The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-11-06
SLAYER D0DGED
3 AT SCENE OF
WATERS CRIME
Used Shoe as a Gun, Made
Dash From Hotel Room
and Escaped.
AIDED BY CLERKS ACT
Lights Turned Off Just as
Trio Had Murderer in
Their Grasp.
POLICE SEEK CHAUFFEUR
Laundry Mark Clue Expected
to Reveal Trail to Club
mans Assailant.
POLICE SEEK CHAUFFEUR

Az the police progressed further
yesterday with the investigation OF
the murder of Leeds Vaughan Waters.
globe trotter and clubman and ono Of
the heirs OF Horace Waters. piano
manufacturer Of Greenwich. r. l., they
found reasons to announce that 1t was
one OF the most remarkable capital
crimes committed In years.
They let It be known. too. that the
murderer, according to fresh informa-
ton obtained at the hotel. could be
classed as one OF the coolest indi-
viduals with whom they have had to
deal. His self-possession ana a COM
bination Of circumstances that could
not be controlled. were solely RESPONSE
bile for his escape after he beat Mr..
Waters TO death Wednesday morning
in a room on the eighth floor Of tho
Hotel Plymouth.
And the police learned also that the
nurderer did not run from the hotel In
fright at tho sight Of John Carney.
night clerk. ana Fred Carrnier. bell
boy. Instead, Il was finally determined.
Carney and the bell boy, az well as
other persons who had rushed TO the
door Of the murder room were confront
ed by the slayer. held at bay with o
shoe and sent out Of his way by
threat
Accidentally Helped slayer.
This was the story drawn from Car
ney and Carmier yesterday by Assist
ant District Attorney John II. Hennis.
who is in charge Of the investigation for
the District Attorneys office. The two
hotel employees. their nerves shaken BY
the sight of Mr.. Waters'e body cr,inpled
| ur on the floor failed at first to re.
member those detAiis.
Among the unusual facts surround
ing the escape OF the murderer weru
these: That at the moment the door of
| the room was opened the day clerk.
coming on duty at o'clock. threw off
| the switch that controlled tho lights In
| tho hotel corridors, leaving them In
darkness and unintentionally making II
| safer for the escaping man; that Car
ri'er, armed with bottle as a weapon,
could have knocked the murderer un-
| conscious had the bottle not slipped
from his hand. spattering a cleaning
fluid which II contained. Ammonia
fumes from the fluid temporarily blind
ed the rescue party.
Carney told Mr.. Hennis that upon
being called to the eighth floor the frst
time he went TO the door OF the room to
which Mr.. Waters and the man known
as Dunn" had been assigned and
knocked. Dunn" answered.
Everything is all right" Carney
quoted him as eaying.
Carney said he Insisted that the door
be opened. but that Dunn repeated the
assurance.
Slayer Laughed at Him.
SO Carney returned to his desk In the
lobby and got into communication with
the room by telephone. Dunn" an
swered him again, and Carney threat
ened to call in the police IL the door waa
not opened Immediately. The man paid
no attention to the threat, and when
Carney went up TO the room again
Dunn" coolly said that ne wouldn't take
orders from him. The clerk tried the
effect of the world police" on the man
once more.
Let me sec him." laughed the muir
derer.
Then, said Carney. the window was
opened. He told Mr.. Hennis he believes
Dunn threw out Mr.. waters's cane.
with which II Is believed the crime was
committed.
Two pieces of luck aided the man 20
make his escape" Carney said. explain
ing what happened. when he refused
to permit Carmier and me TO enter the
room I sent Carmier downstairs to get
the master key. Meanwhile we had
aroused two patrons in another room
nearby. and one OF them prepared to help
us force our way through the door.
When Carmier went downstairs the
murderer evidently thought we had both
left the floor and he prepared 20 make
his getaway.
"Carmier came back with the master
key and also n milk bottle TO use Al a
weapon In case OF need. The milk bot
tie was partly full OF washing powder.
.'yyaters's assailant opened the door
slightly and I put my foot between the
door and the case. The four OF US
Car1nier. myself and the other two men
pushed against the door. The mur-
derer. however. had braccd his back
against n projecting wall In the room
and was able TO prevent us from pushing
him back with the door.
"Just then the day clerk, who went 70
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