New-York tribune., 1920-06-22
Neighbors of Slain Turf
man Tell of Report He
Was to Bring a Bride
With Him From South
Woman in Gray
May Solve Riddle
Milkman Tells of Seeing
Three Men Leave House
as Body Was Removed

A new trail was taken up in the
search for the murderer of Joseph
Browne Elwell from the testimony
yesterday of Jost Often, who delivered
milk at the whist experts home.
1t appears that it was common gos-
sip among Elwell's neighbors in West
Seventeen Street that he was to ar
rive from the South with bride; that
this fact had appeared in newspapers
and that when the prediction failed to
materialize it occasioncd further com
ment
Who was this expected bride? Was
she left behind at the last moment. OF
did she really arrive and, finding other
women in Elwell's train, fire the fatal
shot? Or was she followed North by
an irate lover, or husband, who, upon
discovering the intrigue, murdered the
sportsman? These are the questions
that the aWthoritieS are now working
upon.
Woman Confirms Report
Often says he learned of the bride
from Mrs. John A. Mccarthy, of 24f
West Seventeen Street, Just across the
street from the Elwell home. Mrs. Nc.
Carthv confirmed the conversation, ans
added that the fact that Elwell was tt
arrive with new love from the South
was the subject Of talk in the neigh
borhood for many days before his re-
turn. She herself, however, had moi
seen the notice in the newspapers.
In this connection 1t was pointed out
that the "short, stout, dark woman ir
gray who lunched with Elwcll three
days before his death, had come upon
him rather suddenly. Mrs. Marie Lar
sen, Elwell's housekecper, has said that
Elwell apparently had not expected her
as he had given Mrs. Larsen no pre-
vious instructions about preparing
lunch for two. There was nothing tc
eat IN the house, says Mrs. Larsen, anC
she remembers she had to go out tc
make some purchases for the luncheon
which he had ordered short time afte,
the womans arrival.
Was the woman in gray the expected
bride? Is she the woman who raised
scene at Palm Beach when Elwcll
Is said to have attempted to get rid
OF her by representing that her hus-
band had become suspicious of their
intimacy? The police are trying tc
find out. Assistant District Attorney
the woman in gray" is fixed. District
Attorney Swami declared yesterday
that he knows nothing about a woman
in gray. When it was pointed out t.
HIM that Mrs. Larsen has repeatedly
told the story of this woman's visit
to E[well's house the week of the
murder, he said he would 'look into
it,"
Other outstanding features of Ot-
tens statement before the District At
torney yesterday were that he saw three
men, who looked like stevedores OF
truckmen, whom he had not seen en-
ter, coming out of the house while the
turfman's body was being removed
also that he saw no signs Of . strus
gle and that the outer doors we're al
ways open. He said he closed these
doors after leaving his milk but that
he did not lock them.
The Locked Door
This brings up another mysterious
clement in the shooting. inasmuch as
Mrs. Larsen says she found the doc,
locked when she arrived at TIE house
some two hours later, indicating thai
the murderer had probably locked the
door as he left the house.
1t has been suggested that teal
was found may have resulted from
struggle. This is discounted by Dis
trict Attorney Swami, who says it wa:
merely rip in the seam and is in
significant
While Otten's statement is the irs
accurate account of the circumstances
surrounding the discovery of Elwel'.
body, Mr.. Swami declared that nothing
SO far has been learned that woule
enable the authorities to direct theil
attention to one particular person a:
the probably guilty one. The con
Aicting reports given out by variou:
members of the District Attorney:
staff have resulted in a new ruling
under which all information will here
fter be given out by Mr.. Swami himself
or his assistant, Alfred J. Tallcy.
Often lives at II West Sixty sec ono
Street He said he left the milk a
the Elwel house at $3.50 a. m. on the
day of the murder. He said the vesti
bule door was closed, but not locked
and that he put the milk in and closee
the door, but did not lock it. HI
neither heard nor saw anything IN
lContinued on pane four)