The New York herald., 1921-10-06
JAPANESE IS FOUND
DEADLY STRANGLING
Under BED in HOTEL
Police Alarm Sent Out for
Tan Kobn, Recent Occu-
pant of the Room.
MAID DISCOVERS BODY
Victim and Man Sought
Last Seen Together in
Home of the Former.
NO SIGNS OF A STRUGGLE
Authorities Undecided as to
Murder or Suicide-Scarf
Is Death Weapon.
NO SIGNS OF A STRUGGLE

Harry Yasuhara, a waiter, living
IN japanese boarding house at ia
West Sixty-fifth street, was found
strangled to death yesterday after.
noon underneath a bed in room 11S
Of the Empire Hotel, Broadway and
Sixty-third street. The body was dis
covered by Barbara Metzger, maid
In the hotel.
The police have sent out general
alarm for Tan Kobn, another Japa-
Iese, who registered at the hotel at
$3.50 o'clock on Monday night and
was assigned to room 11S. The two
Japanese were seen together late
Tuesday night in the boarding house
where Yasuhara had been stopping
for several weeks, and at the time ap-
parently were on friendly terms.
There was a bureau scarf found
knotted at the front of the neck OF the
dead man. who was fully dressed when
found. There was no evidence that a
struggle had taken place before his
death. The scarf was tied in two
knots. the second or last knot being
found loose upon close examination
by Medical Examiner Norris and Capt.
Patrick Marshalls of the West Sixty
eighth street station.
Letter Helps Rehabilitation.
The bed In the room appeared to
have been slept In. The police are
working on the theory that Yasuhara
was strangled by a man who might
have loosened the last knot after the
crime was committed Nothing Of
value was found In the clothing Of the
dead man.
The police have been Informed that
some hostility existed between the dead
man and Kobn. and are trying to find
out why Yasuhara came to be In the
room engaged by Kobn. The body was
Identified by means Of a letter of recon-
mendation found In the clothing. and
also by Japanese from the boarding
house on West s!xty-hfthNstreet.
According to the police. nobody has
been found who saw the two men enter
the hotel either late Tuesday night or
early yesterday morning, although an
employee Of the hotel believes he heard
voices from the room a few hours before
the body was discovered.
Kobn is described as between 21 and
"a years old. about FIVE feet five inches
tall and wore black suit when last
seen. He carried no baggage when he
registered and informed the clerk the
room only was wanted for the night. He
paid in advance.
I'VE have not yet decided whether It Is
last night. From our Investigation so
far am inclined to believe that Yasu-
hara did not take his own life. although
there are circumstances which might
make It a case OF suicide. Perhaps this
point will be cleared up II Kobn Is
found He registered at the hotel under
his own name. and this fact is rather
significant.
Served I'm British Army.
From one source we are informed
the two men we're on friendly terms. and
from others that they were not. The
evidence thus far points to the fact that
Yasuhara was invited to the room by
Kobn, and that they must have been on
more or less friendly terms II this is
true. We certainly would like to ques-
ton Kobn.'
Tari Takerchi. owner of the Japan
ese boarding house. told the police that
Yasuhara came (, this country from
England last July and stopped at his
place the first week of that month. He
said Yasuhara then went TO Norris
town. n. j.. where he was employed as
a waiter. He returned TO this city on
September 10 and since then had been
staying at the Takerchi house.
The police say Takerchi informed
them that Kobn and Yasuhara were In
and out of his place two or three times
late Tuesday night, and that on one
occa sion they were accompanied by an
other Japanese boarder who works in
a tea room near Forest Hills, Queens.
This man Is said 10 have left the other
two late on Tuesday night and gone
TO his work as usual yesterday morn
ing.
Yasuhara served with the British
army during the war as the driver Of
a canton, a motor vehicle which trans
ported troops to the battle areas.