The New York herald., 1921-11-26
PEDLER ARRESTED
IN MEIER MURDER
Seized as He Stands Gazing at
House Where Woman
Was Slain.

Theodore Cartridge, a former soldier
and pedler. who has also used the
names of Deteg and Michilowitslzi. was
arrested yesterday morning as he stood
in the road between Hicksville and
Westbury. L. l.. staring as II fascinated
at the house in which Mrs. Elizabeth
Maier was murdered on November Is.
that he did not notice Constable Charles
Anderson. who had been following him
for half a mile. and who had hid be-
hind tree when the pedler stopped in
the road, set down his pack and began
staring at the house.
But when Anderson walked up to him
and touched his arm Cartridge jumped
back and drew a revolver from his
pocket, Anderson alleged. Before he
could shoot. however, the constable
grabbed his wrist and the weapon
dropped into the roadway Anderson
drew his own revolver and with the
butt of 1t he battered the pedler into
submission after hard fight
Then the constable handcuffed him
and took him to the Mineola jail, where
he Is being held in connection with the
investigation Of Mrs. Maier's murder.
Charles H. Hansen. finger print ex-
pert for the District Attorney of Mas
sau county, took Cartridges finger
prints as soon as he had reached the
Jail. and said afterward that they cor
responded exactly with some of the
prints found in Mrs. Maier's home. The
print Of right forefinger found on one
of Mrs. Maier's salad dishes, the detec-
tive said, was identical with the print
of Cartridges right forefinger. and two
prints on a lamp chimney In the Maier
home correspond with prints of the
right forefinger and the middle finger of
Cartridges left hand. Another print on
a milk Jar was identical. the detective
said. with the print of Cartridges left
forefinger. Several of the detectives who
have been at work on the case have
been working on the theory that left
handed man committed the crime, and
have been looking for such a person.
but they have not been able to connect
Cartridge with this theory.
Cartridge denied that he had anything
to do with the murder of Mrs. Maier,
but admitted that he had been In her
house recently trying to sell her some
linen, just as he has called at most Of
the houses in the district. Assistant
District Attorney Elvin N. Edwards. with
Constable Anderson and Detective Han
sen and other policemen, took the man to
the Maier house later In the afternoon.
and a policeman was placed on the floor
In the position that Mrs. Maiers body
was in when it was found. Then Gar
fridge was taken into the room. He went
In only after fight, screaming and pro-
testing his innocence. and shouted that
he would go to the electric chair before
he would say anything.
One of the detectives then took a
switch of Mrs. Maier's hair from a rack
and rubbed II across the mans face, but
he drew back In terror.
II don't want to touch :" he cried.
Don't touch me with It."
The detectives tried to get him to go
again into the room where the policeman
was and in which the aged woman's body
had been found but he refused.
"I don't want to see the woman!" he
yelled
Hansen told him he had his finger
prints, and the man said:
"If you have my finger prints you will
put me in the electric chair. but I will
not speak"
The Nassau county authorities said
that Cartridge had prison record, and
that he had served a term for desertion
from the army. He was identified by
Miss Josephine Wendell of Mineola as a
man who had sold her a quantity of linen
worth aboupt 5000 for 81. although he
denied the transaction. Constable An
derson got track of the man through this
sale. and followed him all yesterday
morning.