The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-06-27
CAUGHT
HERE ACCUSEDOF
MURDER Of WIFE
Mrs. ElardO's Bsdy Burned
Almost to Cinder Found
Near Fremont, O., Causes
Charge Against Husband.
TRACED HERE BY TWO
TRUNKS FROM TOLEDO
Prisoner Declines to Talk
About Case and Says He
Will Fight Extradition--H
$1,700 When Arrested.

III lne arrest OF IOney Il, Elhruo, oo
years old, former merchant of Fremont,
Ohio, late Thursday afternoon. detec-
tives OF the Memphis police department
aver that they caught an alleged wife
murderer who is guilty Of one OF the
foulest crimes ever committed In Ohio.
That Elardo held in the strongest cell
at police headquarters Friday, prepared
for weeks the murder of his beautiful
young wife, Rosa, whose partially con
sumed body was found on a pyre OF
wood in lonely spot few miles from
Fremont last Saturday are the allega-
tions of Fremont policemen who ar
rived early friday
Elardo had disposed of his business
and property SO the Fremont police
say, purchased trunks--that lead to his
capture--and deliberately made ready
in other ways to slay his wife, who
was on the verge of motherhood, and
flee from the scene.
Elardo, according to the story as re-
lated by Sheriff d g. Ballard and Po-
liceman win Hawks, Of Fremont, for
Years had been Iii business In Akron,
80 thN Ohio officers say. he made his
fret Finove to slay his. wife. Then II.
lardo went TO Fremont and entered
business. which he soon disposed OF aqd
converted all his property into cash
Woodchoppers Find Body.
He procured a horse and buggy from
a livery stable one afternoon earlv last
week and persuaded Mrs, Elardo to
go for a drive into the country. That
was the last seen of the young wife by
her neighbors.
Wood choppers discovered the par
TALLY destroyed body Saturday, II had
ILL., yNf
before II had been totally cremated
BY rings and other articles II was
positively identified. 40 the Fremont
officers say. as Mrs Elardo.
Already Elardo was alleged to have
been In flight. He Is accused Of ship
ping, two big, trunks packed with his
of the alleged crime. according to the
Ohio officers to Toledo, O. From there
the trunks were shipped by another
express company to Memphis. The
Memphis detective bureau was warned
three DAYS ago that the alleged murder
er possibly was headed this way
Calls for Baggage.
Detective Walter Hoyle was assigned
to the express company's local office,
to await a claimant for the baggage.
He was rewarded late Friday afternoon
when an understood man entered the
TO 1853 Calhoun avenue, Hoyle, observ.
ing that the man was apparently OF
Italian BIRTH called for Detective Frank
Chio2za The suspect was followed to
the Calhoun address. The detectives
waited until Elardo had seen to II that
the trunks were carefully placed inshis
room. sI
Then he was placed in a police car
that had been waiting around the cor
ner and taken to the central police
office. Illardo had more than $l,7OO In
money and certified checks In his pos
session He admitted coming from FIRE.
mont, o., but denied all knowledge OF
being a fugitive
Hulet Smith, chief OF detectives, tele-
craphed Sheriff Ballard, of Fremont
but the sheriff was then on the way
to Memphis The prisoner showed ex-
treme nervousness when the detecuves
told him to go With them, When as
signed to cell his swarthy face
blanched white and his lips trembled
until he could scarcely talk.
He agreed Thursday night to return
to Ohio without requisition, but early
Friday he declared that ne wouiu iight
all efforts OF eNradition.
Sold Car Cheap and Left.
The theory Of the Ohio officers is
that the prisoner had pleaded with his
wife not to become a mother and that
when she failed TO comply with MS
wishes he deliberately prepared for her
assassination. #4 t
THE wife was seen driving with the
accused toward the spot where the
body was discovered few hours be-
fore Elardo returned home alone. Later
blood spots were found in the buggy,
Only the uper portion oi Mrs' Elaraos
brush, the fire having entirely con-
sumed Ii from the waist down.
The day the body was discovered
and before It had been identified. Elardo
sold his automobile for much less than
It was worth and disappeared
Unfinished Baby Clothes.
When the trunks that led to his cap
ture were opened Friday by Detective
Hoyle and Sheriff Ballard and Hawks.
II disclosed numerous tiny baby gar
ments. most Of them yet to be COM
pleted.
Elardo, according to the theory Of
the Ohio officers, used cigar box
| opener as an improyised stllletto with
which the woman was stabbed and also
battered on the head, Her breast SO
the officers says. showed evidence OF
having suffered the thrust Of sharp
| instrument, while both jaws were brok-
| en- and the forehead gashed and the
I skull bones fractured.
The cigar box tool was found In the
trunk Friday covered with stains that
| appeared to be blood. razor also was
| found, stained with what the detec-
| tives believe Is blood.
| Paul N. Waggoner, Identification ey-
| pert Of the central office, after placing
| the prisoner through keen measure
ment, stated that the finger mark inn
pressions on the handle OF the cigar
| box opener and razor compared com
| pletely with Elardo's finger printa.
| Finger Impressions taken bv Wag-
| gener will be taken back to Ohio to be
compared to bloody hand prints found
| on the buggy and the end OF stick oi
| partially charred wood
| III.
MURDERER HANGED.
CHICAGO, June 27.--Earl Dear, sen.
fenced for the. murder of Rudolph