New-York tribune., 1921-11-26
Peddler Seized
I'm Search for
Widows Slayer
Veteran Found Prowling
About House Where Mrs.
Maier Was Murdered and
Caught After Struggle
Finger Prints Compared
Declared Identical With Ones
on Sugar Bowl Where
Aged Woman Kept Money

MTNEOLA, L. T., Nov. 25.--A veteran
OF the World War, said to be man
of many aliases and known in this
neighborhood as an itinerant peddler of
army clothes, is locked up in the county
Jail here in connection with the muir
der of Mrs. Elizabeth Maier, eighty
two-year-old widow, who was slain in
her home near Hicksville, L. l., last
Neek. When taken into custody the
man said his name was Theodore Get
fidge, and he denied all knowledge of
the murder. According to finger print
experts, marks left on articles in the
Maier home correspond to the finger
prints of the prisoner, Getridge is the
second peddler to be arrested in con-
nection with the case.
Constable Charles Anderson was told
In Mineola this morning that stranger
was lettering around the house of the
slain widow. At the time the constable
was seeking man who had sold a
resident of Mineola quantity of fine
linen and a revolver for 81. He went
at once to the scene of the murder.
Suspect Battles Constable
AS he approached the Maier home
he says that he saw Getridge walking
around the place and gazing at it from
different sides. He approached and
was just about to place the suspect
under arrest when, it is alleged, the
man drew revolver. Anderson jumped
for the weapon and, in the struggle
which ensued, both men were so badly
injured that they required medical
attention. The constable finally sue
ceeded in knocking the peddler uncon-
scious and Handwriting him. Though
weak and in considerable pain, the Off
Ger insisted on taking his prisoner to
the county courthouse himself.
Charles H. Hansen, county finger
print expert, said later that certain
of Getridge's fngerprints corresponded
with some of the fngerprints found on
sugar bowl, a lamp chimney and the
milk jar, where, it is believed, Mrs.
Maier kept her money.
Hansen asserted that the print of a
right forefinger found on salad dish
in Mrs Maier's home was Identical with
the print of Getridge's right forefinger,
and two prints on lamp chimney we're
exactly thet same as the prints of the
right forefinger and the middle finger
of the prisoners right hand. Getridge
denied emphatically that he was con-
nected in anyway with the murder.
Identified AS Linen Peddler
Some time after leaving his prisoner
at the courthouse, Anderson returned,
and announced that Getridge was the
man he was looking for in connection
with the sale of army linen. He con
fronted the prisoner with a woman
whose name was given only as "Miss
Wendell" who identified him as the
man who had sold her a quantity of
the cloth.
Hansen said that Getridge had po-
lice record, having served time in a
New York penitentiary on a larceny
charge. Getridge said he enlisted in
the army in 1917 and went to France
with the 18th Infantry, Company F.
He was given an honorable discharge,
he said, and re-enlisted in 1919. Local
authorities assert that they have army
circulars in which it is stated that a
man answering Getridge's description
is wanted for deSertion