The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-27

heavy monkey wrench. which Is known
to have been in the taxicab Thursday
night. also was missing.
1t is the present theory Of the detec-
tives that Coppola may have been
beaten to death with the wrench at
some lonely spot along the road and his
body secreted in the woods. But they
have no explanation Of why Pratt should
have wished his death. nor anything to
connect him with II. save the clrcum-
stance that Coppola Ia gore and Pratt
30 It is asserted, tried to sell the missing
mans car.
Friend of CoppoIa Missing.
The various manifestations of the puz.
zling case led from Connecticut, across
New York into New Jersey yesterday
An Intimate friend Of Coppola, Nichola,
Bell. 10. who is also n taxicab driver In
south Norwalk, has been missing from
home since last Sunday night. May
Brady. South Norwalk young woman
who was known to be friendly with
young Bell. also dropped out of sight
at the same time.
On Monday young couple drove into
Connolly's garage at Jersey City and
left an automobile. When they failed
to return, as they had agreed the motor
car was examined carefully and unde4
the cushions of the front seat the garage
employees found copies of two South
Norwalk newspapers containing stories
Of Coppola's disappearance. They a,
once communicated with the Jersey City
police and Chief Battersby wrote this
Connecticut authorities that he thought
ne had opened up fresh trail
Last night Thomas Hunt, a South Nor
walk detective sergeant interviewed the
couple who had been arrested in New
Jersey at his request. They proved TO
be Bell and May Brady. Bell said that
after leaving the automobile they had
taken rooms at 21sh York street, Jer.
sey City, and that he had taken the CIR
there because she had refused to 20
home and had come to see an aunt a,
500 Davenport avenue.
Explanation by Bell.
Bell denied all knowledge of Coppcla 3
whereabouts and said he last saw the
missing chauffeur on the night before
he disappeared. He explained that Cop
pola was OUT with new machine on the
South Norwalk taxicab stand and he
told OF seeing the monkey wrench, which
the police believe later may have beer
used TO batter in his skull in the bot.
tom OF the car. Bell denied knowins
Pratt or that Coppola was in any
trouble" which would cause him to wish
TO disappear for a time. II Is expected
that Bell and Miss Stevens will b,
turned over to the Federal authorize.
to-day. gEJN
w. NJ. Weed, wealthy resident o.
Brush Island, near Darien, told detec
tives yesterday that he saw a new auto
mobile standing near the turn in thu
road" on Pratt Island about 40 oclocl
on the afternoon Of February ~ II.
saw three men leave II and walk toward
the little cluster OF cottages, he sa id
But they were 200 yards away from hin
and he professed to be unable to identif,
any OF them. r. o. Pratt asserted thil
TO be additional evidence that his brothe,
could not have been in the party becaus,
he said Arthur was well known to weec
and that the latter would have beer
certain TO have recognized him even 90,
yards away.
Mary Schaefer, 81 years old who live.
on East Rocks avenue, Norwalk, wa,
questioned yesterday by Mr. Unger. Sh,
Is on friendly terms with Pratt, the DO
lice say. but she denied that she haG
more than slight acquaintance witt
Coppola or that she had seen him within
the week preceding his disappearance.
Wheelbarrow tracks on the sand /,
front of the Pratt bungalow on Pratt
| Island were accounted for yesterday by
Arthur's brother, who said that he him
self had made them on Washington
Birthday when he found the barrow out
side and had trundled It to It's proper
place underneath the versnda.