Evening star., 1939-07-09
Woman Tells Of Leap
To Escape Knife Of
Admitted Torso Killer
Brought in on q Tip, She
Says She Jumped From
Seeond-S Story Window
BY the Associated Press

By the Associated Press.
CLEVELAND, July ga young
woman reported tonight she had to
Jump from a second-story window
to escape a knife in the hands of
Frank Dolezal, 50, who, Sheriff Mar
tin L. O'Donnell said, has confessed
the Staying of Mrs. Florence Polillo
third of Cleveland's II torso killing
victims.
Sheriff ODonnell said the %
year-old colored woman who lives
in the neighborhood of Dolezal's
apartment related
Il was in Dolezal's room a week
ago when he came at me with a
knife l Jumped out of a second
story window to get away from him.
The heel of one of my shoes was
broken when I landed"
The woman, whose name was
withheld showed Sheriff O'Donnell
a shoe with broken heel and said
it was the one she was wearing when
she jumped. he said.
The young woman was brought in
for questioning after a tip to Mr.
ODonnell that she had heard a
scream on the night that Mrs. Polillo
was slain. She denied hearing any
scream, but she said she had known
Mrs. Polillo and then told the story
Of her jump.
Flies Off Handle"
The sheriff and deputies continued
questioning Dolezal tonight in an
effort to learn more details of his
conflicting stories how he disposed
of the missing head of Mrs. Polillo.
Dolezal also was questioned about
the other murders.
He flies off the handle when those
other murders are mentioned" Sher-
iff ODonnell reported. We're still
not satisfied with his confession
about the murder of Mrs. Polillo and
there are some things we want him
to tell us"
The story revealed by a thumb
print from the severed hand of a
woman led deputies to a pile of
bones today and step nearer solu-
ton Of at least one of the bizarre
mysteries of the headless dead.
The thumbprint showed the victim
to be Mrs Polillo, who was AZ. I'M
medlately the investigation focused
upon the vicinity of her home and
on a search for her friends.
This week the trail, nearly four
years old, led to the first confession
In the entire series of decapitations
And today it brought authorities
within stones throw of the Kings
bury Run section where four of the
other bodies were found. There,
deputies uncovered a dozen small
bones at spot where Sheriff
ODonnell said Dolezal, unemployed
brlcklayer, confessed he burned Mrs.
Pollllos head Dolezal previously
had confessed he killed Mrs. Polllo
In an argument over money, the
sheriff said.
Changes His Story.
The heavlly-muscled. squat man
shielded his face as deputies dug
with shovels. They gathered up the
bones-none of which appeared TO
be from a skull-and removed them
for examination to determine if
they were human.
L poured a gallon of gasoline over
the head and set it afire," Mr.
OConnell quoted Dolezal as saving.
Then I covered it over. For two
years on my way to work and on nv
way home 1 stopped and looked to
see If the ground was disturbed"
Earlier he had told of throwing
the head into Lake Erie. This change
IN the story, with other discrepancies
led Mr.. O'Donnell to declare several
!oopholes remained to be closed be-
lore he could determine whether the
suspect was linked with any of the
IL other killings. A lie detector test
was ordered but held in allowance.
Inc print from Mrs. Polillo's
thumo was the only fingerprint OBJ
talnable from her severed remains
the flrst OF which were found near
her home January 26, 1886, and
other parts later.
George Koestle, as head of the
Ponce Bureau of Criminal Identif-
catlon, went to work. The prints
were similar to 1000 others in
ponce files. And there was a big
chance that the woman never had
been arrested and fngerprinted. Of
flcers theorized.
How He Was Caught.
But koestle started his tedious
matching job. When he still had
several thousand prints to examine
ne matched the solitary print with
lhe record OF Mrs. Polillo, once ar
rested on a vice charge.
A private investigator, Lawrence
y. Lyons, followed up this identifi-
cation after he approached the
sherlff months ago with a theory.
Mr.. Lyons thought a place where
such murders could be committed
without discovery and the bodies
hlooen tor days-must be sound
proof, easily cleaned and have stor-
age facilities.
he ana deputies inspected houses.
saloons, vice hangouts and street
corners-Without result. Then I'VE
knew we had to change the pace"
Mr.. Lyons said. I'VE decided to be-
GIN with what was known. We de-
clded to look for friends of Mrs.
Polillo."
They found Mrs. Polillo had
known Mrs. Rose Wallace, 40, COL
ored, and victim No. 8. Edward
Anorassy, %, formerly a hospital
oroerly and victim No. 2, frequented
the same near East Side district.
Store Owner Gives Clue.
A fruit store proprietor told of a
man who loved knives and threat
ened friends and acquaintances with
them. This man, they said, was
the 52-year-old Dolezal, who had
moved from his four-room apart
ment at 1903 Central avenue at a
time police were busy in the dis
trict.
Bloodstains were found on the
- a Il