Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-07-03
ELWELL PROVOKED
MURDER,|S THEORY
Mrs. Wilmerding Tells of His
Tantalizing Tendency ITO
Lead Girls On"
"MISS WILSON" IDENTIFIED

WISS WILSUN IUEN lflEU
New York. July 3.--Ntrs. Josephine
Lewis Peet wilmerding, the divorcec
whose name Is now conspicuous in the
Elwell tragedy, advanced a startling
theory yesterday to the authorities to
account for the mysterious murder Of
the whist wizard. Disclaiming any di-
rect knowledge Of the crime or the
incidents leading to it, Mrs. Wilmer
ding said: ..'
Joe Elwell was a cold, calculating
Kind of a man, but withal attractive
and n pleasant companion. But there
was tantalizing way about him. He
was inclined to lead girls on, so to
speak.
"If n woman killed him she was
provoked to do. It by Elwcll himself
de was that kind Of man, If you
understand me. A high strung. emo
tional girl might be excited in n case
ike that and do almost anything. But
really / am only conjecturing. Yet l
don't think Miss - -, whose
name has been mentioned, would fall
Tor Joe Elwell to that extent.
she knew him, but she was not
nearly so intimate with him as Miss
Wilson is said to have been. Miss
- knew him at Palm Beach, but her
parents were very strict. and / don't
think she would 60 to Elwell's house
unchaperoned.
1T is not difficult to think how Joe
Elwell would act in extreme danger,
say, in fight for his life. He was
very, very cool headed and would weigh
the chances carefully but quickly. That
was the way Of his mind. He was not
a craven. Joe Elwell was not cow
ard, though, rs I have said, he was
sensitive to fear"
Pink Lady" Is Identified
The identity of miss Wilson,"
otherwise known as the Pink Lady
was discovered yesterday by District
Attorney Swami, who named her as
Miss Viola Kraus, divorced wife of
Victor Won Schlegell.
Testimony that she had heard "Miss
Wilson threaten to kill Elwell il he
| attempted to desert her again, con
tanned in cabled newspaper interview
| from Ireland with Anna Kane, Elwell',
former housekeeper, caused Mr.. Swan
to break his accustomed reticcnco.
| The young society woman. who Il
spending the summer with her sistel
and brother in law, Mr.. and Mrs. Wal
ter Lewisohn. came here voluntarll,
members of the district attorney staff
three hours.
She denied ever having threatened
Elwell.
| No hint was given as to whether tn,
questioning of Miss KrauS by the mem
bers of his staff had caused Mr.. Swanr
to eliminate her from the case. o.
whether the information she gave unde
questioning of Mr.. Dooling opened an,
new roads to the solution of the mys.
terry.
Mentioned by All the Servants
Secrecy has surrounded the person
ality of the dashing Miss Wilson,
who has been mentioned by all the ser
wants employed by Elwell in his hom
at 244 West Sevcnticth street.
Although he has asserted ever since
the name of Miss Wilson" was frs
mentioned in the case by Mrs. MARI
Larsen. Elwelrs housekeeper at th
time of the murder. that he knew he
real name and could find her wheneve
he wanted to do so. District Attorne.
Swami had refused to divulge the iden
tity of the mystery woman.
His rctcence. he said. was caused b.
desire to protect the fair reputation
of beautiful women from the results 0
indiscretons which they now regret.
Both Miss Kraus and her formc
husband. Won Schlcgel. have been ques
, toned again and again by police an
members of the district attorney
staff, but have denied any connectio
with the crime.
/ Elwell's Last Dinner Party
r Miss Kraus. with Mr.. and Mrs
Lewisohn and Octavio Figueroa,
Spanish newspaper publisher, made II
1 the dinner party at the Ritz and tn
o later dancing and supper party at tn
e Midnight Frolic. which was the las
time Elwell is known to have been see
Y alive. 1t was after he had hidden thel
$ good night and started briskly dow
e Forty second street, according to I'll
= story of other members of the part,
that his trail was lost.
= Won Schlegell was seated at a neigI,
t boring table at the Ritz Carlton wit
d Miss ELY Hope Anderson, Of Mime
s apolis, when the Lcwisohn party WI
e dining the night before the murde
He nodded to both Elwell and h
divorced wife, who at that time ha
not received formal word of the grantir
of the decree she sought, according
his dinner companion. Miss Kraus d
e not respond, Miss Anderson said