Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 81, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 January 1917 — SUICIDE SOLVES MODEL MURDER [ARTICLE]

SUICIDE SOLVES MODEL MURDER

Death Ends Search for Rich Friend of Slain Model. SON OF RICH COAL MAGNATE Bernard W. Lewis of Pittsburgh Shoots Self to Death While Detectives i - -- Wait to Arrest Him at ‘ - Atlantic City. Philadelphia. Jttn. s.—The suicide in Atlantic City <»f Bernard W. Lewis, the wealthy young Pittsburgher, as lie was about to be arrest connect ion. with tlie murder of Maizie Colbeyt (Grace Roberts), the artists’ model, led the police to dcclttre that Lewis is the slayer of the “girl of the form divitie,” as she was known here.; Althoiigh reptyts from Atlanti'c City said that Lewis httd left, no written statement, local authorities wore liopeful- that something Would yet be found atnoirg his effects Tb clear up the mystery and to clinch ftrrlher their conviction, that-he is the guilty limn. • , Traced by Sleuths. Lewis, traced to the Very threshold of bis suite by. defectives, delayed their admittance with eon versa tion. lie shot hitiiself with a .22-ctiliber rille just as the doors were battered down. The bullet entered the temple and death Was instantaneous. That Dewis iiniicipattt- arrest and made preparations to kill himself Is indicated by the fact that the rille was new. Janies E. Malseed, (japtaiu of Atlantic City detectives, received a communication from Captain of Detectives Tate of the Philadelphia department asking him to aid in the TiTve.stigation. Traced Through Taxi Bill. Lewis killed himself when about to he arrested. The warrant charged him with failing to pay a-81!) taxicab bill. This he coni racted’ by taking the Misses' Maffiet and Ethel Kyle of Germantoun/l’a., from the Bellevue Stratford to their home and then riding back to Fifteen and Poplar streets, v-iiere the -Wilton apartments are located. ■

In Atlantic City Detectives Joseph Earley and Frank Totten succeeded in ascertaining - that Lewis’ father, resided in a house near ihe slate villa about four years, ago. A niaid said 1 hat Bernard Lgwis had gone to his room on the tjiird floor. A reserve squad surrounded the cottage as Farley and Totton ran upstairs and nipped upon the . door of the Lewis apartment. While the detectives were' hunting wildly for Lewis this afternoon the man, evidently mad with excitement, telephoned thrice to the Kyle home. “What shall I do? What shall I do?’’ tie asked the first time he telephoned to Miss May Kyle, sister of the two public school teachers lie escort i'll hoim*. “It Will Ruin Me,” He Cries. “I do not know this woniam —this woman Grace Colbert or Roberts or whoever she was. It will ruin me. It will ruin me—this revolting thing. My God. they say the police are looking for me. ' *• ■' . “Wlmt shall I do?” Suicide Was Thirty-Seven years Old. Lewis was Thirty-seven years old, a Yale graduate of 19.01. and a member of the Union, ’ Pittsburgh, Country, Oakmont and Pittsburgh Automobile clubs. He was married and lived at 826 Amberson avenue, in the most fashionable . district of the coal-and-steel city. He was formerly a Pittsburgh broker, but recently- has spent much of his time in New York and Philadelphia. He was well known aniong thp devotees of the night life in both cities.

Organize Coal Firm. Lewis organized the Findley-Lewis Coal company, of which ids rich father was a heavy stockholder; it has ,-5.000 acres of coal lands in West Virginia and one Pittsburgh concern holds $17000,000 of its bonds. At times he alsd engaged as an "angel” of various /theatrical propositions, with financially unhappy results. He was regarded as a very rich man. Was Estranged From Wife. Pittsburgh,- Pa.. Jan.lk—Bernard W. Lewis had been- estranged from his wife since November, Jit •I'6, it became known here. Mrs. Jjewis, with her young son, is staying at the jmme of her mother on Beechwood boulevard. Her only comment when told of the warrant issued in Philadelphia for her husband’s arrest was: “I never: heard of Mazie Colberts,” adding that she had not seen her husband since last November, and had no idea of his whereabouts since that, .time. , Slain Woman Is Buried. The slain girl, was buri\d from an undertaking establishment. .Only her parents and a few other relatives attended. A great crowd, massed about the place. The casket was unusually costly, but no explanation was offered as to who had provided for its cost.