New-York tribune., 1920-08-23

ECkert Wnen ne was eighteen. She was
married before to Jack Vail and has a
nine-year- son.
Fingerprints Give Clew
The initials found on Eckert's watch,
cuff links and signet ring, which were
said by the police to be "R. f. E." led
to linking him, by means of finger
prints at headquarters with a Robert
Eckert who had been arrested three
times in connection with liquor and
automobile thefts. Robert" is now
said to be an assumed name.
The police say that "Bob Hayes" the
name under which Eckert and his wife
registered at Moloney's Hotel, is a
gang name. Whenever one Of "the
mob" is arrested, the police say, he
gives the name of Hayes. When
Eckert and another man were arrested
at Lake Hopatcong some weeks ago
both gave the same name.
Mr.. Molloy said he had traced the
movements of the automobile in which
Eckert's body was found from Friday
morning until Friday night. He says
| that, in his opinion, the car never went
to Moloney's. 1t is on this theory that
he discredits Kanes report that the
car was stolen from back of Mooney's
Hotel some time after l o'clock Fri
day night. Kane reported his loss to
the police between and o'clock Sat-
urday morning.
The automobile. seven-passenger
touring car. was part of a funeral pro-
cession from ST. Peters Church in
Staten Island on Friday morning. 1t
went to Calvary Cemetery in Queens.
Kane drove it. Mr. Molloy says he has
witness to this.
In the evening it returned across the
williamsburg Bridge. From this point
Kane cannot be connected with the
movements of the car. He cot out, Mr.
Molloy believes. The car went to
Catharine and Madison streets, New
York. the District Attorney says, and
picked up Eckert. The District Attor-
ney said he has witness to this also.
Two Bullets Enter Head
Presumably the car, with Eckert and
at least two other men, came to Staten
Island shortly after that. Mr. Molloy
says. Inc man whom he has not yet
questioned may tell who was in the car.
According to Dr.. George Mord, medi-
cal examiner, 1t was a man sitting on
the loose seat behind Eckert who shot
him. One of the bullets entered the
nose and another the left ear. Both
were fatal The third pierced his
neck. License plates for three states
were found IN the car, the police say.
Mrs. Moloney and Donohue saw Kane
was at Moloncy's Hotel all Friday even
ing and on into the next morning and
that he told them of the loss of his car
and thouhgt it joke on the part of
another chauffeur.
Mr.. Molloy believes Eckert was killed
by a member Of "The Mob" He was
undesirable and in their way, he says,
SO they got him. Eckert was'arrested
on Madison Street August 10 for rob
perry and being fugitive from justice
Mr.. Molloy says that it was a prohib-
ton agent named Mcclure who tipped
off the police as to Eckert's where
abouts.
1t was about that time, according to
Mrs. Moloncy's story, that Eckert left
the hotel. His wife, the police saw.
hustled to provide bail. He was re-
leased on writ of habeas corpus Tues
day, August IT, pending extradtion
proceedings to New Jersey. Mrs. Eek
ert says that he did not return to
Moloney's. She went back last Wednes-
day, got her baggage. paid her bill and
left without giving any forwarding ad
dress. Mrs Moloney, however, has said
that Eckert, or Hayes, as she called
him, was at the hotel Thursday night
Tor short time, alone y
Eckert, IT is known, called on his
lawyer, John Matthews, in Newark,
about o'clock Friday night. Mr.. Mat
thews is the United States commits
sioner. He was not IN. His wife asked
hckert to call in the morning. but he
said he could not
Eckert's mother, Mrs. Margaret
Eckert, who, lives with her married
daughter, Mrs. Edward Hume, at 27S
Fourteenth Street, Brooklyn, is in the
care of a physician. She collapsed
when she heard of her sons death.
Her sonin-law, Edward Hulmes,
went to the morgue yesterday and
identified and claimed the body. Mrs.
Eckert, too, wants the body.
Mrs. Hayes, mother of Eckert's wife.
said yesterday at her home 347 Sew,
eenth Street, Brooklyn, that her daugh-
ter had been staying with her for the
last few days and had gone to Orange,
N. ) E, to arrange for an undertaken.
:, ihere was story abroad that Mrs.
Eckert had drawn $4,000 from a
Brooklyn bank last Thursday, or Fri
cay; Mrs. Hayes scoffcd at the idea
Where would she get that much
money!" she said.
Three men. believed to know some
thing Of the habitues Of Moloney's were
questioned yesterday by the police.
They came from the Bronx. They said
they had not been to the hotel for
more than ten days and were freed.
Mr.. Molloy said he would address
letter to James Shevln, prohibition
agent, to-day, acquainting MIN with
some of the information which has
come to him concerning the ways and