New-York tribune., 1921-05-03

Former Convict Almost
Instantly Slain in Try
ing to Enter Film Mans
Residence Near Nyack
Sets OFF Shotgun
As He Opens Door
Accomplice Is Believed
to Have Been Injured
by Employees Device
Special Dispatch to The Trtbv,-


sprang man trap on the estate al
Adoiph lukor, ten miles west of here
iast night and was killed By the result.
ing d'schargc Of shotgun. Tonight
seaSe troopers are stalking his accom-
pllce, believed to have been wounded
Dy the same charge, in woods north Of
the estate, and every door and window
OF the two huge bungalows which con-
st'tute the motion picture magnate'a
summer home is guarded by a deadly
spring gun.
Edward Coates, Of Haverstraw. tho
man who was killed. was an ex-con-
vict' having served year in Sing Sing
Tor burlary, according to District A.
torney Mortimer Lexow. He also had
served shorter term in the county
jail at New City. A revolver of tho
largest calibre, fully loaded, and a
cartridge belt with every loop filled
were taken from his body. It is be-
lleved that his companion is equally
we'll armed.
Coates met his death in the third
laiu wnicn burglars have made upon
one OF the bungalows on the Zukor
estate IN the last ten days. The tran
pa4, pntcn kliled him was designed by
the estate and responsible, in the ab-
sence OF Mr.. Zukor in Europe, for the
paintings, Oriental rugs, costly furni.
lure and silverware with which tho
bungalow is stocked.
Gun BOlted to park;n. r.
1t consists of short-barre1ed
l2-gauge shotgun, bolted to the side Of
packing case, which is mounted on
small wheels or castors, to give the
contrivance mobility When set. the
gun carriage is fastened firmly to the
wall, about ten feet in front Of the
door. the opening of which is to spring
the trap. =
A 17-inch steel spring is fastened to
the trigger of the gun and to the spring
is tied stout line which runs to
pulley in the ceiling at an angle Of
about forty degrees. From the first
celllng pulley the line runs about ten
feet to another, alsr set in the ceiling,
a pulley set in the floor.
From the floor pulley the line goes
direct to the knob of the door to which
it is made fast. The tension of the
spring is such that an intruder may
pull the door open to the width of a
foot before the tension is commune
Gated to the trigger. Thus Murphy
made sure that the door would be fully
open and not in any way shielding the
target when the gun was discharged.
He meant business and was frank to
say so at the inquest to-day.
Same Dose Awaits Others
"If any one tries any door or window
of the bungalow tonight" said he
grimly, "heIl get the same DOSE"
The determination to shoot to kill
was not born in Murphy suddenly. He
repented after he first set his trap. ten
days ago, and dismantled it. He reset
it for reasons which he regards as ex-
cellent.
During the day forty men are en-
ployed on the 500-acre estate. which
straddles the rolling country between
the Hudson River hills and the Ramapo
valley. They are rolling lawns, setting
out trees and hedges, cultivating fields.
making roads and gardening, and the
din Of the. days work resounds cheer
fully.
At night it's different. Most Of the
men working there in the day sleep
elsewhere. Those CHARTERED on the
estate nave their lodging remote from
the "day house" and the might house,
the two sprawling bungalows, con-
nected by a pergola, which form the
Zukor summer home.
When night comes it blankets the
shaven lawns, prim hedge rows, gar
dens and copses with the mystery of
the woods. Trees sigh and rustic to
vagrant individual breezes, owls hoot
queries and answers to each other. ard
little night rovers scurry eerily in the
underbrush.
Bungalow Robbed Ten Days Ago
In the midst Of the black emptiness,
stand the two connected bungalows.
unlighted, untenanted and filled with
rich plunder for the thief. A watch
man has the lonely duty Of guarding
the numerous buildings at night. Ten
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