The Detroit Tribune

Three Aid Police In Man's Arrest

Joseph Williams, 36, of 5107 Brush, who confessed to the fatal stabbing of Gertrude Miller, 21-year-old white girl, late Monday night, was to be arraigned in Recorder's Court Friday on a first degree murder charge.

Williams, who came to Detroit 12 years ago from New Orleans, was arrested less than five hours after he had stabbed the woman to death after snatching her purse.

The arrest was made by Detective Lieut. George Brattain and Detective Edward Wurm, of the Homicide Squad. Detective Sergts. Stanley Pydyk and Earl Foor, of the Holdup Squad, and Detective George LeMasters.

Accurate Description

Credit for the arrest of Williams can be given to the accurate description given of him by a man who saw him fleeing from the scene of the murder, and Williams' landlady and a woman lodger where the accused man lived.

DeWitt Pierce, 5133 Brush, heard the screams of Miss Miller and looked out his window on to Brush and saw the assaulter turning into an alley. Pierce was able to give police an accurate description of the assailant.

Women Suspicious

Mrs. Novella Ward, owner of the rooming house at 5107 Brush, and Mrs. Ola Collins, a lodger in the house, became suspicious of Williams' actions after he returned home Monday night.

Their suspicions were increased when Williams told them a fantastic story about finding a woman's purse outside the house. The charred remains of the purse were found in the furnace by Detectives Joseph Wolff and Edward Turner, of the Homicide Squad, after Williams' arrest. A mirror found on a dresser in Williams' room was identified as belonging to Miss Miller.

Questioned by Inspector John O. Whitman, Detective Lieut. Earl Anderson, and Detective Maurice Fullerton, of the Homicide Squad, and Detective Lieut. Wallace Williams, of the Special Investigation Squad: Williams confessed the crime after almost 12 hours of grilling.

Williams told Inspector Whitman that Miss Miller had fallen on a knife he had in his left hand.