Evening star., 1932-05-19

| mander has been exonerated by police
| of any knowledge that he was lending
| his name and aid to hoax.
DR.. Condor had expected to spend
part of today looking at more pictures
of rogues in Police Identification Bu-
reaus in the Metropolitan area. He is
seeking to find the face of the man
to whom he handed the $50000.
Prisoner Guarded Closely.
'T would know that face anywhere"
he has insisted. An inspection OF thou
sands of photographs has been unpro-
ductive of clues to the mans identity.
The guard about the Pennington Jail
throughout the night was instructed to
watch Curtis closely, both as a precau-
tion for his own safety from any out
side violence that might threaten and
because of fears that the boatbuilder
might attempt suicide Curtis. by his
own confession, has stated that finan-
cial troubles leading TO the bankruptcy
OF his bodybuilding business, and worry
| over the hoax he has perpetrated have
weighed heavily on his mind.
Jafsie returned home last night after
busy day looking over rogues' gallery
pictures. New Jersey police announced
that questioning of Jafsie had produced
answers "adhering consistently to the
fundamental facts related so far"
There was an intimation from Norfolk
police. who have been looking into the
activities there of the 'negotiators, that
Curtis confession was far from COM
pIete: that he was holding back some
thing important" From other sources
there were intimationS that his detailed
account Of negotiations with the kid
napers-an account he gave the author
tiles a few hours before confesSing it
all was a lie-may in fact have held
some elements of truth. THESE fnti-
nations were that some of the persons
he named as the kidnaperS may be
actual persons, despite Curtis subse-
quent disavowal of the story.
FIefscher Arrest Seen.
| From Mexico City came word that
! Harry Fleischer, suspect in the kid
naping and notorious Detroit gangster,
was in Mexico and that his arrest would
| be accomplished soon. Some of his
movements there have been traced,
police said.
| Curtis appetite was unaffected by his
| narrowing day. At the Pennington JAN
| last night he ordered dinner for two
including two large steaks-and ate
them both
On the list of prisoners at the jail
| he was No. 13.
With the startling twist given the
case by Curtis confession, the primary
| hunt-the running down Of the kid
naper- -killer-has slowed down. A
check of State police activities early
today disclosed that the Curtis affair
| has taken the time OF the principal
police officials from the main search.
| First there were days lost in following
| clues" based on the fantastic inven-
! ton Of the shipbuilder. Later there
was the confession, throwing the man
hunt out of gear.
The phraseology Of statement is
sued by police last night for the first
/ time fixed the time the murder OF the
| baby was done. 1t said between
and 10 O'Clock pm, March l."
The body was not found until May II.
Stenographer Testifies.
The name Of woman was injected
into the case yesterday. In one OF
his news bulletins Col. SchWarzkopf
said that Miss Ruth Gay had volun-
tarily come here for questioning. He
said she had co-operated with the State
police to give them all the facts she
) knew concerning Curtis activities.
Col. Schwarzkopf did not identify
Miss Gay, but it was learned she was
a stenographer employed by Curtis and
had attended various conferences be-
tween the shipbuilder and newspaper
representatives when Curtis was trying
to sell his story. Col. Schwarzkopf
said he believed she had no knowledge
that Curtis was perpetrating hoax.
PEACOCK TO BE QUESTIONED.