Evening star., 1919-09-27
SYLVIA, PRISONER
,FACESSTARR
Former Liggett Employe
Brought From Columbus by
Detective CornWelI.
TELLS OF SEEING WOOD

Joseph p. Sylvia. former superin-
tendent OF the soda business OF the
Liggett store at 18th and F streets,
where Emmett E. Wood, found mur-
dered in the basement of the build
ing more than q week ago. was en-
ployed as soda dispenser. reached
this city last night from Columbus,
Ohio. in custody of Detective Fred NJ.
CornwelL. With them was the young
woman. formerly Miss Florence Hart.
actress. to whom Sylvia is said to
have been married in Alexandria
July II.
Sylvia is reported to have told De-
tective Cornwell he thought his wife.
resident OF Meriden. Conn, was
dead and later said he understood
she had obtained a divorce from him,
A message received from Meriden
this morning contained the informa-
ton that Sylvia's wife was alive and
not divorced from him.
He never told me OF his former
marriage" said Sylvia's companion to
detective Cornwell. Il thought he
was single man."
Sylvia Faces Starr.
Shortly after his arrival in this city
Sylvia faced Henry A. Starr. former
employe OF the Liggett drug store at
4lS 7th street, who was arrested on
information furnished by Sylvia and
returned to answer q charge of dis
honesty growing out of his alleged
iailure TO deposit more than $500 en-
trusted to him to be banked.
Sylvia declared he knew nothing Of
the murder of Wood. and Starr denied
statements made by Sylvia as to his
movements the day Wood was slain
ana robbed. Following the question
to different police stations.
Says He "Wondered" About Wood.
Mrs Sylvia No. 2 told Detective
Cornwell she met Sylvia while she
was playing in the Grown Up Babies
| theatrical troupe in this city in July,
marrying him after q brief courtship.
She knew nothing Of the murder OF
Wood until after she reached Column
| bus. Ohio, and several times after
leaving the city. she is said to have
stated. Sylvia said he wondered II
Wood had been found, telling of his
| failure to locate him shortly before
he left this city
Thursday morning Of last week, the
day Wood was slain. Sylvia said he
was with him in the morning. Wood.
he said, accompanied him to Eastern
market, where his father-in-law had
his trunk. having brought II to the
| market from his home near Greater
Capitol HeieSts He said he took the
| trunk to Union station, leaving Wood
| at the market.
Starr Denies Sylvia's Statements.
Sylvia declared he last saw Wood
about HAS o'clock Thursday morn
ing in the Liggett store at 18th ana r
streets. when, he declared, Wood left
the store with Starr. Starr denied
| there was any truth in the statement
and added that he did not know Syl-
via He said Wood promised to meet
him at o'clock in the afternoon, but
failed to do 90.
Il was not In the store" Starr said.
and never saw Wood"
An emphatic denial of the state
| ments that he had been seen to 20 to
the cellar of the Westory building
with Wood the day the murder was
committed was registered by Sylvia.
OF the murder. when. II 10 charged.
| he went away with his employers
money. and the time. 1917 p.m..- reg
| istered at Union Station shows he left
| package there at that hour. He
| was in SO great hurry to get away.
he stated, that he hired = taxicab
| and was driven to Baltimore rather
than wait until 12:45 o'clock, the time
| of the departure of the next train.
Sylvia Seen in Cellar, Asserted.
Sylvia told the police that his
father was q Portuguese and his
mother Irish. He was born in Prov
idence, r. l. Inspector Grant says
there are six witnesses who declare
thev saw SYLVIA in the cellar of the
building the da ythe murder was
committed and three who say they
heard him indulge in threats towards
Wood.