The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1919-11-07

St. Petersburg, Nov. 6.-More OF
the jewelry stolen from Mr.. and Mrs.
j. H. Loeser. OF Louisville, KY, after
| they were killed by gas here last win
ter was located today and additional
evidence was secured to show that
| W. l.. Strickland, missing deputy
sheriff, took the jewelry from the
dead couple. A diamond lavalliere,
valued at $1,000, was found today and
traced back to Strickland. He sold it,
through Noel A. Mitchell, to H. B.
Smitz well-known real estate man.
for $500. The lavaliere has been posi-
lively identified as one that was stol-
en- from the dead couple. Mitchell
said he was asked by Strickland to
sell the lavalliere for him in an eff
fort to raise money to make I'D his
| shortage with the tax collector
Mitchell said he made no secret about
his efforts to sell the jewelry and had
visited all the local jewelry stores in
an effort to find buyer. Finally. he
said he sold it to Smitz for $500.
This sale was made Oct. % after
Strickland had been arrested on A
charge OF embezzling county funds
which he had collected as deputy tax
collector. Mrs. Ferry, a niece of the
dead woman, who left here last night
with one of the rings that was stolen
from Mrs. Loeser, will come back to
get possession of the lavalliere. The
ring was recovered from Nathan Ho-
roWitz, to whom Strickland sold II
and it was this ring that was the
cause of Stricklands undoing. The
ring was first located and the finding
OF it caused the arrest of Strickland.
Mitchell said today that he did moi
know until this morning that a la
valliere was missing and had been in
the Loesers' possession. He at once
disclosed his part in the transaction
when he learned that a search was
being made for the lavalliere
The fact that Strickland was here
IN town as late as Monday morning
leads his friends to be more than even
certain that he has killed himself as
nc said in his letter he would do. 7,
IS argued that if Strickland did mot
make his getaway Sunday night he
could not have gone away by day
Light without being seen by many
persons and nearly everybody in town
knew him
II am convinced now as | have al
ways been that Strickland killed him.
SELF" said Deputy Sheriff Daugherty,
this morning. Anybody who saw
him and talked to him Saturday
would think the same thing. I arrest
ed him. He said then that he would
not go to Clearwater with me. | told
him he would have to 60 and then
he said he would end it all. This was
in a vacant room at his home He
hesitated and said: No, won't do
1t here where my wife and child are
hut will later. He was desperate
man and was on the verge of killing
himself right then. l made him leave
this gun at home; not that was
afraid of him hurting me but for fear
ne would kill himself. On the way up
town, he said to let. him have a min
ute and he would end it ALL | think
he will be found dead"
A determined search for Strick-
land is now being demanded by the
st. Petersburg citizens who insist
that it is of the greatest importance
that he be brought back here to tell
what he knows of on alleged man
higher up who was involved with
him. Strickland has disappeared.
leaving a letter behind that Indicated
he had killed himself. But up 70 now
no real effort has been made to find
the body. st. Petersburgers gener-
| ally do not believe that Strickland has
killed himself; the general opinion
here is that he fled rather than face
the charges against him. II this is
true, if he is still alive, the citizens
here want him caught and brought
back and want a thorough investiga-
ton made of the whole case against
him to see if anybody else is involved.
There was an undercurrent of talk
here about man higher IN and
about others being involved with
Strickland and therefore anxious to
get him out of the way. The Public
wants a probe made into this task
ard wants the grand jury to inves,
tigate and learn he truth Of the hui
rors that are floating about. Tam
pa Tribune.
THE REASON WHY