The Washington times., 1936-04-17
GIFTS STARTED
IN FEBRUARY,
SHE AYERS
Police Order Check
of All Friends Of
Slain Writer
BY KENNETH T. DOWNS
Copyright, 1886. by International
News Service)

Copyright, 1886, by International
News service)
NEW YORK, April II U.N.SO
A :"good-looking man about 81
years old" regularly sent Nanc!
Evans Titterton flowers-usuall!
her favorite gardenias - from
February up to the week of he
murder.
This surprising assertion wa!
made to the writer today by Mrs
Katherine Vellios, alert, black
eyed owner of the EAST Gait
Florist" flower shop at the cor
ner of First Avenue and Fifty-sec
ond Street-just two blocks from
the scene Of the "bathtub murder.
Mrs. Vellios said:
81 knew Mrs. TittertOn well
as q customer. She came in here
often to buy flowers, usually her
favOrite gardeniaS.
$50 when she was murdered
last Friday I got to thinking
and began wondering who was
the man who used to send her
the flowers.
SENT CORSAGES
"ThiS man started to come
here in February and he would
have flowers sent over to Mrs.
TittertOn. Usually it was gar
deniaS he sent. Sometime he
took them himself and some
times he would have the boy de-
liver them. That's how / knew
he was buying them for Mrs.
TittertOn. He had to leave her
name on the card for the de-
iverieS-yOu know what 1 mean?
"Well, this man always paid
cash so I don't know his name.
But he was about 30 years old,
tall, sort of slim and a smart
looking fellow. A business man,
maybe.
"He would always come in
early in the evening, 5, 6, 7
O'Clock. Sometimes he got her
cOrsages. These he usually took
himself.
"The last flowers he had de-
livered, though. They were as
sorted cut flowers. He had them
sent just four days before the
murder. I haven't seen the man
since. The man doesn't live in
the neighbOrhOOd, that I am
sure. 1 would know him II I
saw him again"
Police Not Told
Mrs. Vellios was positive the
man was not the husband of the
slain woman. She said:
II know Mr.. TittertOn by
sight. This other man was
much younger and he didn't
have any mOuStache."
The florist said she had moi
told the police Of the man whC
bought the flowers. She shrugged
"The police, they haven't
asked me. If they want to ask
me, I will tell them, but I don't
know if it would help. / do not
know his name, but / know his
face"
Friends Checked
Meanwhile, annoyed at thel
lack of progress toward a solution
of the murder police ordered ever!
known detail of the slain writer!
life carefully crutinized.
It was just week ago today that
Mrs. Titterton, wife of a radio
broadcasting company executive
was assaulted and then StrangleC
to death in her apartment ir
fashionable Beekman Place.
Almost a dozen detectives were
assigned to interview persons whit
knew the comely victim years ago
The police are frank to admit that
they want a record of every per
son who knew Mrs. Titterton since
she left her home in Ohio, and o
every friendship and enmity, i
any, in her life.
May Never Be Solved
The authorities are not con
vinced Mrs. Titterton wasn't thu
chance victim of a degenerate in
truder'S uncomfortable lust, bu
they do not want tc pass up &
single chance to solve the mystery
which bids fair to take its place
alongside the Dot King murder
the Louise Lawson Staying anC
other celebrated unsolved crimes.
A young man associated with 9
publishing firm, in which Mrs
Titterton was once employed az
an editor, provided police with 9
list of about 20 names. These
names were of persons she knew
ten years ago-before she was
married, when she lived alone ir
New York. Each one will be
sought out and quizzed as to what
he or she knew about Mrs. litter
toms life.
DR.. Alexander o. Gettler, city
toxicologist, was not yet ready tc
make his report Of an important
clue" which he found in the form
of a stain on the coverlet of the
bed on which Mrs. Titterton wa
attacked and Strangled.
Police flatly refused to comment
ON reports that Lewis Tittertor
had disclosed to them the names
of several men friends Of his wife
who were under suspicion.
RO USERS