Ngo-June 11, 1920, ngemva nje kokuphuma kwelanga, u-Elwell wadutshulwa ekhanda ngesibhamu esizishintshayo esingu-.45 endlini yakhe eyayikhiyiwe eNew York City. Ngalolo suku ekuseni, umsizi wasendlini uMarie Larsen wafika njengoba ayejwayele ukwenza efulethini lika-Elwell likanokusho. Nokho, kulokhu wabhekana nombono onyantisayo owamshaqisa isikhashana.
Washeshe wababaza ukuthi kukhona umuntu angamazi efulethini likaMnuz Elwell, nokuthi ushonile. Lapho kuhlolwa okwengeziwe, kwatholakala ukuthi lo muntu angamazi kwakunguJoe Elwell, kuphela ngaphandle kwamawigi akhe omklami namazinyo okufakelwa acwebezelayo, ayewasebenzisa ukuze athuthukise ukubukeka kwakhe emphakathini.
Kukholakala ukuthi u-Elwell udutshulwe ekhanda, kodwa ukuzibulala akuyona incazelo engenzeka. Bekungekho zimpawu zesikhali ekamelweni, kodwa isikhali sokubulala kubonakala sengathi sidutshulwe endaweni eyi-1-2 metres (3–5 ft) kude.
Indawo yobugebengu
Amaphoyisa asale ebambe ongezansi ngenxa yesigameko sobugebengu. Asitholakalanga isibhamu endaweni yesigameko, kodwa inhlamvu ebulele itholwe ibekwe kahle phezu kwetafula. Kungenzeka ukuthi inhlamvu yaphuma odongeni yaya phezu kwetafula, kodwa ukubekwa kwayo kubukeka kuhleliwe. Ibhokisi lenhlamvu lalilele phansi.
Umbulali wayegobile phambi kuka-Elwell ngesikhathi edonsa isibhamu, ukuze abone i-angle yenxeba. Akukho okuntshontshiwe, futhi azikho izigxivizo zeminwe zakwamanye amazwe ezitholwe endaweni yesigameko. Kwakungekho zimpawu zokuzabalaza noma ukungena ngenkani endlini. Konke kwakukhiyiwe, kuhlanganise nekamelo nendlu.
U-Elwell kufanele ukuthi wayemazi umbulali wakhe futhi wamvumela ngokukhululekile ukuthi angene endlini. Wahlala phansi wanganaka isivakashi ngenkathi evula iposi lakhe. Ingabe waxoxa kamnandi nesivakashi sakhe ngenkathi enza lo msebenzi ovamile? Kwakungekho okukhombisa ubugebengu ezincwadini noma phansi.
Imikhondo?
U-Elwell udle no-Viola Kraus, owesifazane osanda kudivosa, e-Ritz-Carlton Hotel ngobusuku bangaphambilini. U-Elwell wayethandana nabesifazane abaningi, kuhlanganise no-Kraus. UHelen Derby, owashada no-Elwell ngo-1904, wamethula kubangane bakhe nabajwayelene naye.
Ngisho noma u-Elwell waba usozigidi wemidlalo yamabhuloho, umkakhe wamsiza ukuba axhumane nabangane bakhe abaxhumene kahle nabantu ayejwayelene nabo. Bahlukanisa ngo-1920. Nakuba uDerby ayengumsolwa oyinhloko ekuqaleni, i-alibi yakhe yayingangeni moya, futhi wayengathinteki ekufeni kowayengumyeni wakhe.
Ngokusho kommeli wesifunda u-Edward Swann, u-Elwell ubexoxa endlini yakhe ngaphambi nje kokuba adutshulwe, ngakho-ke kungenzeka ukuthi uyamazi umbulali wakhe. Inhloso yombulali kwakuwukuphela kwakhe. Azikho izinto ezibalulekile ezebiwe. Eqinisweni, izinto eziyigugu zazisakazeke eduze kwesidumbu sika-Elwell.
Naphezu kwabo bonke ubufakazi obuqoqwe ngabaphenyi, kodwa abakwazanga ukucacisa ukuthi ubani odubule uJoe Elwell, futhi icala lihlala liyimpicabadala engaxazululeki.
