The Washington times., 1922-09-24
LETTERS SHOW
STRANGE IDEAS
/ ON AFFECTION
Death Of Edith Lavoy by Pistol
Shot Charged Against
Him.
HE HOPED SHE'D SUFFER
Prosecution Asserts That Ac.
cused Man Was Already
We'd.
By MARGERY REX.

NEW YORK, Sept. 23.-"At no
time, and in no instance. Is love
given and received by two persons
one loves and the other does not"
The old question comes up In, a
comparatively new case. William
Creasey, on trial in Nassau county
charged with the murder, on June
%. of Edith Lavoy, Freeport
school teacher, supposedly his
fiancee, was prompted in a letter
to such a statement.
Who Loved Most?
Who loved most in this instance,
Greasy or the young teachers who.
the defendant said. shot herself be.
cause their engagement was at an
end?
That he hoped Edith Tavoy would
suffer as he had fro the pangs
of love was Expressed by Creasey
in the same letter. This eplstle and
a few others were Save5 by the
teacher from a heap Of communi
cations which she destroyed, ac-
cording to the testimony of Mrs
Mildred Simser Sheldon, the dead
girls roommate. This witness said
she helped her friend tear up the
letters. From some Of them she
was permitted to read extracts-if
not the entire contents. This hap
pened shortly before Miss Lavoys
death.
Edith Lavoy died for love. That
Is certain. But whether or not 1t
was her affection for Creasey or his
love for her that caused her death
from a pistol shot cannot be de-
termined yet.
Most futile OF all measures-.to
die or to kill for love. Yet the num-
Der of persons constantly engaged
going to such extremes does not
decrease.
Edith Lavoy's friendship with
Greasy had a poor beginning. She
met him through a matrimonial
club. Prosecutor Edwards says he
will show that Creasey was mar
ried and could not arrange to wed
anyone. Defendants counsel, Mr.
Uterhardt, asserts Creasey has a
divorce decree.
COurtship Stormy.
The courtship progressed storm.
ily-there were many scenes con-
cerning a gun belonging to Greasy.
This revolver was left with Miss
Lavoy a little while. Finally the
owner, for a time in Kentucky,
sent for the weapon. 1t was imme-
diately mailed to him by parcel
post.
Last June Greasy reappeared in
Freeport, surly Aand depressed. He
barely spoke to the teachers asso.
ciates. Most of them he had for
merly met. The effect of an en-
counter with this man so disturbed
Miss Lavoy, II is alleged, that she
threw herself weeping into the
arms OF the woman principal Of
the school.
The prosecution depicts Edith
Lavoy as an upright young woman
with three objects OF devotion: Her
church, her, mother and Greasy.
Yet, before that poor girls BODY was
cold Greasy. 1t is said, impugned
her honor to listeners. ,
II Greasy could have married
Edith Lavoy, why didn't he, assum.
ing that his affection was returned?
Through With YOU"
Examination brought out that
Greasy got a letter before his trip
North last June in which Edith La
vow said, "I am through with yo"."
and to this he is said to have replied
in person shortly afterward.
Did she ever know this man had
been married or that he was or
meant to be divorced? Did she give
him up because she was tired CT
him or because she would not marry
a divorced man?
Now, In a letter, accorolng 20
testimony, Greasy aiso .oiu t"o
aeod etri that he would either live
With her or die with her. At the
time of his arrival in Freeport last
Jnne he told the woman who rent
"a hin, a room that he didn't know
how long he would stay. He SAID
at ali depends" On what did the
length of his stay depend?
Ten.thirty was the nightly hour
NJ departure for men callers at ihe
bouse where Miss Lavoy roomed
with another teacher. 1t was just
1913 on the night Of June 70 that
a pistol shot cracked out.
g.. Failed in Agreement.
II Greasy meant to come TO
some agreement with Edith Lavoy
he evidently talled. anu IL sne
knew the approaching hour meant
his final exit from her life she may
have. become desperate.
Tho trial so far has brought that
the defendant, as soon as the shot
rang out, called Miss Mildred Sim.
ser from the next room and said;
Mildred, oh my God, Edith has
shot herself" He added, II loved
her, I loved her so, land began to
sbed tears. Miss SiThAfr, now Mrs.
Sheldon, says she turned upon him,
asking, why did you do 1t, Billy"
Two bundles OF letters were taken
out of his suitcase by Greasy whom
ne came to F'reeport in June. With
these he left the house, presumably
to call upon Miss Lavoy.
GET ELEPHANT FISH