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Show Joseph Bowne Elwell, Interna- H tionally Known Authority In H Whist Is Dead. OFFICERS FAIL TO FIND H GUN HE WAS SHOT WITH Body Found in Home With H Bullet Through Brain Had Received Mail. NEW YORK. June 11. Mystery I deepened lonight In the death of Joseph Jo-seph Bowne Elwell, internationally known as an authority on whist .and 'fl owner of a racing stable, who was found unconscious in his home early' today with a bullei wound In h'is heau. He uied four hours later in a hospital. The police admitted tonight it was one of the most baffling mysteries with which they had to deal in a long " ,. time. In an effort to determine .j? whether Elwell was murdered or com- muted suicide, his associates in tho social and club lite of tho city were closely questioned by the police. The mystery was intensified by failure of the police to find the weapon with ; which he had been shot. ' It became known tonight that Mr. j Elwell dined on the Ritz-Carlion roof ! Thursday night with a party of , iricndo. Leaving the hotel the party . went to a midnight theatrical perform- ance, and about 2 o'clock this morning, j Mr. Elwell bade good-byo to his , iriends at Broadway and 42nd street, j Elwell slrolcd away and nothing more I is known of his movements until his housekeeper found him lifeless in the j living room -of his home at S:30 this , morning, seated in an arm chair fac- ing the street window, j A postman delivered mail -at 7:30 a. in., which the police said was taken ! by Mr. Elwell. Hie circumstances lu-I lu-I uicate the shooting look place in the I period that elapsed between the man ; delivery and the arrival of his house- t I ekeper I Mr. Elwell was alone in the i 4 -room house. His bed had not been touched H j and his evening dress clothes had been ( rolded and placed on the back of a i chair. An empty cartridge was found 1 on the floor. Tne bullet after passing j through his head embedded itself in L the wall. Mr. Elwell married Helen Derby in -' Brooklyn in HlOO, but they have beeii legally separated for several years -She was also questioned tonight by the police. The whist expert's most "p6pular haunts were the Studio club and the New York Whist club. . He attended 1 tho Wednesday night dinners at the Studio club regularly, where the police po-lice say, he ottcn played . bridge for high stakes. |