The Washington times., 1919-09-27
TO SEE
POLICE STAGE
DEATH HDRAMA
Detectives Plan Psychological
Test for Alleged Slayer Of
Young Soda Clerk.
"syIvia Is lying

y
This was the statement made TODAY
by Inspector Clifford L. Grant. after
putting Joseph Sylvia through 8 sec
ond grilling in an effort to clear up
the mystery surrounding the Staying
on September is OF Emmett E. Wood
efghteen-year-old soda dispenser.
Failing so far TO disturb the COM
placently- derisive attitude OF their
prisoner, Headquarters detectives are
planning a psychological test. To-
morrow morning they will take him
to the basement OF the Westory
building, where the boy was killed,
and there re-enact the Staying as Il
occurs in the Hypothetical case they
have built up. The detectives are
confident, and Inspector Clifford L.
Grant said today that tomorrow would
bring sensational Developments.
I've CLAIM Him As Husband
It developed this morning, Inspec-
tor Grant declared. that Sylvia mar
ried Florence Hart, a Washington
chorus girl on July IL without the
formaIity Of obtaining a divorce from
a wife in Meriden. Conn. A telegram
received BY Inspector Grant this
morning from the Meriden authOri-
ties stated that the wife there still
claims Sylvia as a husband.
Inspector Grant received a letter
this afternoon confirming the tele-
graphic report concerning Sylvia's
wife in Meriden She told the police
that Sylvia deserted her last April,
saying he was going to San Francisco.
He left her without funds, she says,
Calmly facing e cross-tfre OF queG-
tions and a web Of entangling evil
dence Sylvia denies all knowledge Of
the killing OF wood and vows his In
uocence. He Is compliment and cool
Says stsFies Dispr0vel.
sylvia Is lying Ia many particu-
lars and apparently made every ef-
fort 70 faEten the crime on Harry
Starr" said Inspector Grant, -He
inEistss be saTg starr III the EIKgett
drug store at Fourteenth and +
streets talking TO Wood at 1880 a.
m. on the day Oh the murder. As a
matter Of fact. we have determined
beyond question that Il would have
been physically impossible for Starr
20 have been there. Likewise Syl-
Was description Of Starr Is at vari-
ance with the facts. He says Starr
wore a green suit and q brown hat
As a matter Of fact Starr purchased
this suit in Baltimore after leaving
Washington, and was seen on the
train in this apparel by Sylvia.
Sylvia Gave Himself Up.
This case presents many ramifca.
tions and Sylvia is not helping his
own case by contradicting the stories
told by reliable witnesses. He is
able 70 describe Starr as he saw him
on the train, but this description does
not tally with the way starr was
dressed before leaving Washington.
In custody Of Detective Fred Corn
well, Sylvia and his wife, formerly
Florence Hart, a Washington actress,
we're returned to Washington last
night from Columbus. Ohio, where
Sylvia surrendered to the authorities
The prisoner received newspaper clip
pings from Mrs. Mamie Hart, his
mother-in-law, OF Greater Capitol
Heights, Nd, telling OF the Staying OF
Wood and his supposed completely in
il.
Taking the. clippings with him, De.
tective COrnwell said, Sylvia went 20
police headquarters In Columbus and
surrendered. His wife subsequently
was taken into custody AL the request
OF the Washington police.
0uestioned -Four Hours,
For nearly four hours last night
Sylvia underwent severe questioning
by the police. Question after Ques-
ton was put to him, and for each
he had = ready answer. He maintain
Cd his composure, and time and again
reiterated his innocence.
Sylvia had told employees at the
Liggett drug store, Fourteenth and
+ streets northwest, that he was
going to San Francisco. He left
Washington September IS, the day
when Wood met his death in a base
ment chamber Of the Westory build
ing. The body was discovered the
following day and suspicion was fas-
tened on Sylvia and Harry A. starr. (
both OF whom left Washington on
the same train. Starr WAS captured
at Cincinnati and returned. but has |
cleared himself Of the crime, although |
he Is held for embeZzlement from the /
Liggett stores.
Asked concerning his story Of the /
San Francisco trip, Sylvia explained |
he had not planned 10 20 there and 1
had wished 10 keep his destination /
secret for other reasons"
Alleged Threat Unexplained.
Sylvia's actions on the day Of his 4
depaFture-his alleged threat against /
Wood for failure to deliver a token /
Of remembrance bought by employees /
OF the store-Temsin unexplained.
Florence Hart Sylvia is a small /
slender 'girlish" woman Of twenty
four. She has an abundance OF /
Titan red hair and regular features.
She showed little emotion when
taken 70 headquarters and kept her
poise during questioning by the |
police. Later she was taken to the
House OF Detention.
Inspector Grant and Detectives
Bradley, Barbee, Morgan, Berman and
Keck were present when Sylvia was
and put him through a
severe ETilling.
The police still cling TO the theory
that the Eale OF narcotics is in some
way connected with the killing Of
Wood, but Investigation so far has
failed to connect Sylvia with traf-
ficlSers or drug addicts IN Washing
ton. He denies he Is a drug addict,
and the police say he shows no evil
ience Of using any Of the various
aabit-forming drugs,