Evening star., 1919-09-22
S[EUTHS ON TRAIL ;
OF JOSEPH SYLVIA
Is Wanted by Police in Con-
nection With Murder of
Emmett E.,Wood.
LEFT CITY FOR THE WEST

Police activity the past three days.
started shortly after the finding of
the body of Emmett E. Wood. former
soda dispenser in the Liggett drug
store at 14th and F. streets, so far has
failed to accomplish the arrest of Jo-
seph Sylvia, former superintendent of
the soda business in the drug store
where Wood had been employed.
I'VE want Joe Sylvia. and want him
badly" commented Inspector Clifford
l.. Grant, chief of detectives, this
morning.
And" he continued. I'VE are max
ing every effort to find him."
Sylvia was the last man seen with
Wood before the latter's body was
able to learn. Their information is
that he was seen with him in the
basement of the Westory building
only a short distance from where
Wood met his death. just before 1
o'clock Thursday afternoon. about
twenty-one hours before Vincent
Cuomo. the electric meter reader. Wis
tied the subbasement and stu4ebled
over the corpse.
Woods Purpose There Explained.
At that time. it is stated. Wood was
in the lower portion of the building
soliciting funds with which to pur-
chase a ring for the retiring superin-
tendent of the soda business. He was
given money by the colored help in
the soda room. and a woman employed
in that branch of the business es-
tablishmen' is believed to be the last
person. with the exception of the
slayer, who saw him alive.
That afternoon Sylvia was at
Union station conversing with De-
tective James Springmann. He was
looking for Wood. he told the de-
tective. saying: He has run away
with my money" Springmann and
others who saw Sylvia that afternoon
say he appeared very much worried.
and they naturally supposed it was
over the loss Of the money or the ring
Wood was supposed to have pur-
chased.
incidentally. Sylvia stated, he also
was looking for Henry Arthur Starr.
the suspended policeman, emp1oye of
branch of the Liggett firm.
who was wanted for the alleged dis
appearance with $532.78 of the firms
money.
Was Frequently at Station.
Sylvia was much in evidence about
Union station that afternoon and
evening, II III atated. and q number of
times called attention to how he said
Wood had treated him, and also sAem.
cd greatly concerned about the cap
tufe Of Starr. He knew Starr. having
the drug firm, but Starr. under arrest
In Cincinnati. declared he had no ac-
with Sylvia.
!. Thursday night Sylvia purchased a
ticket for st. Louis and left Union
station at 1925 am. Starr having
boarded the same train in Baltimore
an hour earlier. Conversing with
terday. Starr declared he had not seen
any person on the train bearing a re-
to Sylvia as the latter had
been described to him.
: It is certain that Sylvia saw the sus-
pended policeman. however, having
latter was vas on that % particuIar taai train 'ee en
route to Cincinnati, and 1t was in the
latter city that Starr was arrested,
Grant learned from the
w. Va. police that
Sylvia. did not leave the train at that
Starr. He merely handed it from the
train. 1t was stated. and continued
west.
Tracing Sylvia's Movements.
From information obtained from
various sources. Inspector Grant con-
Glued that Sylvia left the train, at
Ohio, and Detective Corn
well was directed to start an investi-
his further movements. The inspector
is positive he did not remain on the
train and go to ST. Louis, the destina-
tion named on the ticket he purchased
at Union station.
Another bit Of information obtained
by the police was that Sylvia OBJ
tanned letter from Woods locker at
the place where both had been en-
ployed. but whether the letter was ad-
dressed to Sylvia or Wood was not
desire to locate Starr that a afternoon. Mss
during the time he said he was look
ing for Wood to get the money that
had been collected. and before going
away he sent 40 cents to the drug
firm to pay for cigarettes he had pur-
chased.
Inspector Grants View.
1t is the opinion of Inspector Grant
thing like eighteen hours before
Cuomo visited the scene and stumbled
over the body, which was about ten
hours after the departure Of Sylvia from
Union station on an express train going
west. If Sylvia had any knowledge Of
the murder before leaving this city, said
the chief OF detectives, he also knew
the crime had not been discovered.
Inspector Grant conversed with De-
tective Cornwell over a long distance
telephone yesterday, and the latter
would have started east with Starr and
his alleged female COMPANION last night
had it not been that the inspector di-
rected him to make an effort to trace
Sylvia from Chillocothe, Ohio. Both
Starr and his companion expressed a
willingness to return with the detective.
and it is probable that they will be
brought here tomorrow afternoon unless
Detective Cornwell gets a line on Sylvia
and starts in pursuit of him.
Believes Robbery Motive.
Discussing the murder today, Inspec-
tor Grant said all the circumstances
indicated that robbery was the only
motive. Wood was known to have at
least $40 in his possession. Under
what pretext he was led to the dark
unused portion of the WeStory build
ing probably will not be known unless
his slayer Is captured.
About seventy five feet from the
place where Wood made his last COL
lection for the sylvia fund the r0om