The Washington times., 1920-06-16
Mrs. EIWeII Started Turfman on
Road to Success, Then Was
Cast Aside.
BY MARGERY REX.


NEW YORK, June 16.-This is the
story of how, a House of Cards was
carefully built up. only to be top
pied over by an unknown murderer
hand.
This Is the story-as related to me
by his widow-of the rise and fall OF
Joseph Bovine Elwell, turfman and
internationally famous whist player
and devotee of the so-called gentler
sex, who was murdered last FRIDAY
morning.
His picturesque life was ended, 1t
Is believed, by some one who had
been given one of the coveted keys
to his home, or some one who other
wise gained possession of the means
OF entrance After the shot in the
forehead, which left him in a dying
condition, Elwell was rushed to Belle
vue Hospital. where he died few
hours later.
So much for the tragic end of the
sportsman.
To consider his beginning we must
go back some years and we must
consult his widow, Helen Derby
Elwell.
The gamester's House OF Cards
was built Mrs. Elwell. She guided
him and stood as a shield betore the
cold winds of worldly criticism lest
the fragile structure fall down pre-
maturely.
Elwell later flouted his marriage
ties, home life and small son.
"MADE by MARRIAGE"
But he was one of those by no
means unusual men made" by mar
riage.
"a man invariably throws aside
the woman who has made him,
sighed Mrs. ElyvelI, ns she mused
during the quiet Sunday afternoon
about the dead mans CARER
.InfIdeIity-I could forgive that
but ingrntitude was to me MS N'es'
vice.
HE could never forgive me my
mental superiority. He was an ao-
scure youth from Brooklyn when
met him. Ny family were well
known. -
"I can speak without bitterness
or resentment now. 1t all seems
so long ago and during our last
wears under the same roof we were
not actually man and wife, but miles
apart.
ELwELL QUITS HOUSE.
"Then one day he walked out say
ing he did not care TO continue MS
marital existence any Longer.
"I remember the many suitors VINO
paid me court and how l chose MIN
above all the others. don't know
why. either. There was something
indefinably. fascinating about him. \
woman cnn never explnin why one
mnn charms her and others leave her
cold.
And there is no way a girl can
tell of what man to beware, what
man will make her unhappy.
But you will be sure he was ex-
traordinarily captivating when | &C.
cepted him, for he plainly was not
Of my fashionable and cultured world
HOME BUILT ON CARDS.
"'what can you do for living?
I asked him right after our mar
rage. He replied. laughing, Moth
ing but play cards and he added
4 can't work at that
"'why, not | said-and then made
out my plan OF action. ! determined
he should teach society to play cards
and at a good price, too. I said New
port would be our first point OF
attack, and he laughed openly at me
saying I could never put 1t over.
/" yvell, I'll ask 81 an hour he H.
nally decided. | told him they would
think IL better for $40 an hour. and
they did. believe, for at the end OF
two months that summer we. had
SO 900 clear profit over all expenses
and they were heavy.
without the association he gained
through my social position he never
could have done II alone.
"To write a book on whist seemed
to me the next step toward fortune
lie sneered at that ambition, too.
said he couldn't write. declared
could. SO II was finally complied
he giving technical points while
supplied It's literary effects, whatevet
| they were.
II started to publisher with u
one day, but he said. who are you
madam | told him I was Mrs VI
well. wife of the whist authority; but
he actually didn't know who We
were.
"a drosdfui hing happened then.