The New York herald., 1921-04-10
WHITMAN AND CAREY
WILL GRILL HARRIS
Swann's Aid and Captain Start
for Buffalo To-day to- Sift
Murder Tale.
EXPECT GOOD RESULTS
Youth Is Indicted Here Merely
to Hold Him, Say Police
Officials.

Capt. Arthur Carey. in charge Of the
Police Homicide Squad. denied posi-
lively late last night that the placing
of the first degree murder charge
against Roy Harris in Buffalo is based
upon anything more than desire to
make certain, that the confessor to the
Staying OF Joseph b. Elwell be held until
the police investigation of his story Is
completed.
Announcement that the murder charge
had been made. coupled with the fact
that Charles S. Whitman and Capt.
Carey will go to Buffalo to-day to ques-
tion Harris. led to the belief both in and
out of the Police Department that these
two moves were predicated upon some
thing more tangible than the mere word
of Harris. 1t was suspected that per-
haps the police here already had corrob-
grated enough of Harriss tale of mur-
der for hire to justify them in making
the charge.
Capt Carey denied this unqualifiedly.
He asserted also that the request was
not connected with the police question:
ing of the woman mentioned by Harris,
so far not publicly named, who said he
had seen her picture in the newspaper
just after the Staying of Elwell and who,
he asserted, he recognized as his mys-
terious Mrs. Fairchild.'
In preparation for their questioning of
Harris, Mr.. Whitman and Capt. Carey
went to the Elwell house last night, and
for more than an hour walked through
the rooms and familiarized themselves
with every detail of the buildings IN
terror. They were accompanied by De-
tectives Tulley and Trainor of Capt.
Carey's staff. who had devoted many
weeks to the Elwell mystery and al
ready were well acquainted with the
house where the murder took place
The visit made it evident that the
officials will seek to determine the valid
ity Of Harris's story by sharp ques-
toning of his description of the place.
According to present arrangements.
Mr.. Whitman and Capt. Carey will start
from here this afternoon at IL :25. They
will reach Buffalo at 10:4O tonight
Their questioning of Harris probably
will be put over until tomorrow morn
ing In the meantime they VIII ex-
change notes with Detective Oswald. who
has been in Buffalo for two days, and
has talked with Harris several times.
One object for Mr.. Whitman and
Capt Carey going to Buffalo Is 10
arrive at a speedy decision upon the
merits OF his confession without
granting him a free trip to this city.
There has been a suggestion that Har-
ris might be telling this story merely
TO get brought back to New York and
be released later
Another and far more important OBJ
ject of the trip, however. is to ascertain
IL the youth, should he be lying, has
concocted this tale for the purpose of
throwing the officials off the trail of
the real murderer or murderers whom
he may know. 1t was pointed that his
story, coming soon upon the announce
ment that Mr.. Whitman in his capacity
as special assistant to District Attorney
Swami had taken over all evidence in
the Elwell case and reopened the hunt
for the slayer might have been inspired
by some one desirous of drawing a
HERRING across the scent"
Some critics of Harriss narrative have
stated that 1t seemed hardly plausible
that a woman wearing a wealth of
jewelry should confer in dark. secluded
spots with professional murderers, but
one detective said of this yesterday:
1T must be remembered that accord
ing to Harris's story the woman was
accompanied by the chauffeur. who was
probably armed and in the circum-
stances the other men probably would
not care to take a chance at robbing her.
1t may also be said that men who have
professional dealings with underworld
characters often carry diamonds and
large sums of money without moles.a-
ton. If they are known to stand in
light with some member of the gang the
others will not rob them.
This woman appears. according to
the Harris story. to have been presented
III regular and formal manner by Jerry
the Chauffeur who seems to have been
q character that might have been held
In awe by the two hired assassins."