The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-11-16
HOLD 5 IN DEATH
OF ACTRESSES
Chicago Police Seek Person
Believed to Have Been
Wounded in Fight.
POISON DROPS
Girls Drugged and Left to Die
by Lake After Struggle,
Is Theory.

Specia! Despatch to THE NEW York HERALD
CHICAGO, Nov. 15.-New evidence de-
veloped late this afternoon that caused
adjournment of the inquest into the
deaths OF Marie Alma Ramsey and
Lillian Thompson. actresses, who were
found dead in Grant Park early Sun
day.
After the testimony of James G.
Meeks and Robert Mccarthy, the men
with whom the two girls had been
friendly. was taken. the police started
a search for a third person. who
they believe was wounded in some
drunken fracas which led to the death
Of the two girls. The evidence is being
kept secret by the police, but that
which was given out indicated that
two or more men took the actresses
joy riding, gave them cheap liquor,
perhaps mixed with "knockout drops"
and left them to die OF poison and cold
on the lonely roadway in the park.
The case is considered one of the
most puzzling in the history Of the
local department. The young women
evidently had been thrown from the
automobile which passed along the
lonely spot some time yesterday morn
ing. This was evidenced by the in
dentation made by the diamond tread
tires at this point. Just how they met
their death or who was- responsible
the police have been unable TO learn,
Third Person Wounded.
81 am srre some one else was wound
ed ard dragged him or her self from the
~lace before the police came" slid the
Coroner. II found tnat one Of the worn
er-Miss Ramsey--had no wounds from
which she could have lost great deal
Of blood. and that Miss Thompson had
been scratched on the hand. and had
suffered from nose bleed before her
death. From neither the nose bleed no-
tie scratch could she have lost such q
quantity OF blood as We found"
Evidences OF n struggle We're visible
both IN the condition Of the womens
clothing and the aspect OF the ground
W here the bodies lay. The women ap-
parently had been severely beaten
Small bits OF glass were strewn on the
ground within a radius of several feet
from where the bodies were found. One
OF the peculiar features of the case Is
that the hair of both the women was
matted with cockleburs when found.
No such burrs are to be found In Grant
Park. II Is believed the women were
attacked some other place and then
taI,en to Grant Park
Meantime the police have found that
for the last twenty-four hours they have
been working on a false clue The
police had pinned their hopes on finding
the man who had sent the mysterious
call 10 the police station yesterday morn
ing telling Of the presence OF the bodies
In the park near the lake. They be-
lieved they had traced the call to the
offices of the Conklin. Price & Webb
Company. In the Insurance Exchange
Building Later investigation to-day
showed the telephone operator OF the
company had mistaken her own writins
after taking down the record OF the
number. She gave the police the wrong
number. The call caine from pay sta
on at the Stratford Hotel IN the Loop.
Coins Finger Printed.
Chief of Police Fitzmorrls ordered the
nickels taken from the pay box and the
fngorprints on them recorded In an ef-
fort 20 fnd the man who had turned IN
the CALL The nngerprints will be COM
pared by experts at the bureau OF identi-
ication.
a detail OF Atty detectives was as
signed on the case tonight by Chief
Fitzmorris.
Search the hospitals. and question
every doctor for a clue" was the
Chiefs command. II feel certain we
will find that third person was seriously
wounded before these women were
murdered"
Five men who knew tho girls are
being held by the police They are
Silvio and Peter Cittl, grocers who sold
liquor TO the girls Saturday night;
James @. Meeks, an electrician for the
Jane Cowl Company, who had beta
living with Miss Thompson. Robert NJ
Carthy, on electrician for the same
company. and Miss Ramseys friend"
James Conan, n chef. who Is said 70
have been associated with the two
women.
Miss Ramsey made her debut on the
stage IN New York in 1900 as MARY
Nina Ramsey" Her real name was
Mary Rhodes. She was born in Altoona.
Pa. Her partner in her first acts was
@. w. Berkey. The skit was What
Happened TO the Gas Man" She mar
ried Jim McCauley. q burlesque actor.
They later drifted apart after living at