New-York tribune., 1920-06-28
Clew Sought
At Home of
Elwell Friend
Three Assistant District
Attorneys, Accompanied
by Detectives, Take Sud
den Trip Out of Town
More Witnesses Quizzed
Anonymous Letter Causes
Great Activity on Part
of Prosecutors Office

Important DEVELOPMENTS in the
search for the murderer of Joseph
Bovine Elwell were foreshadowed last
night.
Members Of the District Attorneys
staff and several detective chiefs gath
cred early in the District Attorneys
Office in the Criminal Courts Building
and questioned several witnesses with
the utmost secrecy. Reporters who
sought to enter the building were asked
to keep out until the examinations
we're over, it being intimated that ii
the witnesses became aware that news
paper men were around they would re-
fuse to talk
At the close of the conference Assist
ant District Attorneys John r. Dooling,
John E. Joyce and Albert B. Unger and
two detectives got into a motor car and
drove out Of town to the home of a
friend of Elwell. This man, it is known,
has been questioned before. 1t appears,
however; that the District Attorneys
Office is not satisfied with the stories he
has told and wants him to clear up GER
tain conflicting points in his narrative.
Identity Kept Secret
No statement could be obtained from
either Mr.. Dooling or the police as to
the identity of the witnesses secretly
questioned yesterday, but there we're in
dications that the authorities could not
afford to lose any time as a result of
the latest developments. In addition to
the members OF the District Attorneys
staff present at yesterdays meeting
there were Captains of Detectives Ar
thur Carey and Thomas F. Walsh.
There were reports that the unusual
activity followed the receipt of an anon
ymous letter by the District Attorneys
Office, in which the writer set forth at
length the entire circumstances of the
crime and the name of the criminal
When Mr.. Dooling was asked about this
letter he said it was true that such
note had been received recently, but re-
fused to divulge it's contents or make
known the name of the person indicated
by the author as the murderer.
He declared, however, that hundreds
Of other letters have been received in
connection with the case and that they
all have been. or are being, investi-
gated. He pointed out that the dis
covery of the crimes of DR.. Arthur
Warren Waite about three years ago
came about through such an anony-
nous letter.
Evades Direct Question
eve have just gone over the work
done so far on the case by the Dis
trict Attorneys Office and the Police
Department" said Mr.. Dooling, "and
have laid our plans for continuance
Of the investigation. While we feel
we have hit upon some very important
information in connection with the
case, we are working along with our
minds open and will follow out every
line that shows a promise, or indicates
"a reason Tor further inquiry, ire
spective of who the individuals are or
the station in life they occupy"
"But have you arrived at anything
like a definite conclusion as to who
might have committed the MURDER"
he was asked.
1--WE don't look very downhearted
about that, do we?" he replied.
Just what evidence has been gath
cred against the man toward whom
the strongest suspicious are now di-
rected could not be ascertained def
nitely. 1t is known that he has been
unwilling to subscribe 70 certain state
ments made by other witnesses with
reference to his relations with the
slain turfnan and that his stories have
changed with each telling.
Nothing tangible, however, has been
obtained that would make this mans
CONTINUED on page four)