thought, may have e.
me code connections. 4b