BLONDE IN CASE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20374, 3 July 1934, Page 1

BLONDE IN CASE.

Body-in-trunk Murder Sequel. MYSTERIOUS WOMAN. NEW YORK, June 27. A mysterious blonde was included by the New York police to-day in the chronicles of the “ Life and Loves of the curious Captain Ivan Poderjaz, who is now detained ir» v ienna. Police action followed the finding of a cheap brown fibre trunk at Brighton Central (England) Station, containing a female torso, with the head and limbs apparently sawn off. By such a discovery, renewed interest was given to a request, made by the American and Continental police to Scotland Yard, to search for a trunk, believed to contain the body of Agnes Tufverson. an American lawyer, who was reported missing a fortnight after she had married Poderjaz in 1933. Suzanne Ferrand, who also married Poderjaz last y*ear, has also been arrested in Vienna. Bank Drafts. A search of the bank records shows that Agnes Tufverson gave Poderjaz a draft on London for 5000 dollars (£1000) shortly after their marriage, and that another 10,000 dollars were withdrawn from her account, which today contains only 35 dollars (£7). Like words from a tomb, the police have found letters which she wrote on December 8, 1933, four days after her marriage and twelve day’s before her disappearance, stating that she intended to leave shortly and permanently reside in England. Detectives have found that on December 10, Poderjaz bought sedative powders and 200 razor blades. That evening the maid last saw Tufverson alive. On December 21, Poderjaz hurried from the apartment, bought a trunk, and trundled it, personally, to their rooms. ONE WORD CLUE. LONDON, June 23. The “ Daily Mail ” has found a woman who declares that the writing on the paper round the woman’s torso found in a trunk at Brighton is hers. Mrs Elizabeth Ford, who lives in the industrial district of Sheffield, has a married daughter, Phoebe Elizabeth Morley (twenty-three), temporarilyseparated from her husband, and who had been missing since shortly after she iyent to London with her little daughter. Mavis, seven weeks ago. Phoebe’s luggage consisted of a trunk similar to that which contained the torso.

Mrs Ford wrote her name and address on a piece of paper, spelling the surname with a small “ f.” She asserts that the word “ ford ” on the paper in which the remains were wrapped is her signature, and her husband agrees with her.

The authorities at a hostel at Folkestone wrote to the mother three weeks ago, saying they had taken in Phoebe, who was stranded. A landlord at Brighton, who recently sub-let premises, discovered bloodstains on a carpet.

Found Phoebe. Next, Scotland Yard traced and interviewed Phoebe, who is staying in t London, and say*s that the victim may be a German girl whom she knew only by a nickname.

“ I met her at Folkestone in High Street,” she said, “ and accompanied her to a dance and afterwards to a house on the outskirts of the town where I left my suitcase which was still containing the piece of brown paper. I last saw the girl on June 2 when I returned to London without the case.”