New Britain herald., 1922-11-24
TRINITY GRADUATE
 MYSTERI0USLY DEAD
Detroit Man Held for Death of
 Frederick ". Prince


 Detroit Nov. Following tho
 holding of post-mortem last nigh
 on Frederick w. Prince, aged 40 oi 13 Valley Road, Montclair, N. J., who died under mysterious circumsta nees
 at 1,524 Clairmont avenue, where he
 had been a guest, early yesterday
 morning, county physicians said they
 were still unable to determine. the
 cause Of death and would. send the 1 vital organs to the state chemist at
 Lansing for analysis.
 Meanwhile Wesley H. Pett, a
 wholesale milliner, is being held. l Without a mark of violence Prince,
 q publicity agent for the Western 1 Electric company and member of I the Trinity College Chapter of the
 Phi Betta Kappa Honorary Society, Phi Beta Kappa Honorary Society. | leading to N the suite occupied by Pett's wife, Irma Kerfoot Pett, in the apartment house at the Clairmont avenue address. He died almost i'm mediately. The cause of his death is mystery, made more complicated by the conflicting stories that witnesses have told police.
 At the .morgue attendants observed blue marks on the lips and beneath the shoulder blades, which they said invariably appear when death is caused by heart failure. The police, passing their belief on the positive as- sertions of witnesses. hold to the the ory that Prince was slain hy a blow.
 According to Mrs. Pett, who made long statement to James F.. Chenot, assistant prosecuting attorney, she and her husband quarreled and agreed to. separate some months ago. | Two weeks ago she began divorce | proceedings, charging that his irregu-
 larity in appearing for meals had led | to arguments which made her life un-
 bearable. She said his income was 1 s10,000 q year. At that time they l left their home on Seward avenue, she taking the apartment where Prince met his death, and Pett going to a hotel.
 Wanted Reconciliation.
 Wednesday night Pett says he went to his wife's apartment to attempt a reconciliation. He knocked at the door several times, but she refused to admit him. Then becoming frightened, she telephoned to friend, Mrs. Bernice Handy, and asked her to come to the apartment. Mrs. Handy said she would start immediately and bring with her a party of friends. In this party were Prince. Forest. Apple gate, Albert Bobblehoff and Miss Stu san Tanner. When they reached Mrs. pett's apartment Pett had left A few minutes after they were seated however, they heard knock at the door.
 Mrs. Pett hooked the safety chain, opened the door few inches and saw her husband. He, all the witnesses agree. charged forward and smashed into the room, tearing the chain out of its socket From this point the events that led up to the moment when Prince dropped to the hallway floor are not clear. Each of the wit nesses disagree somewhat. But that an argument ensued and that Prince walked out of the room, followed by Pett is the version of Mrs. Pett and her friends. One of the latter says she saw Prince stretched out on the hall floor with Pett kneeing beside l him. .l x Denies Encounter.
 Pett, however, insists that he did | not encounter Prince at all. He says | that Applegate ran by him toward the street and that he struck at the lat ter, but Applegate denies this, assert- ! ing that he did not leave Mrs. Petts suite until the police arrived. Petts story is substantiated somewhat by other residents in the apartment, who say that they heard the scuffle and looked out to see both Prince and Pett in the hall. Pett did not strike my one, they say. n
 Mrs. Pett. who is 2s years old and Il 1as flowing yellow hair, was suffering il rom nervous collapse and black we that she received during the quar- .el yesterday Applegate, Bohble- ,off and Mrs. Handy and Miss Tanner Ire held as witnesses. . That Mrs. Pett's visitors were lrinkinE and that whiskey of some ,ort may have contributed to Princes ]eath, is q police theory based on portion of Pett's statement and the discovery of bottles. Prince was grad Iated from Trinity college in 1QO0