New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1927-07-11
HOLD JAN|T0R IN
DOUBLE KILLING
Suspect Views Dismembered
Bodies But Claims Innocence

New York, July II CP,-A trail
that started Saturday with the find
ing in Battery park of dismembered
parts of woman's legs had led to-
day to a double murder mystery and
the arrest of man suspect.
Bit by bit, through Saturday and
Sunday, additional parts of the tor
so of the slain woman came to light,
the trail finally leading to a Brook
Ign house where the dismembered
body of another woman was found.
The victims of the double murder
were identified by police as Miss
Sarah Elizabeth Brownell, 60 year
old former seamstress of Glovers-
Vile, n. Y, and Mrs. Alfred Bennett,
As, wife of an iceman and mother of
four children.
Police were holding on homicide
charge Ludwig Lee. So, janitor of
the Brooklyn house. where Miss
Brownell lived. He stoutly protested
his innocence after - hours of,
questioning. The police theory was
that Miss Brownell was slain for
robbery and Mrs. Bennett killed
when she CHANGED to surprise the
murderer at work.
Still Another Mystery
While police We're working on the
murder of the two women, another
mystery cropped up in dark cellar
in the lower east side where
plumber, sent rep ir water leak
in a tenement in Willett street, came
upon two bundles containing the dis
membered portions of a mans
body. Police believe the victim had
been dead several months. Identifi-
cations were not established.
Police were starting systematic
search of all sewer inlets when early
yesterday a boy, walking in the yard
Of st. Augustine's Roman Catholic
church, noticed bundle wrapped in
a piece Of blanket.
1t contained portion of the lower
part of a woman's torso. Three hours
later a woman's left shoulder and
arm, the ring finger severed, was
found in a package behind a movie
theater in Brooklyn.
Wife Reported Missing
Meanwhile, police had received a
report from Alfred Bennett that his
wife was missing. The Bcnnetts oc-
cupy a house on Lincoln place, di-
rectly in the rear of IS Prospect
place, which the Bennetts sold to
Miss Brownell on May IA.
A son, John, 10. recalled that the
last time he saw his mother was on
when he entered the cellar
of the Prospect place house to in
vestigate a water leak of which Miss
Brownell had complained. The po-
lice then went to the other house.
There they found Lee. He denied
knowledge of the Whereabouts OF
either woman, but detectives enter
covered further human fragments in
three ash cans. Lee was arrested.
Another Suspect
Police also had under arrest as Il
witness Christian Jensen,
va roomed with Lee at the Pros
pect place house. Both men were
to view the reconstructed
bOdleS OF the women. out StedQ1aSuy
denied any knowledge of the crime.
Otto Nelson, friend Of the two
men. was held for questioning.
Police Inspector Sullivan quoted
Fred Schmidt, witness who lives
opposite the murder house, as say
ing he saw Lee leave the building
early yesterday morning carrying a
parcel. returning twenty minutes
later and again departing with an
other parcel. The theater and church
yard where the packages We're found
are only few blocks removed from
the Prospect place house. Miss
Brownell was last reported seen July
4. 1t is believed she met her death
that day.