Evening star., 1933-01-03
THREE MEN HELD
FOR QUESTIONING IN
MURDER OF LELL|.
Friends of Slain TarrytoWn
Laborer Brought to
Headquarters.
ROCKVILLE CONDUCTS
INQUEST IN SLAYlNG
Maryland Authorities Insist Man
Was Slain Here and Car
ried to Highway.

Three friends of Julio Lelli. %. slain
Tarrytown, N Y, laborer, were being
held this afternoon by police in con-
nection with his death on New Year eve.
The men, Alfredo Mori, Is, of Seat
Pleasant, Md; Agitino Restifo, IS. 1000
block street, and Robert E. Delay.
35, Of the 1900 block Of Tenth street,
will be held until completion of the DO
lice investigation into Lellrs death. ac-
cording to Detective Sergt. George Dar-
nell, acting chief Of the police homicide
squad. VINO is conducting the inquiry
jointly with the Montgomery County
police.
An inquest was held this afternoon
at the Rockville Court House into the
murder of Lelli, whose body was found
New Year afternoon lying along the
Jones Mill road near Forest Glen in
Montgomery County, with bullet holes
in the head, arms. back. leg and heart.
Lelli had been living in nearby
Maryland and Washington since No
vember
Although the inquiry was being con-
Quoted by Maryland authorities, its status
remained undecided as Montgomery
County officials put forth the theory
the man was slain in the District, and
the chief of the Washington homicide
squad, Sergt. H. c. Wilson, insisted the
body was found in Maryland and there
the case would stay unless it could be
proved he was killed in Washington.
Discovery Delayed.
Maryland officials inclined to the be-
lief Lelli was shot in Washington and
his body dumped on the obscure road
between Silver Spring and Forest Glen
to delay discovery of the crime.
Sergt Wilson, on the other hand. an
nounced when he returned to his desk
this morning after an illness Of several
days:
This mans body was found in Mary
land. AS far as we know, he was killed
there. Unless they can prove the muir
der took place in the District, we will
have nothing to do with II"
Detective Sergts. George Darnall and
Dennis j. Murphy of the Washington
homicide squad have been working on
the case since 1t was reported Sunday.
Inspector Frank S. w. Burke, chief
of detectives, ordered Murphy, Darnau
and several other men to continue their
efforts to trace Lellfs operations since
AlC Gd1tC W, w 0oA4AAi5NOAls CtA ENCAy
hand they we're confronted with evi-
dencc that the man had not partic-
ipated in large bootlegging or gambling
operations, as he is reported to have
been more or less dependent on friends
since he arrived.
Alfred Mori of the $500 block Noel
street, Seat Pleasant, Md, called at
Rockville last night to identify Lelli
and told officers the man had stayed
at his house for some time when he
first came here from Tarreytown.
Appeared Highly Nervous.
With Mori was Phillip Adams of the
Ohio Hotel in Washington, friend Of
Morris, who said Lelh had passed the
night in his hotel room several times
during the past few weeks. He said the
young italian seemed to be without
funds and he had extended the hos
pitality of his room and sometimes
given him meals
Adams said Leln was extremely
nervous but never mentioned that he
feared enemies. So far as he knew,
Lelli never was armed Adams said he
never had questioned his visitor about
his occupation or the source OF small
sums Of cash he possessed at intervals.
Adams said the last time he saw
Lelli was Saturday afternoon about
o'clock, when the man told him he was
going out ito have good time" New
Year eve. So far as is known, that
was the last time Lelli was seen alive.
On the theory that Lelli must have
been recommended to the store from
which he bought a suit Of clothes on
credit soon after he came TO Wash
ington, police were checking with the
store.
The merchant has been out Of town
for several days and was due to return
today. Lelli made a small down pay
ment on the suit and later paid two
installments of 50 each.
After a visit to Rockville yesterday.
Lieut.. John Fowler ballistics expert OF
the Metropolitan Police Department.
announced Lelh had been shot either
six or seven times with a 80 caliber
gun. There were almost a dozen bull
let holes in the limbs and body, but
several of these were made by slugs
which passed all the WY hfvueh.
Lieut.. Fowler advanced the theory
Lelli was shot as he crouched IN an
automobile before a man who lowered
over him and emptied his gun into the
victims body at close range. It was
evident Lelh had crossed his arms in
front Of him as a shield when he was
killed.
Detective Theodore VolIten of the
Montgomery County force advanced the
theory. however that Lelli was stand.
ing when he was kill2c.