Evening star., 1945-08-03
Police Say. Ring
Links Suspect
To Dual Killing
Yonkers Man Insists :
He Has Tight Abb
In Trailer Murders

In Trailer Murders
Washington and Yonkers IN. "
police today continued questioning
Raymond Connors, 80, of Yonkers
in connection with the trailer slay-
Ing of Edward Barker and Pany
Casbarian here February %, with
Connors steadfastly denying any
part in the case.
II can alibi that murder rap"
Yonkers Police Chief william A.
Kruppenbacher said Connors told
him.
Described as an automobile sales
man with a criminal record dating
back to 1927, Connors was arraigned
yesterday in Yonkers City Court on
a charge of violating the Sullivan
law, after Yonkers police said they
found pistol in the cellar of his
rented home. He pleaded not guilty.
Assistant United States Attorney
Frederick Weeks, jr., of Westches-
ter County demanded that Connors
be held without bail in view of his
past record and City Judge Martin
j. Fay granted the request pending
further hearing on the gun charge
Monday
Ring Cited as Clue.
ConnorS was connected with the
Staying by a diamond ring, accord
ing to District Detective 1t. Robert
j. Murray and Detective Sergt. Ed
gar Scott of the homicide squad.
The ring, the officers said, was sim
liar in size to a 3-carat ring which
was taken from Mr.. Barker, a used
car dealer, when he and Mr.. Cas-
barian were slain IN Mr.. Barker'S S
Office trailer on lot at Fourteenth
and N streets NV. A wrist watch
and 81 800 in cash were also stolen
by the murderer.
The District detectives said they
and Yonkers police had been in
formed that Connors, some time
after the slayings, had Elias Hoff-
man, Yonkers jeweler. remove the
diamond from the ring for so cents
and that Connors then kept both
articles.
Chief Kruppenbacher today told
The Star by telephone that Yonkers
Detective 1t. William Comey quoted
Connors as saying he had diamond,
but denying that 1t ever belonged to
the murder victim. 1t. Comey also
quoted Connors as saying he will ex-
plain in his own time how he OBJ
tanned the diamond and what. has
happened to it.
Setting of Ring Found.
While Connors was being ques-
toned yesterday, according to Chief
Kruppenbacher, the mounting of Mr..
Barker's ring was found in the Con-
nors home, 21a STORY frame dwell
ing which the automobile salesman
recently rented from a physician.
After the stone had been removed,
Connors pawned it for $500 in New
York City and redeemed it May 25,
Chief Kruppenbacher said. 1t has
not yet been recovered, he said.
Although District police have said
they thought only one ring had been
stolen during the murders, Chief
Kruppenbacher said Connors was
actually wearing ring involved in
the Staying when he was arrested.
The police officer said this ring had
been taken from either Mr.. Barker
or Mr.. Casbarian.
The pistol found in Connors' home
has been ruled out as supporting
evidence in connection with the slay-
ings, according to Chief Kruppen-
bacher. The 38 caliber weapon was
found in cigarette carton which,
in turn, was covered by paper bag
when found in the cellar The mur-
ders were committed with a 25
caliber gun.
Not Murder Gun.
The pistol attributed to Connors
was found when the Washington
detectives and Yonkers police en-
tered the home with search war
rant during their investigation of
the report that Connors had in his
possession a diamond connected
with the slayings.
Connors' record, police said, start
ed December IL, 1927, when he was
placed on probation for one year
following conviction for petty lar
ceny. Since then the record shows
he has served terms at Randalls
Island, N. Y, and in Elmira Re-
formatory, N. Y, for offenses in
cluding car theft and robbery, they
said.
According to Chief Kruppen-
bacher, Connors at one time was in
volved in an automobile deal" with
Mr.. Barker. He did not give further
details of this alleged transaction.
Charged With Other Crimes.
Chief Kruppenbacher said Con-
nors is now under $1,000 bond on a
Federal Bureau of Investigation
charge of transporting stolen car,
and also under bond on a charge of
violating Office of Price Administra-
ton regulations in the sale of gaso-
line coupons.
1t. Murray and Sergt. Scott have
been working on the double slayings
almost to the exclusion of all other
duties, on orders of District Chief
of Detectives Robert j. Barrett. The
two officers are making their head
quarters in the McAlpin Hotel, New
York City. They went to Yonkers
on the strength of an anonymous
letter received by Inspector Barrett.
A total of $3,160 in rewards has
been offered for information lead
ing to the arrest and conviction of
the murder of Mr.. Barker and Mr..
Casbarian. Mr.. Barker, a wealthy
used-car dealer, and Mr.. Casbarian,
Government Printing Office en-
ploye, frequently played cards in the
trailer. They were found with hands
and feet bound and their mouths
gagged and taped with adhesive
tape. Police never found any one
who heard the shots, although the
lot on which the trailer was placed
is on well-traveled street.
Ford Nephew Weds
College Sweetheart