The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-16
Man Slain in McAlpin Identi-
fled as Cecil T.. Landon,
Former Student.
GOT DISCHARGE TUESDAY
Clerk WHO Sold Him Shoes
Recognizes Body-Lamp
Was Weapon Used.

ninth street, Portland, ore. no re-
turned from service in France on the
transport Great Northern and was dis
charged Tuesday as a sergeant In the
Quartermasters Corps.
This identification was made early
yesterday afternoon, though the police
up to a late hour last night insisted that
the man was probably Patrolman Darby
Dent, on special duty with the homicide
bureau of the District Attorneys office.
Capt. Carey of the homicide bureau
notified police headquarters OF the muir
dered mans Identification as Landon AT
30 last night John +. Joyce. As
siDtant District Attorney, had made the
announcement before he left his Office In
the homicide bureau at 80 in the AFTER
noon.
Landon, it was learned, appeared at
the shoe store of Max Feldman, 1856 ST.
Nicholas avenue, near West 17Sth street.
at about 6 o'clock Thursday afternoon.
He bought a pair of low tan shoes for
Ss.75, leaving a pair OF army shoes at
the store in his own name and saying
that he would call for them later.
He was accompanied at this time oy
q shorter, darker man. apparently also
an ex-soldier. and both were hoerally
supplied with money. Then they met
some girls, took a ride In q taxicab
with them and at $3.50 yesterday morn
ing registered at the McAlpin, casually
paying $40 for a room with twin beds.
Both in the shoe store and on their way
to the room in the hotel both men ap-
pearcd TO be on the best terms of COM
radeship.
Compa mon Had Plenty of Money.
Landon's companion, who registered
as p. j. Pourerer, disappeared between
that time and the time that Landon was
found dead at 2 80 Thursday afternoon.
Hts murderer had made hasty efforts to
conceal the victims identity. He had
taken from the room the mans SOCKS
and collar, bearing possible name tag,
but he left the new shoes which Lam
don had bought and II was through
these that Identification was effected.
When bandon bought the shoes he
was wearing his military identification
tag on his wrist This was missing
when the body was found. His money
also was gone.
According to the clerk at Feldman's
who waited on the two men, they APP
peared to be agreeable young buddies
lust out of the army. Landon told him
that he had been in France for twenty
two months. When he took the shoes
he rendered twenty dollar bill in pay
ment, taking 1t from small roll or
money.
"Don't bust the big one" his COM
panion interJected, according to the
clerk, "Ill pay for the shoes"
whereupon the second man drew a
large roll from a pocket There was
hundred dollar and fifty dollar Dill on
the outside, and other bills of large de-
nomination within. The clerk is OF the
opinion that the man had several hun
dred dollars.
According to former Sergeant Major
Albert Voss, 547 West 15Sth street, who
finally identified Landon at the Morgue
yesterday. Landon also carried with him
some 5000 when ne came out Of the army
Tuesday.
Landon was killed with the butt OF
the electric desk lamp in the McAlpin
room. The police who worked on the
case on Thursday moved this lamp from
place to place and wrote notes under
meath 1t while searching the room for
the heavy instrument which caused Ian
don's death.
Yesterday the medical examiner, upon
looking over this lamp, found blood
! stains upon II. It was also covered with
finger marks, but it is admitted that
,nese may be only those Of the detectives
| OF the homicide squad. All doubt as to
| the fact that Landon was killed by a
| blow from this instrument was set at
rest when II was found that its bottom
edge, sharp and heXagonal. exactly
ftted one OF the wounds on Landon's
temple. The dull corner Of the lamp
| fitted another.
Killed Soon After Entering.
Though Landon's body bore other
bruises and abrasions there was no sign
of a struggle in the room. His body was
found lying on one of the beds, dressed
only In an army undershirt. His head
| was propped up on two pillows. one of
which was almost falling over the low
] footboard. A towel was OVER the wound
| in his face, but IN such a position that
had he moved II would have fallen. 1t
| dropped away. disclosing the wound. as
soon as Chief House Detective Denniston
OF the McAlpin touched the body yester-
day.
Denniston said that rigor mortis had
already set in and that II was his opin-
! ion that he had been dead ten or twelve
hours when found. This indicates he
must have been killed soon after he
and his companion had entered the room,
/ Joking within the hearing of John Har-
ris, the bellboy who escorted them, or
the ride they had had in the taNlcah
with a girl or girls eaElier in the eve
ming.
/ Neither the police nor the District At
tcrney's Office would say last night
whether they had found out anything
about Landon's companion. Both Offices
were stirred by the report that the body
was that OF Darby Dent. Dent also was
recently discharged from tho army
though he did not go overseas. He has
been working on a special detective as
Segment for the Homicide Bureau. The
body was identified as his by two mer
yesterday morning, despite tho fact tina
Richard Gonzales. clerk In the Homi
eide Bureau, insisted that Dent, Whose
voice he knew. had talked TO him on thu
telephone yesterday. Gonzales and 9th
erR later in the day went TO the morgu
and made certain that the body was no
that of Dent.
The shoe clerk from Feldman's stor,
positively identified yesterday the bod!
as that OF his customer of the previou
evening. His description of Landon'
companion fitted in the main with tn,
description given by the room clerk an,
the bellboy at the McAlpin who assignee
them to their rooms.
| United states to Enter 40 Pla m -