The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-01-17
GIRL ATTACKED
FROM AMBUSH
Suspect in Annapolis Crime
Recognized Fleeing
Scene Of Tragedy.
SECRET SERVICE ON CASE
Believe Robbery Was Motive.
Victims Purse-bag Missing
When Body Was Found.
By STAFF CORRESPONDENT.

by SIArf SVhn6oI VNU1NA He
ANNAPOLIS, Nd, Jan. IL
The man who attacked and killed
Miss Harriet Kavanaugh, the pref
ty Irish nurse, as she was returning
to her quarters in the Naval Acad-
emy grounds Friday night, will be
in custody before nightfall, accord
ing to the authorities. He is n civ
ilian employe of the Naval Acad-
emy, and his motive was robbery.
He was seen running away, bare
headed, a stones throw from the
body Of the dying nurse. and al
though he tried to hide his face he
was recognized.
PURSE BAG MISSING.
According to the theory Of special
agents from the Department OF JUS
tice to whom the case was turned
over by the Naval Aoadeny authori-
ties this morning, the slayer EAw Miss
Kavansugh display . larYe roh Of
bills In a Je~elry store In Annapolis
shortly before she started home
She showed the bills In paying for
a silver belt buckle she had taken
to the store of p. Corosh. at $50 Main
! street, to be engraved. She placed
bills and buckle in . silk purse bag
|
| rying this bag. at the entrance to the
grounds by Miss Mary OFFENDER. an
other nurse. When the body was
found the purse bag was gone.
| Department of Justice agents be-
lieve the suspect, whose movements
on the night of the crime are now be-
ing checked up, hurried into the
Academy grounds ahead of hi svictim
and waylaid her. The theory Is that
where she lived. and what route she
would take through the grounds.
| A few minutes after Miss kavan-
augh had been attacked the suspect
was seen running across the State
Road bridge, parallel to the grounds,
and a short stones throw from tho
spot where Miss Kavanaugh lay
dying. Cutron Wooley, clerk in
the office of Governor Ritchie.' and
lCharles Spiker, employed in the office
of State Treasurer Brooke Lee. wera
walking across the bridge. returning
from a hike, when the suspect passed
them, bare-headed, and running like
one possessed.
| As he passed them he turned his
face away and raised an arm as II
to shield his features from view.
RECOGNIZED IN FLIGHT.
At the end of the bridge he stopped
turned, and looked back. Then ks
began running again. and disappeared
in the direction Of Rebel, a little sta
tion on the Annapolis shortline rail-
road.
But when he turned back, Wooley
and Spiker recognized him.
Up to the telling Of their story By
} wooley and Spiker, the authorities
sn~ kAsr tN.r nsft tgA a.
ton on three theories; first, that the
motive was criminal assault: second,
that the motive was vengeance, cher
isbed by some employe In retaliation
for the strict discipline Miss Kavan-
augh maintained. and third, robbery.
An autopsy performed today BY
Capt. ]. J. Richards, one of the Acad-
emy physicians. showed there had
been no attempt at criminal assault
The vengeance theory also fell fat
when 1t was learned that. though ad-
mittedly strict disciplinarian. tho
pretty auburn haired little nurse Was
a general favorite.
ROBBERY SOLE MOTIVE.
The fact that Miss. Kavanaugh
carried a large sum of money on
the night she was killed. and that
this money disappeared between the
time she entered the Academy
grounds and the time her body was
found, caused the authorities to de-
clare today that robbery was the
sole motive.
Corosh. the jeweler. told of Miss
Kavanaugh's money.
"She came to my store about
o'clock in the evening to get silver
belt buckle I had engraved for her.
he said MY bill was 10 cents. and In
reaching into her bag for the exact
change, she pulled out n lot OF bills.
They weren't rolled up--just stuneA
into the bag. I couldn't tell how
much they totaled, but l noticed sew
eral tens and twentics
III gave gave her the buckle, anS
she dropped II and the bills back In
the bag and went out
SEEN At GATE.
The slain nurse was next seen at
the Oklahoma gate to the Academy
grounds by Miss offender. The twp
chatted together a moment and then
Miss Offender went on inside the
grounds. leaving Miss Kavanaush
standing at the gate.
No one has been found who sac