Evening star., 1923-10-14
MAID WITNESSED
SHOOTING OF MAS
Her Testimony Leads to
Search for Millionaire. in
Sound Beach ARRAY.
Special Dispatch to The Star.


SOUND BEACH, Conn. October 13
Kathleen Fox. a pretty housemaid
threw new light on the mysterious
shooting of Milton A Mas, wealthy
New York chemical manufacturer, al
the home of Mrs. Ida NJ. Leslie, on
Ledge road Thursday night.
The young woman was a witness
to the shooting, it developed this
afternoon. The story she told James
F. Walsh, the prosecuting attorney
of what took place on the front porch
that night differs materially in many
respects from the version given out
by Mrs. Leslie. her employer. 1t was
after the maid had been questioned
by the prosecutor that Mr.. Walsh
issued his order to the police to seize
all the letters in the house, including
several of am affectionate nature,
said to have been written by New
York millionaire.
The police have in their possession
the name of this man and the inquiry
in this direction has shifted to New
York, where efforts are being made
to ascertain his whereabouts on the
night of the shooting. The authorf-
ties virtually have abandoned the
theory that the attack on Mrs. Leslie
anu the subsequent SnOOIlnS Oh HtI
guest was done in an attempt of rob-
berry. Instead. they are working on
what they believe to be a more log
ical clue-that gunmen were hired
by person jealous of Mas atten-
tions to Mrs. Leslie.
Kathleen told the prosecuting at
torney that she was in the rear of the
house when she heard Mrs. Leslie
scream. She ran quickly to the front
door, she said. and found Mas grap-
pling with another man on the porch
The manufacturers aSsailant, accord
ing to the girl, was not able for a
brief interval to bring his pistol into
play. Then he fired twice and fed
with his two companions, the maid
declared.
She said the light of the porch was
burning brightly.
Grabbed by Three Men.
Mrs. Leslie told Mr.. Walsh, Police
Capt. Flanagan and reporters that
she was seized by three men she had
perceived by the aid OF d fiashlight
standing in the shrubbery alongside
of the porch. When she screamed.
according to her story. Mas rushed
out on the porch anu was shot by
one of her assailants as he advanced.
An examination of the sweater
worn by Mas when he was shot
showed black smudges where the bull
let's had gone through, one at the
leIt SnO the SeCOnQ III the aD-
domen. 1t was evident that these
smudges were caused by gunpowder.
The police say they are convinced
that Mas was fired upon by a person
at close range and not from a dis
tance of even a yard or two.
An attempt was made this after
noon to have Mrs. Leslie explain this
apparent discrepancy in her story,
but Gustave Fleishman. nephew of
the wounded man, would not permit
her to be interviewed.
Mrs. Leslie is very upset by the
publicity that has been caused by
this affair."" he said, which is moth
ing more than an attempted robbery
on the part of several immature
youths. The newspapers have treated
her unjustly in printing the ridicu-
lous things that are told reporters
by the prosecutor, the police, the
and others. She will not see
any more reporters and If necessary
she will resort to law to have this
stopped"
Earlier in the day Mrs. Leslie ac-
cused the Greenwich police of trying
to make a mystery out of an amateur
robbery" and she charged that they
had put her through the third de-
gree in an effort to avoid RESPONSE
bility. At the time she started to
leave the house to exercise her two
Pekingese dogs along the beach she
was wearing $4,000 worth of jewelry.
The police are anxious to question
Mas about any possible knowledge
of a conspiracy against his life, In
spired either by jealousy or some
business emnity. 1t Is not known
whether he knows of the millionaire
who is reputed to be the author of
some of the letters now in the possess
sion of the prosecuting attorney.