The sun., 1908-07-24
GIRL'SDEATHPOLICE SCANDAL
ONE OF THEM ARRESTED FOR
THE PARK CRIME.
He Had Been Going Through the Motions
OF Tnquiring Into the Case-says Now
II Was Suicide I'm His Presence
Trapped by . Picture Post Card.


Policeman David Shellard OF the Ham,
burg avenue station in Brooklyn was ar
rested yesterday afternoon in the Office
OF Police Inspector Hussey, charged with
homicide in causing the death Of the
young woman whose body, with bull
let wound In the temple, was found
early on Wednesday morning in the tool
house in Irving Square Park, Williams
burg. He was locked up in cell in his
own station house last night after he had
stated that he was In the tool house with the
woman when supposed to be on duty and
that she killed herself with his revolver.
The woman was identified early yester-
day morning as Barbara Rieg OF 800 Maujer
street. She was 30 years old and lived with
her parents, She had known Shellard since
last December, when he picked up an
acquaintance with her on the street. and
she subsequently had told her relatives
that policeman was following her and
annoying her and wanted her to run away
with him.
Shellard was one Of the policemen who
reported the finding Of Barbara RIGGS body.
BE was sent out in citizens clothes by his
commander, Capt. Wormell, to do deteo-
tive work on the case and try to get an iden-
ti6cation. It was not until picture post
card sent to Barbara Rieg by Shellard
was found at her home that the policeman,
supposed to be hard at work running down
clues. owned up that he knew her and told
a story Of how she shot herself while the
two were alone in the tool house in the dark
while the rain beat down upon the roof.
Il didn't kill her, so help me God," he said
to Inspector Hussey. Il knew that would
be suspected Il told the true story, and that
is why kept quiet
years old. smooth faced. tall and slender.
and has been a policeman just year.
Three months ago he was married. He
lives at 2o2 st. Nicholas avenue. Brooklyn.
There is evidence that the tool house in
which the policeman and the young woman
sat for an hour before the shot which killed
her was fired has been the resort Of police
men for a long time. A looksmith on
Kniokerbocker avenue says he sold them
keys to it. Shellard got the post four
months ago and lost no time in buying q
key. apparently being tipped of to the
advantages OF this by some Of his COM
rades. However. the other policemen at
taohed to the precinct deny that they had
.aeosss. To. this house and Capt. Worfnell
said repeatedly y Yesterday that it was ridic-
ulous to connect his men with the case.
After Shellards arrest Commissioner
Bingham began an investigation. He Or
dered Inspector Hussey to examine every
man In the precinct from the captain down
and to make a report to-day to Deputy
Commissioner Woods. Capt. Wormell is
Is years old.
The Rieg woman had been wayward
and seven years ago had a child. She
was engaged to marry Adolph Hack, q
truokman. who said he knew all about her
but believed that she would make a good
wife. About the neighborhood she was
known as -Bob.' She was a good looking.
buxom German girl. Her friends said that
she knew a number Of policemen.
On Tuesday night Barbara went to a
party, although her mother tried to dis
suade her. When she failed to return that
night-a thing she had never done before.
the mother said-the family started looking
for her. They heard about the girl found
shot In the park, but thought nothing Of
this until they saw a picture of Barbara in
4 newspaper yesterday morning. Then
BarbaFa's father, Augustus Rieg, printer.
went to the Hamburg avenue police station
with his wife and Hack and identified the
clothing. Then going to the park they
the body.
All this time Shellard, rugged up in rubber
boots, soft hat and the clothes Of citizen,
was Logging 1t about after Clues" Most Of
Tuesday he poked around in the park.
de showed a special dislike of reporters.
Amateur sleuths.' he called them and
pretended to make fun OF their efforts to
,lear up the mystery. When some OF
hem tried to enter the tool house Shellard
,arred the way. Orders from the Com
missioner" he said. Policeman Rudolph
zohler. who heard the shot on Tuesday
hight. was with Shellard, also in citi-
,en's clothes. Reporters whol sought to
yet Kohler's story were shooed away by
,hellard. who advised his brother officer
lot to have anything to do with them.
md Kohler- didn't. although all that he
vas supposed to know was that he had
leard a shot from the tool house. had met
,hellard and had gone for an ambulance
Ifter Shellard had entered the house and
coming out had told him a woman had
killed herself.
Shellard and Kohler made reports to
heir captain throu ughout the day. Capt,
Tormell told inquirers that 1t was a case
II suicide. although the weapon was miss
ng and it was little difficult to explain
low Barbara Rieg got into the tool house.
which had been locked by Watchman Nc
dahon the evening before. But from
he neighborhood came stories Of how tired
,olicemen sought the tool house as a con-
'enient shelter, and on Wednesday night
n investigation was begun at the Ham
,urg avenue station. Nearly every police
nan was questioned, including Shellard
nd Kohler. Every one Of them denied
hat he had a key to the tool house, even
hellard and Kohler, whose posts took In
he park. Mcmahon. the watcfman, said
hat he had been ON the job four months
nd had never let his key out Of his pos
ession. Shellard and Kohler were posi-
i've they had never seen the girl before.
Shellard didn't go back to the sleuth
ct yesterday. Inspector Hussey gave