Teacher on Vacation

School teachers spending their vacations quietly and safely in libraries and summer camps, or relaxing in foreign cafes from the rigors of disciplinarians, were shocked last week to hear what happened on the vacation of Philip Eaton, chemistry instructor at St. Marks, smart Massachusetts boys' preparatory school. Teacher Eaton had installed himself in a flat in Halfmoon Street, Mayfair, London. There he was found one morning by his housemaid, sprawled in a pool of blood. About his head, face and hands were razor cuts, ghastly after twelve hours of bleeding. On his body were heavy bruises.

Taken to a hospital and given an electric bath, he remained unconscious for hours, finally muttered incoherent tales. One was that while he was asleep two men had entered, committed violence upon him. Signs in his room of a violent struggle belied this. Another was that he had met a stranger outside his flat, invited him in for a drink, was having a peaceful conversation when the stranger knocked him down, sat on his chest, carved his face with a razor.

Scotland Yard detectives favored the second version. The housekeeper recalled that Teacher Eaton had returned late, quarreled with a man in front of the apartment before entering. In the room were many clues. The detectives took fingerprints, found that the assailant had changed from his own blood-spattered clothes to Mr. Eaton's, had left behind a razor and a block of wood. Although $4,000 had been stolen Scotland Yard did not think robbery was the sole motive. It was announced that two men were being trailed for "causing grievous bodily injuries." One J. Moore, 22, surrendered himself and was charged with deserting the Army, held for further questioning. The other, Roland Bateman, 22, also a suspected deserter, was more elusive. Detectives in a radio-equipped automobile tracked him to Southend-on-sea, found a boarding house which he had fled three hours before. In it were more bloody clues.

Severe in appearance, frequently sarcastic, a Harvard graduate (1908), Teacher Eaton is called a "pretty good egg" by St. Marks boys. He likes boys, takes groups of them on trips, is considered "good fun on a party." Rumors of "beautiful women, riotous parties" were denied by his London housekeeper. Said she: "He was a university man on a holiday. I don't think he had any friends in London. He spent most of his time in the museums and just walking the streets."