The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1921-04-07
MAY CLEAR
ELWELL CASE. MYSTERY

New York. April 7-The alleged
confession at Buffalo hast night Of Roy
Harris, that he and a friend were
hired by Il woman to Mil Joseph b.
Elwell whist expert and turfman,
here last June. heightened interest to
day in the new investigation uf the
battling murder. started last week by
former District Attorney Charles :.
! Whitman.
Harris, arrested On Il forgery
charge, is reported to have signed Il
confession that he and William Dun
kin were hired by Mrs. FairchiId"
to go to ElwelIs home and kill him.
deed for which they were to re-
ceive $4,000.
Elwell had many affairs with wom-
en- and a number OF these were
brought into the case in the invcsti.
cation that followed the murder.
None of them. however. was named
N"Fairchild." This name, the police
say, might have been assumed for
the occasion. They hope Harris may
be able to describe the woman known
to him as Mrs. FairChild" and in this
event they may he able TO establish
her identity.
The alleged confession of Harris
asserting that woman hired two
men to kill Elwell is practically the
only theory of the crime which had
never been advanced
Elwell was found with Il bullet
through his head in a room off the
reception hall of his residence lie
was still alive when his houSekeener|
found him at $50 o'clock on the morn.
ing of June IL. lie was barerooted
and clad in night clothing lie died
several hours later without uttering
word that would lead to the identity
of his assailant One opened letter
and several others unopened lay on
his lap when the house keeper found
him.
No revolver was found in the room
Buffalo, n. Y. April 7.-Although
Roy Harris, alias G.. T.. b. Leonard
had not deviated from the original
story of his alleged part in the mur-
der last June of Joseph b. Elwell,
wealthy New York club man. the Buf.
falo police today. after Il final analy-
sis Of his signed confession, pointed
to certain discrepancies between III
and known facts of the murder
Harris fixes the time of the shoot.
ing of Elwell as shortly after three
O'Clock in the morning. He also says
that his alleged pal. Bill Dunkin, used
small calibre revolver. Elwells
death wound was inflicted by bullet
of large calibre and the wound was of
such nature that it is doubtful he
could have levied from the time named
by Harris until several hours later
when he was found by his housekeep.
er unconscious.
Harris also fixed the date of the
murder as June II whereas it oc.
Cured on the morning of June IL.
On the other hand Harris goes into
wealth of detail as to the murder
that indicates, the police say. an in.
Innate knowledge of the crime or a
thorough study of the case.
Harris reiterated today the claim
that he has not seen his alleged pal"
Dunkin, nor the woman, known to him
as Mrs. Fairchild. who Is alleged to
have hired the pair to kill Elwell since
the partial payment of the $4,000
which they were to receive for com.
mitting the murder.
New York detectives familiar with
the Elwell case were expected here to.
day to Question Harris.
Harris was arrested last night on
a charge of passing forged check of
$40 at st. Katharines. Ont He had
been living at hotel here since Mon.
day with his wife.
Mrs. Harris, or Mrs. Leonard, as
she has been known. told the police
today that she parted from her hus.
band eight months ago in Syracuse.
She said she met her husband here
effected
Mrs. Harris said her husband fre.
quently talked of New York acquaint-
ances.