New Britain herald., 1928-09-11
HART NOT EXCITED
 OVER ELIAS DEATH
"Murder" Story Already Once
 Investigated by Police
WILLING TO REOPEN CASE
Brother N Man Who Died Eight Years Ago Believes He Was Slain
 In Dispute Over $30O-Suspcct
 May Get Tip and Flee.


 The death of Eishia Ella on No vember 29. 1920, which has been on record as having been caused by self-inf1icted knife wound. is the sub ject of an investigation. following re- ceipt of a letter from Attorney Maurice S. Degenstein of Yonkers N. Y, which is in part as follows:
 T am the attorney for Lazar Ella, who resides at s: Riverdale avenue. Yonkers. N. Y.
 My client had a brother by the name of Elishia Ella. also known as David Abraham, residing at 515 Main street. New Britain, Conn.,. be- tween 1917 and until his death on November 29, 1920. excepting for a period between April z6. 1918 and December 1. 1918. when he was in the service as a private in the United States Army.
 At the New Britain address. he resided at the home of one George Warda. a fellow worker. The de- ceased Elishia Ella was never able to read write or speak English at all.
 The late Elishia Ella. in the name of David Abraham. obtained q popular disability policy No. FIG 29755, in the Aetna Life Insurance Company of Hartford, Conn.,, which insured his life and made bene- ficiary, Lilen George, an alleged nephew of decedent. who was in fact the son of George Warda, and de- cedent was no relative of George Warda or his family"
 The attorney wishes an investiga- ton conducted into q report that came to him through Lazar Ella that his brother was murdered after dispute over $500 with a man who is said to be at large.
 Case Once Investigated Chief Hart said today that Attor- ney Degenstein's letter was received at the office of States Attorney AL corn on July 10 and forwarded to the local police six weeks later. the date of receipt being August 2s. The home brew poison cases which kept the police busy for | week were being investigated at that time. and it was not until yesterday that Chief Hart addressed a reply to the attorney. notifying him that the To- cal department and the state police had investigated the case at the 1 time 1t was fresh. but he would be willing to take it up again should 1 the information now brought to light prove authentic.
 Tt was my intention to keep the matter quiet until we had made some progress in the investigation" Chief Hart said. T regret that it was given publicity at this time. be- cause it is entirely possible that a warning can be flashed to the sus- pect by friends or acquaintances in this vicinity and foil the authori- ties. It may be. also, that the new angle is only fiare-up and not we'll founded in fact. In any event, this department is ready to do any thing possible to run it down." Several days ago, Chief Hart was at the state police department head quarters and requested that the records bearing on the Ella case be consulted, on account of the letter from Yonkers. Relative to a pub lished statement that he had asked the state police for the carving knife which Ella was said to have stabbed himself. the chief said to- day it was erroneous, because he had good information as to the whereabouts of the knife.
 Threatened to Kill Self
 Philip W. Flynn. since deceased, and Arthur M. Pinell, both of whom were state policemen at the time ol the stabbing, investigated the case as did the local police. Witnesses gave the information that Ella was intoxicated when he entered the boarding place and after some talk with several men about Mary Warda said he was going to kill himself Stepping over to the kitchen table he took the knife from holder and plunged it into his abdomen. Dr Waterman Lyon. medical examiner made finding of suicide.
 Detective Sergeant W. P. McCue was sent to Hartford today by Chiei Hart. and while there he conferred with County Detective Edward J Hickey. The case will be investigat. ed, the chief said. although the local authorities have no way of deter. mining the authenticity of the new information at this time.