The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1918-06-22
rs DIE CIRCUS VRECI
AUSTRIANS ARE DESPERATE
In
Case Is
Jailed

Discovery OF letters OF 22-year-
old Phennie Moen, girl held by
police in connection with the Gel
sert love triangle shooting tragedy
in the Pierce hotel early Friday
morning, was the latest develop
ments Saturday in the case which
is puzzling police.
The girl was sentenced to six
months in the county Jail in police
court Saturday morning on a state
vagrancy charge.
The police are still working on
the theory that Clifford Geisert
may have been slain as the out
come of a three-cornered love at
fair.
Didn't Hear Shot.
Detective Ellison, who with 9TH
er officers went to the hotel when
the report was turned in, declar-
ed Saturday that Victor Howard,
the chauffeur held Friday with
the girl for investigation, told him
that "altho he was in the adjoin-
ing room in the hotel with the
girl, he did not hear the shot
fired.
Howard was released by the po-
lice Saturday morning.
1t was not learned whether
Geisert knew that Howard was in
the next room with his former
sweetheart when he pushed he
note under the door asking her to
go to a dance and be friends"
but police believe he did.
Howard told a reporter that he
Just went UP to the hotel to see
Phennie Moen who had been away
for a week visiting her parents in
Eatonville, and that she was in
Geisert's room quarrelling with
him when he arrived This was
at 12:30-45 minutes before the
shooting took place.
Too 'F'lighty."
One letter received by Phennie
Moen and mailed from box 1104,
Tacoma post. office, reads as fol-
lows:
Il have worked long and
faithful wishing for the future
tour future), and have often
dreamed that some day you and /
would be happily married and
have all the comforts of home,
but you seem to have forgotten me
and now you are getting worse.
You are entirely too 'flighty' to
suit me. Goodbye" The letter
is signed Sam Firzlick" but the
is not in the same hand
writing as the letter itself.
Another letter mailed in Taco
ma on June IS and commencing
"Phennie Moen," charges the girl
with trimming men and exploit
ing soldiers for what she can get
out of them
The letter concludes: But be
sure and leave the soldiers alone
or it will go hard with you"
Much Fine Apparel.
A letter written by Geisert on
the back of a piece of cardboard
charging Phennie Moen with be-
ing a girl Of "unspeakable type"
was turned over by police to the
coroner on the morning of the
tragedy. Geisert was 23 years
old and worked for the North
western Woodenware Co.
In Phennie Moen's room at the
Pierce hotel is a collection of elab-
crate and gorgeous wearing ap-
parel. Silk stockings, tailored
gowns, furs, expensive shoes and
beautiful hats, are among her
wardrobe and value approximate
ly $1,000.
A feature which police believe
supports the murder theory was
revealed by a close examination of
Phennie Moen's room. The bur-
eau which apparently had blocked
the connecting door between the
two rooms showed evident signs
of having been moved. Marks in
the carpet were plainly visible,
while the bureau in Geisert's
room, according to police, had
been moved into a corner leaving
access to the door between the