Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-06-21
BY p. L. TRUSSELL

~HORTLY after 2 a. m, % years ago this
month, gay party in evening dress left
- the New Amsterdam Roof where Florcnz
Ziegfelds Midnight Frolics' had just opened
before a smart and appreciative audience.
large and impressive limousine drew to
the curb and the ladies were assisted inside.
We're going TO be a bit crowded, LIN
afraid" one of the men observed smiling,
the others followed. I'll say Good night
here. and take taxi"
This small act of gallantry YVES character
istic of Joseph Bovine Elwer, internationally
known dandy. race horse owner ana probably
the greatest expert on bridge - and Women
- Of the time.
He raised his opera hat ano STOOD there
erect suave, slim-wGisted in spite Of his so
vears-until the limousine had disappeared
Then he brushed back lock of heavy red
brown hair that had been displaced by the
night breeze, signaled a cab with his gold
headed. ebony stick and gave the driver the
address Of the brownstone house on West
10th street where he had his bachelor apart
ment
Six hours later-at SIS on June II, 1920
TO be cxact-Mrs Marie Larsen Elwells
housckecper, picked up the bottle of milk out
side his door and let herself in with pass
key.
Noticing a slightly acrid. smoky odor she
hurried down the hall to the living room where
a man in rumpled pajamas sat slumpod in
chair His head, bald as the proverbial bill
lard ball glistened with perspiration; his
shrunken jaw hung slackly open and the pot
belly beneath his pajama Jacket rose and fell
with his labored breathing
The man was Joseph Elwell but far diff
ferent Joseph Elwel from the dashing dandy
the world knew world unaware Of the 40
toupes on racks in his closet. the expensive
false teeth in the glass of water beside him, or
the Shining corset flung neghgenty across
the back of a chair
It was not establishment but the dark
hole in his glistening head from which issued
trickle of blood that sent her screaming to
the street
policeman called an ambulance which
rushed this strange man of two faces 10
Bellevue Hospital whore he died without
gaining consciousness
Tho ornate apartment was soon overrun
by detectives under Inspector John Cray and
Captain Arthur Carey, then head OF New
Yorks Homicide Squad
Their investigation started propitiously
with the discovery of the ethal bullet After
passing through ElweIs head and scattering
the wall with blood it had gouged out
chunk Of plaster and reboundcd onto a bridge
table where it was picked up by detective
II proved 10 be of As calibre metal
jacketed and presumably fired from an Army
automatic. on the floor beside his chair lay
the discharged brass cartridge shell. stamped
with the year 1917 and the trade insignia Of
its manufacturer
II looked like a clear case OF suicide-ex-
ecpt that no gun could be found. And dying
men don't hide weapons that have sent bull
lets through their brains
The first superstition then was that the
wealthy bridge expert had met his death dur
ing the course Of "a burglary. a probability
heightened by 'hcI finding Of the burnt-out
stub Of cheap cigarette CElwcll did not
smoke) on the mantcl.
But $500 in cash and several thousand COL
lars worth Of Jcwclfy lying in plain sight on
a small scttce beside the char where the VIC
TIM had carefully hung his evening clothes
q june -. 1892