The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1917-09-14
king MURDER
CASE DEEPENS
Charges Of Grand Larceny,
Forgery and Conspiracy
lntimated.

New York, Sept. 13.-District At
torney Swami announced tonight
that he has sufficient evidence upon
which to base charges OF grand
larceny in the first degree, forgery
in the first degree, and conspiracy
in his grand jury investigation In
to the affairs of Mrs. Maude A.
King, who was shot to death Au-
gust 2, at Concord, n. c.
"Of course we have the greater
crime in view." said the District
attorney, "and all we are doing is
preparatory to aiding the State OF
North Carolina in prosecuting that
IF it can he proved that there
existed an exclusive opportunity to
commit that crime, then there is
murder.
There Is nothing so persuasive
to the human mind as a motive. In
this particular case the motive was
to cover the looting Of an estate,
or for the purpose of getting the
greater part of an estate.
Things are moving very rapid
ly in this case. BY the quickest
action upon record we secured pa
pers and documents which are now
proved to be of invaluable aid to
the prosecutor of North Carolina.
We have gone into the human ele-
ment in this case today. There are
TO be many witnesses. And truly
the stories told are amazing"
Assistant District Attorney Dool-
ing has in his possession a mys-
terious telegram which was sent
to some one in New York City the
night OF the murder. The message
sent to friend of Mrs. King, bore
the news of her death. The sigma
ture to the telegram Is being In
vestigated by the district attorneys
offices. which is not certain the
name appearing is the real name
of the sender. The message read:
Mrs. King. 1875 Park avenue. died
Concord very peculiar circumstances.
I Investigate"
1t will be remembered that the au-
thorities were greatly assisted in
tracing DR.. Waite, later electrocuted
for numbering his wife's parents, by
a message somewhat similar to that
now held by Mr.. Dooling, and signed
by a mysterious * Adams
District Attorney Swami stated to-
night that CASTOR B. Means, had
characterized DIR. Waite as a fool in
referring to that crime.
Calls Waite Damned Fool"
In discussing DIR. Waite's predica-
ment," said Judge Swami, Means
ment." said Judge Swami, Means said
that Waite did not do the thing cor
rectly. To use his own language. he
called Waite a damned fool. He said
the old people should have been taken
out in the woods and shot. This state
ment he made in New York within a
year after the crime. We will question
the person tomorrow who heard him
make the statement"
Assistant District Attorney Dooling
was authority for a statement tonight
that Means also criticised methods
employed in another recent famous
murder.
THE documents we have today gone
through" District Attorney Dooling
added, SHOW that Mrs. Kings for
tune was higher than believed, that
she had about s1,SO0.COO instead of
81, 10000. When she first met Means.
her annual income was 10000, all well
invested in safe and conservative
bonds. 1t is true, we believe, that she
lost one whole years income in one
night at craps We now have evidence
that cards and other games of chance
were played in the apartments, and
that she lost heavily.
Parasites Surrounded widow.
Mrs. King was surrounded by para
sites and our evidence shows fights
that came off between the rogues try
ing to hold control over her.
eve have information that Means
told the officers of New York bank
where he opened an account that he
was in the employ of the German
government. 4'or obvious reasons we
cannot talk further about this, but
have turned such evidence over to the
government. His sympathies, the
records SHOW, have not diminished
since our declaration of war"
Subpoenas have been issued today
for a person, said to be a foreigner.
This man has made the claim that he
was engaged to wed Mrs. King. The
man is being traced through woman,
the district attorney declared. He
added that since Tuesday he had
changed his residence.