The New York herald., 1921-02-19
DAVIS SILENT YET
ON WHY HE KILLED
CITY DETECTIVE
Police Fail to Find Clue to
Tragedy in Brooklyn
Mans Office.
SHUN GRAFT THEORY
Two Other Victims in Hos
pital Are Unable to Give
Their Versions.
SELF : DEFENCE Is PLEA
Slayer Will Insist Only That
He Used Revolver and Gun
for Protection.
SELF DEFENCE Is PLEA

Nothing was revealed yesterday to
indicate what caused Charles 7. Davis,
Brooklyn manufacturer, to slay acting
Detective Sergeant Joseph Bridgetts
and fire a riot gun at Detective Ed
ward McGlone and George w. Horan,
insurance adjuster. when the three
entered his office, in 217 Duffield street.
Thursday afternoon. The police and
Everett Caldwell, Assistant District
Attorney. worked hard but unsuccess-
fully on the mystery. Davis, held
without bail on charge of murder,
refused to tell them. McGlone and
Horan could not be questioned, as
both, in Brooklyn Hospital with holes
bored through their feet by slugs from
the gun, were unconscious most Of
the day from the effects of operations
performed to save them from death
from blood poisoning.
In the opinion of the police, rage az
the mere allegation he had defrauded
an automobile insurance company of
$1,000 is hardly a sufficient motive for
such violence unless the rage amounted
to temporary insanity. They are in
vestigating reports of Davis's ecceu-
tricities. Mr.. Caldwell said he had
evolved no theory so far, but was posi-
tive that the detective sergeant was
performing his duty and was not hunt
ing for graft"
The circumstances leading up to
Thursdays visit Mr.. Caldwell gathered
TO be as follows:
In November, 1919. Davis reported the
loss OF a Ford sedan to the police and
his insurance company. He collected
the $l,OoO insurance. and short time
later traded in a Ford sedan and a
Dodge car for a Winton automobile.
In describing the Ford on the bill of
sale he gave It the same motor and
license number as he gave the police
when he reported his loss of such a
car. This Ford the Winton people sold
TO one of their employees. Charles
Gies. of 1883 Benedict avenue, The
Bronx
Car Number Shows I'm Registry.
In a recent police registry of auto
mobiles. Gies. who said he never looked
at the car to verify the numbers In the
bill OF sale. gave the police those num-
bers. They were compared with the
numbers OF cars reported stolen and
were found to be identical with the
Davis numbers. Davis yesterday main
tanned to Mr.. Caldwell he had bought
a new Ford sedan with the insurance
money. and in trading this in inadver-
tently gave the numbers of his stolen
machine.
Detective Bridgetts called on Davis
Tuesday to tell him his missing automo-
bile had been recovered. All Davis would
tell the District Attorney of this con-
versation was that he didn't know what
Bridgetts was talking about" The de-
tective got in touch with Gies and ar
ranged for him to take the Ford over to
Brooklyn Thursday so that Davis might
examine It. But when Thursday came
Mrs Gies wanted TO use the car. so Gies
telephoned he would take II around on
Friday.
In the meantime. and on the suspicion
that fraud had been perpetrated, the de-
tective got in touch with the insurance
company and Horan was sent over with
all the papers relating to the transac-
ton. When he and the two detectives
got to Davis's place Thursday afternoon
Bridgetts went in alone to see the man
ufacturer.
The best picture the authorities could
reconstruct yesterday was that McGlone
and Horan. rushing in at Bridgetts's cry
for help. were shot with Davis's shotgun.
over which Davis and the detective were
struggling. Otherwise. they point out,
McCilone would have drawn his revolver
and both would have made efforts to in
tervene. Bridgetts was shot with Daviss
revolver. the medical examination by DR..
Ernest Vaughn showed.
EmpIoyees, stories Differ