Maude Gilbert

Miss Gilbert Was Drowned In Opinion Of The Coroner

E. F. White, Girl's Companion on Fatal Ride, Probably Be Released From Custody After Coroner's Inquest - Dispatches From Girl's Former Home Say Her Name Was Gray and Not Gilbert.

No evidence of foul play having been found by the authorities in connection with the death of the young woman whose body was late yesterday recovered from the Tamiami canal, E. F. White, her companion on the fatal automobile ride of the night before, will probably be released late this afternoon, according to acting coroner.

White has been in jail, without bond, since his report to the police Thursday morning of the tragedy.

The coroner's inquest will be conducted at 4 o'clock by George M. Okell, justice of the peace and coroner ex-officio, who has [been] conducting an investigation of the tragedy in connection with members of the sheriff's office and the police department.

Girl's True Name Was Gray

A telegram received this afternoon by the King Undertaking Company, to whose establishment the girl's body was taken, stated that the true name of the victim of the canal tragedy is Maude E. Gray, and not Maude Gilbert, the name by which she was known since she came to Miami last October. The telegram was signed H. E. Bishop, 274 Fairfield avenue, Bridgeport, who wired that he had been delegated by the young woman's brothers in Bridgeport to make the necessary arrangements.

At the undertaking place it was stated that owing to the fact that the young woman was drowned it will take longer to embalm the body than would otherwise be the case, but it is planned to have the body lie in state in the chapel of the establishment at 452 West Flagler street, beginning at 5 o'clock this afternoon, where it may be seen by the general public. This action was taken because of the many requests to be given the opportunity to look at the body.

Examination Indicates Drowning

Justice Okell based his opinion as to the cause of death of the girl and probable release of her companion largely on the report of Dr. J. W. Shisler who made an examination of the young woman's body Thursday night as it lay in the King Undertaking Company's establishment at 452 W. Flagler street. Under the circumstances and the apparent evidence that the young woman had come to her death by drowning, the coroner declared that he did not see on what grounds White can be longer held.

At the undertaking establishment it was stated that while only a superficial examination was made by Dr. Shisler, the condition of the upper portion of the body, the full feeling indicated that the lungs were filled with water.

Jack Gay, chief deputy sheriff, said his office is satisfied that the young woman came to her death by drowning, although the story of White was at first discredited by them.

White's Story Confirmed

That portion of White's story dealing with his trip through the saw grass and semi-wilderness from the scene of the accident to a farm house near the former Curtiss aviation camp and that the farmer brought him to town in a truck was confirmed by the authorities late Thursday afternoon when they learned from a framer named Ball living in that section that White had gone to his house, as he stated, and he had brought him to town about daybreak.

When the body of the young woman was found in the late afternoon as an aftermath of the tragic ride taken by White and Miss Gray (or Gilbert) the night before, it was attired only in a tan outer dress of light weight material, an underskirt, a sort of chemise, and slippers and stockings, both of which had rolled down. A large brooch pin was pinned on the front of the dress, there were several rings on the young woman's fingers and her ears were pierced with small diamonds.

No Marks on Body

The only mark borne by the body was a slight abrasion under the left eye, which the undertaker declared had been made after death.

The body was found by O. E. Harris, who caught it on a fish hook while engaged with a number of other volunteers in making a search. He called to E. Kary, a swimmer, who dived into the water at the spot indicated and brought it to shore, where he was helped up the bank with the water-soaked human form. The face was covered with mud, indicating that the body had been thrown from the machine face downward and partially buried in the mud of the canal. It was located at a point near the middle of the canal, in about 12 feet of water and only a short distance from the spot from which the touring car was dragged.

Deputy Sheriff Jack Adams, acting jailer, was notified by telephone shortly before 6 o'clock of the finding of the body, and he in turn notified Mr. Okell, who hurried to the scene with a coroner's jury and several deputy sheriffs.

White Views The Body

After being taken to the establishment of the King Undertaking Company on W. Flagler street, the body was viewed by White, who was taken to the undertaking place by a deputy sheriff for that purpose. White identified the body as that of his companion of the automobile ride and reiterated his assertions of Thursday morning and afternoon that the young woman was at the wheel when the car took the fatal plunge. Asked as to the finding of the underwear separate from the body, he declared that Miss Gray may have brought it with her in a package and placed it in the machine.

The finding of the body was witnessed by a large crowd which had been attracted to the scene because of the Thursday afternoon holiday and

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the publicity given the mystery in the noon edition of The Metropolis. From 1 o'clock on they began to arrive in every conceivable sort of conveyance until the body was removed from the canal.

Far-Away Brother Phones

At 11:30 at night Sergeant H. L. Patch, on duty at the police station, received a long distance call from Bridgeport, Conn., sent by one of Miss Gray's brothers, who asked for details of the tragedy. The call lasted 17 minutes and a perfect connection was secured, Mr. Patch said. The brother stated that he would wire the King Undertaking Company regarding the disposition to be made of the body.

Over at the Pinellas apartments, 29 N. W. Third street (Ninth street), where Miss Gray roomed, a canary bird was disconsolate Thursday because of the absence of its owner. Orders having been issued by Coroner Okell and Chief Deputy Sheriff Gay that nothing in the girl's room was to be disturbed. Mrs. E. B. Trexler, with whom the girl roomed, secured special permission to remove the bird to her own apartment so she could take care of it. "I am afraid the bird will die if it is not given food and water," said Mrs. Trexler to a Metropolis reporter.

