The Washington times., 1920-06-14

on the roof, attended the Midnight
Follies show with q party and let
his companions at about 1:4S Fridey
morning. He walked west on Forty.
second street and purchased pa pr.
Then begins the mystery period 81
approximately six hours. 49,.
Arriving home st an unknown hour.
Elwell went to his bed chamber on
the third flosr and lay on the coun-
terpane. reading his paper.
At $3.50 q. m. a milkman. delivered
the milk as usual. A few. minutes
later a news man delivered morning
papers. At 7:25 = postman placed
four letters in the mail box, touching
the bell lightly as was his custom.
Between $3.50 and S:35, Marie Lar
sen. EIwelrs housekeeper, arrived,
heard groans' and raised the alarm,
New here IL q crucial Dsant In the
investigation that II pussiisg the
police. go.
Mrs. Larsen asserts positively that
when she arrived both the outer and
inner ds>rs to the Elweii hone were
locked.
the niIknsn, aad the news de1iSeTer
unite I'm this stateMehts
.when we arrived (betwe<n $50
sna 7,2S, the outer door leading iats
the ysstikuie was unloeked. We. know
because we openel this dSor. feAsw-
ing 0ur ssual custom ef placing the
milk, mail, and papers within the
vestlbule." v.'...
The hour of the murder is definitely
fixed at from 7:25 to $3.50. Now the
puzzle is: :. '...... a... '
DID SLAYER LOCK DOoRf
II the outer door was open at 7:25
and locked at $40, did the murderer
making his escape by the front door
carefully slip the lock behind him
and why? ..
The police believe that Elwell, rest
less and awake in his room on the
third floor, rear. was expecting either
a letter or a caller. When the post.
man pressed the button he apparent
ly hsstened downstairs. He was in
his pajamas, and did not even wait
to don his bath slippers. -.
His wig was off, and the bridge that
held his false teeth had been removed
from his mouth. He ,wss anything
but the dapper Beau Brummel Of
Palm Beach and whist club circles
when he hurried down the stairs-to
meet bis death. ,,.
WHY DID HE GO DOwNf .-
Never before, so FAR as known, did
Elwell' hasten TO the d6or to secure
his mail. On this occasion was this
his motive or did some one SUMMON
him bel6w7 ~ -
Anyway, d. he tunnbled down the
stairs in his bare feet and, the police
believe, picked up the letters FROM
the vestibuIe box. Was he confronted
then by an enemy. Realizing a poe
sible trap, did the suave, middle-a&ed
gambler coolly invite his early morn;
ing caller into the reception room?
Did the caller talk turkey7' Did
the latter open one of the letters,
calmly begin reading II and spar for
time? Then, did the murderer lesye
his chair in the farther corner OF the
narrow, little reception room, vaIk
close to his victim and send the
leaden messenger OF death from his
powerful .4bcaliber magazine revol. |
yer crashing Into the head Of Bob"
Elwell7 So. '.' .. |
These are the problems that con-
cern the authorities. and caused q
conference OF these officials yester. |
day afternoon In the office OF second |
Deputy commissionsr william J. |
Lahey:
Mr. Lahey, Capt. Arthur Carey. OF |
the homicide squad, Acting Capt. |
John u. CouGhlin, In charge OF Brock
lyn detectives, and Capt Thomas |
walsh. of.the Fourth Inspection dis
trict.
Commissioner Lahey said at the
OF the conference: ~ -
There IL absolutely nothing new
In the case"
g.s,A. ~ Tired r.lh., ue~.s,rS'. Ae.d
Nj fflA "a kr In