The Washington times., 1924-04-01
"Only a Brown Hat and Coat
No, Not Only Those Things; There Is Also the
Murderer's Conscience

Last Tuesday evening shocking hdeous crime was COM
mitted Staten Island young woman thirty years old
mother Of two children huryng telephone to call
garage Her had broken down at distance her home
She asked by passing stranger to let him eiye her
lift and accepted as thousands do every dav fex moments
thereafter in lonely stretch of the road the unfortunate
young woman was shot to death and thrown high
way The murderer disappeared The police and doctors
testify that the young killed because Of
perate struggle she made against another attack.
Shat is the story briefly Of the dreadful crime that has
shocked the nation
The police say there nothing to help the detection of the
criminal unfortunately except "a brown hat and coat The
criminal drove Ford sedan just like any other Apart from
the hat and coat there is little any hope of catching him
since the two three young children that saw him for
moment as ne stopped to pick up his victim do
In the of Identification
But FORTUNATELY Justice and the safety of the pub
lie generally justice does not rely ENTIRELY upon "a brown
hat and coat or any other material clue
The chief hope the disturbing conscience and the weak
mind OF the criminal The police do know who the man
N or where he is but unless he be maniac his conscience
however deadened knows well where he and pursues him
night and day.
There is ever within him almost IRRESISTIBLE DE-
SIRE TO TALK.
Night and day he talks himself he reads the newspapers
knows that he hunted he Wonderland well he mayha
clues the police have of which they say nothing He most
intense constant desire share with other being
the knowledge for sharing the guilty knowledge relief
The public remembers how one of those young Diamond
brothers having committed the murder and got the money
could not resist telling about it, giving woman chance
acquaintance detailed information that led straight
electric chair.
So it may be with the Staten Island murderer.
Constantly the Staten Island murderer for whose detection
and conviction the New York Evening Journal offers
of $1,000 will live in of what BEHIND HIM Com
stanty he will feel in imagination the hand Of the law his
shoulder voice saying You are wanted the muzze of
detectives gun backing him up Constantly he will feel
that he MUST TELL somebody to relieve himself and his
mind Of the weight that presses down upon him.
ton but not in security MURDER Is CRIME NEVER
oUTLAWED. Never will the feel that he is SAFE his
tormented mind will him to talk his fears will urge
to be STILL The probability that he will talk eventually per-
haps in prison to other prisoner perhaps to
woman he never be SAFE and passing time will not make
him feel safer
The unfortunate woman whom he killed will rest in her
grave beyond all further harm while he will go through the
world Jumping at every strange sound shverng
at the touch of hand his shoulder the word uukly
spoken behind him.
His crime of course MAY remain Of the murders I'M
solved and may at momen has happened thousands
Of times be fastened upon him in way least expected least
feared dreamed of.
When commits crime there are thousand THINGS
working to bring him to justice not merely "a brown hat and
overcoat.''