Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-13
Ceilings K|DNAP
HOAX HINT S|FTED
Nachtsman'S Description
Broadcast in Hunt-Wife
Adds Clue.
BY ROBERT S. JOHN,
Associated Press Stan Writer.

eOYETT, N. Y, September a.
The revelation that Benjamin Ceilings
failed to take advantage of two oppor-
tunities to arm himself against the
two men she says threw him off their
cruiser was made today by Mrs Col
lings, after she had identified an aban-
doned canoe as the one the invaders
used.
Authorities would not say what sig
niflcance they attached to her dis
closure. One published theory at
tributed to some of the investigators
was that the Connecticut yachtsman
might have vanished voluntarily and
that the events on the cruiser Wednes-
day night related by his wife were
"staged" to mislead her and others.
1t also was learned late in the day
that message had been sent out yes
terday to police of six States asking
them to search for the missing man.
His full description was given.
Wife's Story Accepted.
District Attorney Elvin N. Edward
again said be believed the attractive
young wife Was telling what happened
just as she had seen it.
Police Inspector King, however, said
that in the absence of proof or a motive
for the apparent drowning of Ceilings
he would await the finding of the body
or some other conclusive evidence be-
fore accepting the story of midnight
piracy.
Plans were made late today for
cruise on the Ceilings boat, the Pen
gum, to test the carrying power of the
human voice from the deck to the
cabin. Mrs. Ceilings had told of hear
ing the conversation between her hus-
band and the two pirates" part of
which took place while the engine was
running.
Hints Assailant.
The checking Of this detail was part
of general policy adopted by author
tiles in examining all phases of Mrs.
Ceilings story.
Edwards said Mrs. Ceilings had made
a suggestion as to the identity of one
of her husbands assailants. but her in
formation was based entirely on guess
work and inquiry showed the man she
mentioned had no connection with the
mystery.
The canoe which Mrs Ceilings iden-
titled Is owned by Miner D. Crary,
wealthy yachtsman, who has an estate
on Ducks Island, Northport not far
from where the Penguin was anchored
when she said the two men climbed
aboard 1t was stolen Wednesday
afternoon or evening from beach on
the Crary estate.
Regarding her husbands failure to
arm himself against his assailants, Mrs.
Ceilings said that twice after they
came aboard and started an argument
with him, Ceilings left them on deck
and went into the cabin to talk to her.
Arms Unmolested.
A bowie knife and loaded automatic
pistol were in box on the ice chest
within easy reach, she said. They were
found there by investigators yesterday.
It was after his last visit to the cabin,
Mrs. Ceilings said, that she looked out
and saw her husbands hands being tied
behind his back and few minutes later
saw his body floating on the water.
A clue which the inspector said he
considered of great Importance was a
report from Springfield, Mass, that. a
Blanket with the words Hotel Charles
woven in it was missed on August 2,
1880, after a Mr.. and Mrs. F. G. Col
lingborn of Stamford, Conn, had spent
a night there.
Blanket Is Clue.
Yesterday authorities revealed that
one of the four blankets given to Mrs.
Ceilings by the two men. as they left
her in the moored motor boat early
Thursday morning had the words "Ho-
tel Charles" woven in it.
At Stamford it was said no one by
the name of "Collingborn" is listed in
directories there.
Inspector King said he would con-
suit the log or diary kept by the Col
lings and found on the Penguin to see
where they were on August 2, 1880.