The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1922-08-25
VIM. NORRIS MURDERED
EIGHT MEN INDICTED BY GRAND JURY
MONEY BOX, AUTOMOBILE AND TAGS
FOUND-SO SOCOLOW, WHO DID THE
SHOOTING, AT LARGE.

Philip Falesco, formerly of New
| York, but in recent months a resi-
dent of Baltimore, was identified Sun
day night by two witnesses as one of
the men connected with the murder
of William B. Norris at Park avenue
and Madison street, Baltimore, Friday
morning.
/ Later in the night officers searched
| his apartment at Coz North Chester
street, finding there a brown suit and
light tweed cap, corresponding in
description with the suit worn by the
murderer. These were identified as
/ the property of Falesco.
! In the same apartment were found
three vests and a tweed cap, iden-
titled as belonging to John l.. c"Wig-
gles'D Smith, who was arrested Fri
day and was identified Saturday
morning by Mary Garrett, colored, as
the man who shot Norris. At the same
time the officers found a quantity of
pistol cartridges, some described as
44-calibre long, others as .45-calibre
steel-iacketed such as are used in
automatic pistols.
Eight men were presented by the
Baltimore Grand Jury yesterday in
connection with the murder of Will
liam B. Norris. Six of the eight men
are under arrest in Baltimore.
Walter Socolow, named as the man
who fired the fatal shots; Frank j. AL
lers, who confessed that he drove the
death car: John l.. c'Wiggles'O Smith,
Charles P. CCountry'o Carey and
Jack Hart were presented on a charge
of murder.
AS accessories before the fact. pre-
sentiments were returned against AL
len Blades, laundry wagon driver, who
is said to have located the prospective
victims and pointed them out to the
others, and George Heard, owner of
the death car. Benny Lewis, who was
said to have been in reserve as a driv-
er for the death car and afterward
met the gang and obtained a share of
the booty, is accused as an accessory
before and after the fact.
! Only Socolow and Hart are at
large and their hiding places are un-
known. Diligent search for him is be-
ing made by the entire police depart
ment and by several private detective
agencies.
Socolow, who goes by the nickname
Noisy. stands out in the story told
! by Alters as a youth tormented by a
| homicidal lust. He, Alters, declares,
is the man who killed Mr.. Norris, sec
retary of the company, standing over
the crumpled body and firing three
shots into it and then kicking it.
The money box was discovered by
Insp pector Lurz and Captain Leverton
on a vacant lot on Highland avenue
above the Philadelphia road. The po
lice at once wrapped it in cloths and
took it to headquarters, with special
care to guard against the obiteration
of finger prints.
The license tag was found only
short distance away by William
| Schlempp, 800 Robinson street.
! J. w. REGISTER, 10 East Baltimore
street. and Robert La Porte of Prince
| Georges county were the witnesses
who identified FaleSco as the murder
err Each picked him instantly out of
crowd of a dozen men of the same
general appearance, who were lined
up at Detective Headquarters for their
inspection. He made no resistance
when arrested and carried himself
with cool, alert confidence. Falesco
/ had been arrested frequently in re-
cent months in connection with some
of the biggest robberies that have oc-
Cured in Baltimore, and on each oc-
casion the witnesses failed to identity
him positively.
i His arrests were in connection with
the two robberies of Crooks chain
store collector, who lost $4100 on one
occasion and $4,000 on another; the
robbery of an Atlantic d Pacific CHAIN
store collector, who lost S3IOO, ana
the robbery of employees of the Cal
vert Bank, from whom bandits took
$4,000, In each of these cases the rob
bers made their getaway in automo-
biIes which were waiting for them;
and in each case the movements of the
prospective victim had been foreseen
with accuracy by the men who car
ried out the robbery.
/, FaIesco carried himself throughout
his ordeal of questioning with the
same confident appearance which he
has always maintained when in GUS
tody, refusing to give an account OF
his movements at any time. He was
smiling. almost arrogant, when led
away to the police patrol wagon to be
conveyed to Central Station and lock-
ed up for the night.
Mr.. REGISTER, one of those who
identified Falesco as the Norris MUIR
derer, was within a few yards of the
scene when the shooting occurred.
He commandeered a car which was
passing and attempted to follow the
; bandits as they fed, but was cut OFF.
,