Mrs. Dusinbury's Account

Mrs. E. D. Dusinbury, 27 N. W. Third street, a small cottage in the rear of the Pinellas apartments, a confidant of Miss Gray, threw new light on the mystery Thursday afternoon when she stated that Miss Gray came into her home about 7:30 o'clock Wednesday evening, asked if White had called. She then asked what time it was and on being told that it was 7:30 remarked: "My I didn't know it was that late. I must hurry." Then she hurried from the house. She did not state specifically that she had an engagement with White, but that was the inference her talk gave Mrs. Dusinbury.

Mrs. Dusinbury's Account

"Miss Gilbert came in shortly before that time," said Mrs. Dusinbury, "with Louis Larson, cashier of the Southern Utilities Corporation, with whom she had been out to supper."

White's story as told to the authorities was that he was driving down West Flagler street shortly before 11 o'clock Wednesday night from his home to get something to eat when he saw Miss Gray, whom he knew, standing on a corner near old Avenue P or O waiting for a jitney and drove up to her, with an invitation to ride with him. He said that after driving a block she remarked that she was learning to drive a car and asked to be allowed to take the wheel, to which he acceded. She then drove out the Tamiami Trail way he said.

Was Exemplary Young Woman

Both Mrs. Dusinbury and Mrs. E. B. Trexler, with whom Miss Gray roomed, declared that Miss Gray, or Miss Gilbert, as they knew her, was an exemplary young woman, and was always home early in the evening, which led Mrs. Trexler to worry when she did not return to her room last night.

Mr. Larson admitted that he had been interested in the welfare of the young woman and that he had been instrumental in securing her a position as relief order clerk during the absence of the regular order clerk at the Southern Utilities plant, a position which ended last June since which time she had not been working, he said. Mr. Larson said that Miss Gray came to Miami last October from her home in Bridgeport, Conn., and for a time was employed in waiting on table[s] at the Biscayne cafeteria on East Flagler street. During that time she fell and sustained a fracture of the arm which made it impossible to continue at her employment, so he secured the temporary position for her.

White Directs Search

Thursday morning after notifying the sheriff's office of the supposed tragedy, White conducted a party of deputy sheriffs and police officers to the spot where he declared the machine had gone into the canal, a point about there-quarters of a mile west of the trail entrance and near the widened portion of the trail opposite Glademoor.

The machine was removed from the water after several hours of effort by the Frank automobile wrecking outfit but the body was not found in or under it. Dynamite was then used unsuccessfully and the authorities left to investigate other possible clues while amateur searchers took up the work.

The car was found in an upright position, but with the top broken down. Marks on the car and on the bank indicated that it had rolled over two or three times. Inside the car were found three handkerchiefs, two apparently those of White and one that of his companion. Two of the handkerchiefs were tied to one of the rods near the back seat and the third was tied over one of the small lights on the hood of the machine. Just why this was done is a question for surmise.

Machine in High Gear

The machine was found to be in high gear but the speedometer registered zero so there was no means of knowing at what speed the machine was actually going when it took the plunge.

After the car was taken from the water, White, who was a witness of the operation, said that he believed one of the wheels of the car struck a rock and deflected the machine. He said he had no remembrance of what actually happened after that, but thought the machine rolled over several times before it went into the canal and the water rushed in.

"I have a faint recollection," he said, "of pushing my way up through something, probably the broken top of the automobile and then beginning to swim. I called the name of Miss Gray and swam around for awhile but, received no answer and did not hear any outcry from her. After trying to locate her for 30 or 40 minutes, I decided that she was drowned and underneath the machine or that she had succeeded in making her way to bank. Climbing up the north bank of the canal, I placed a large piece of rock as sort of marker and then started across country in search of a house."

Asked why he did not make his way down the trail along which he had come and to the nearby dredge or houses which were much nearer that the other way, he replied that he was sort of dazed and thought there were no nearby houses on the south side of the canal.

White's Family Had Just Left

It was learned on Thursday that White's wife and children did not leave Miami until 4:40 o'clock Wednesday afternoon. First it was reported that they had gone to South Carolina. Later in the day White said they had gone to Savannah. This morning when he was asked their whereabouts, he replied that he did not know where they had gone.

Before entering the employ of the Southern Utilities Corporation as head of the ice cream department, White was employed for five years as ice cream maker at Seybold's. He came to Miami from Jacksonville several years ago.

Miss Gray came to Miami originally from Bridgeport, Conn., last October, worked for awhile as a waitress at the Biscayne café on North Miami avenue, but was incapacitated for work by a fall in which she fractured her right arm. During the winter she went back to Bridgeport with Mr. and Mrs. Tom Collopy and their daughter, Miss Lavine Collopy. She returned to Miami about six weeks ago and for a time was employed as an order clerk at the Southern Utilities Corporation, relieving one of the regular girls. She secured the position through the friendship of Mr. Larson, cashier of the corporation, with whom it was understood by her friends that she was keeping company.

Miss Gray was about five feet, four inches in height, of medium build and had long dark hair. She was an attractive young woman of 29.