The Washington times., 1922-03-26
BARBER.'S TALE
GIVES NEW CLUE
IN SMALL CASE
Missing Man Exhibited Gold
Watch Found Under Pillow
Soon After He Disappeared.

though more than two years have
elapsed since Ambrose Small, mil
lionaire theater owner, vanished
from human ken public interest in
the case has never dropped, and
the events of the last two weeI:s
have aroused expectations that
some big development is due.
People have never been convinced
that the police told all they knew
or suspected. and all along there has
existed an uneasy feeling that some
overshadowing influence has been
at work to hush the matter up.
Less than three weeks ago Il
Toronto caretaker informed the po-
lice that he had witnessed the burial
at dead Of night in the city's dump
of body which might be that OF
Small. Immediately thereafter the
Misses Small, sisters OF the missing
millionaire, engaged a clairvoyant
TO search for him in the spirit
world, and now Toronto barber
has come forward, with what the
detective in charge Of the case de
clares Is the most important clue OF
all-the declaration that on the
afternoon Of his disappearance
Small exhibited in the barber shop
the gold watch which was afterward
found under his pillow in his home.
Questions for solution.
Did Ambrose Small visit his home
before he disappeared? If SO. why
did he secrete his watch beneath
his pillow? Did he do so. or did
some one privy to his disappearance
hide II for him to form a fictitious
clue which should put the detec.
tives on the wrong scent?
These are some OF the specula
aroused by the statement of the
barber, Arthur Weatherup, now of
the little town OF Stayner, but two
years ago Small's favorite barber in
shop at 3 Adelaide street east.
Weatherup. the barber has sue.
cessfully withstood a Cross-examina.
ton OF several hours. during which |
the police sought vainly to shake |
his testimony that ne shaved Am
brose Small on December 2, 1919, |
in the afternoon and finished with |
him to let him keep an appointment |
at o'clock with his banker: and |
that Small pulled out the watch |
which he said had been given him |
W mo "ilt Oiutl W SllOW HOW |
little time there was to do the job.
For some reason the police seemed
anxious to disprove the statement
OF the barber. and endeavored to
induce him to sign statement
that 1t was on December | and not
December he shaved Small. This
he refused to do. ,
Mrs. Small emphatic denied
all Weatherby's assertions.
Tom Flynn, lifelong friend of
Small; his confidant and adviser,
and the first man TO inform the
police of his disappearance. de.
clared he believed Weatherby's'.
statement to be correct, except for
one point. and believes Mrs Small
TO be mistaken in insisting. as did
the police. that it was on December
not December 2, that Weatherby
shaved Small.
Backed Up Statement.
Weatherup was interviewed spa.
cially as to what took place after
Detective Mitchell. in charge OF the
case, interrogated him. He stated
that Detective Mitchell was unable
10 shake his story. Indeed the bar
Der gave the detective vigorous
argument. and backed up in detail
the statements he made in his aft.
davit.
Weatherup gave one reason he
most convincing. Detec-
tive Mitchell tried to tell him that
the S2,OOO.OOO theater deal was put
through on December /. Weatherup
recalled, however, that on December
2 Mr.. Small had told him that il
the big theater transaction went
by the first of the year he
would give him a second case OF
certain whiskey He had already
given him one case. Small never
returned and Weatherup continued
to hope against hope that the whis-
key might be forthcoming
You know" he said, "a promise
Of a case of whiskey would make
considerable impression on "A
mans mind. l did not want to for.
get 1t. l wanted the whiskey."
Confirmation Of Weatherup's story
comes from a Toronto banker we'll
acquainted with the missing man.
He said Small was in the Dominion
Bank building between 2 and p. m.
It was particularly noticed that
Smalls face was flushed" I'll
5malls face was flushed, It followed
hat he had just previously left the
street barber shop where
ne had a had a haircut. shave and
massage.
II had seen rnuch of Mr.. Small and
Snew him we'll" said the banker. Il
ecall distinctly seeing him in the
Dominion Bank savings department.
hat day, for II was all brought back
o me after he was reported missing.
also recall seeing him standing be-
ore the te!ler's cage, and distinctly:
n fact, ! an picture him yet; re-
member his face, very flushed and
ed"
The banker cannot recall whether
small carried his watch on thu day
le disappeared He does remember,
however, that Small wore a Christi.
lat and light cvercoat.
Talked Of the Deal.
Questioned regarding what Small
lad told hun Of the deal In which
he theatrical magnate was to relin-
uish his chain of theaters, Wealth