The Washington times., 1920-06-19

From the investgia tons of the
District Attorney and the police, it
can be assumed that Elwell had had
many affairs with women. The ar
rangement of the house he lived in
seems to have been designed to con-
ceal the comings and soings OF WIS.,
itors who sought to avoid observa
ton.
When the dying man was found
slumped down in the chair in the
reception room off the hall. he was
clad in pa jamas. his toupee discarded.
his false teeth removed. All his pre-
parations for bed had been made
made many hours before in his room
on the third floor. He probably had
been in bed.
Certainly he must have been
fatigued when he returned to his
home at 3:4J O'Clock in the morning
after having been on the go since ii
O'Clock on the previous morning. He
had been to the race track, to dinner
and dancing on the RitzCarlton roof,
to the Midnight Follies and in the
two hours unaccounted for after he
left the New Amsterdam Theater he
certainly was not sleeping.
DIsDAIN OF ADVERSARY.
The known facts developed by the
District Attorney and the police
would indicate that this man was
shot while in conversation with an
adversary. He must have been aware
Of his assaiiant's presence in the
room and yet he continued the read
ing of his letter.
What does this show on ElwelNs
part? Disdain OF his adversary to
the point that he would pose mo-
mentarily as ignoring his compan-
ions presence and words.
All this points to quarrel begun
in the bedroom and continued after
Elwell had come downstairs in his
bare feet at the sound of the post
mans whistle. When he failed to re-
turn to the upstairs room fierce
anger may have swept over the per-
son who had been upbraiding him.
IlvnEAT-THEN BULLET.
This XSs the opportunity 20 pro-
cure the .lJ-calibcr automatic pistol
which the person had brought to the
house. Armed with this, the now
thoroughly aroused Gisputant deccnd-
cd the stairs in search OF Eiweil, we
rlay assure.
stepping into the reception room
with weapon ready the adversary
ask ed why he had not returned. Met
with silence or a SnCcT lneTt may
have been a final demand--a threat
and then the shot.
Whoever went to Elwells house
that night, and perhaps awaited his
return. was prepared to XIII him
The deadly weapon proved that.
Such weapon is only carried into
house in such a neighborhood as
West Seventieth street for a purpose.
A woman would carry pistol as
heavy az this II 1t were the one she
could most easily obtain. when a
woman makes UP her mind to use a
pistol. she never thinks of the weight
or shape or size of IT. She takes the
one she can lay her hands on easiest.
The very slightest pressure on the
trigger discharged the weapon that
killed Elwell.
FRENCH POLICE SYSTEM.
II is unfortunate that VIC do not
follow the French system on the dis
covery OF a crime in this city. When
A murder occurs in Paris the police
take entire charge OF the premises at
once. Nothing is disturbed until pho
tographers and fnger-print experts
have done their complete work. Every
room in the house II measured and
| photographed. No possible receptacle
! for a fnEer-print II overlooked. A
Paris concierge would not be per-
mitted to AK ur" an upper room
which the victim had just left while