The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-08-09
Woman in Los Angeles Murder
Mystery Is Staggered.
"Missing Link" in Kennedy
Murder Mystery Found.
BURCH BOUGHT GUN IN CHICAGO
Prosecuting Attorney to Lay
Facts Before Grand Jury. i.
Tire Marks and Rented Car
Complete Tightening Chain.

Los Angeles. Aug. depressing
herself as staggered by intimation that
she might have been involved in the
| Staying of ]. Bolton Kennedy, young
Los Angeles broker, Mrs. Madalynne
| Obenchain, Kennedy's beautiful sweet
| heart, today in an interview in the
county Jail, declared that the evidence
| is being twisted and distorted against
| her.
Mrs. Obenchain admitted for the
first time that she had sent for Arthur
Courtney Burch, university graduate
| and minister's son, held as the sus-
| pected slayer of Kennedy, to come TO
Los Angeles from Chicago. She said.
however, she only invited Burch to
come here for friendly visit.
Won't Send for Ex-Husband.
'I am staggered by the turn of the
| investigation" Mrs. Obenchain said.
Il tried my best to aid the authorities
| in solving this murder and then I
| found that the evidence was being
twisted and distorted against me. 1t
was breach of faith and that is the
reason I now refuse to answer the
questions put to me at the district
attorneys Office
Mrs. Obenchain announced that she
did not intend sending for her former
husband, Ralph B. Obenchain, Chi
| cago attorney, who has professed that
he still loves her and is ready to come
to her aid at a moments notice.
With the two chief figures in the J.
Bolton Kennedy murder mystery held
incommunicado in the county Jail. the
murder car located, new evidence
found in the papers of the slain man
and the finding of a receipt for gun
in Burch's pocketbook, the staying OF
the wealthy Los Angeles insurance
lbroker today seemed nearer solution.
4 Deputy sheriffs and officials OF the
district attorneys office, elated over
the progress that has been made since
Kennedy was shot down at his lonely
mountain cabin in Beverly Glen last
Friday night. today were centering all
efforts upon the remaining missing
link in the evidence-the finding of
the gun with which Kennedy was
slain.
District Attorney Thomas Lee
Woolwine announced this morning
that the facts in the case probably
/ will be laid before q grand jury today
o. tomorrow. Indictment of Ralph
Courtney Burch AM Mrs. Madalynne
tCoEEcr ObenchaIt tre pair now held
as principals in the dramatic mystery,
will be asked. Wooiwipe indicated
Hold Inquest Today.
Burch, the son of a retired Evan
ston, Ill, minister and son-in-law of
Bishop William A. Quayle of the
Methodist Episcopal church, Is being
held a murder suspect following his
arrest at Las Vegas, New. Mrs. Oben-
chain is held as material witness.
She was with Kennedy at the time he
was slain.
1t was expected that an attempt
would be made by Burch and by Mrs.
/ Obenchain today to obtain their re-
lease from Jail on a writ of habeas
| corpus. Mrs. Obenchain has retained
a local attorney and Burch has asked
= his parents in Evanston to-''retain the
best criminal lawyer in Los Angeles"
i Burch Refuses Explanation.
Maintaining an air of stern reu-
cence, Burch today refused to make
an explanation of the tell-tale receipt
when confronted with it by officers.
Burch had steadfastIy refused to talk
except for the important admission
that Mrs. Obenchain had visited him
in his hotel room, which overlooked
Kennedy's office. He said that he
came here as a result of an urgent
telegram" from Mrs. Obenchain.
Deputy sheriffs last night located
motor car that Burch rented from a
! service stand the night of the murder.
The car was taken out about Z O'Clock
at night. 1t was returned at 1890 p.
m. Kennedy was killed between S:3e.
and $3.50 O'Clock.
| Confronted with this new evidence,
Burch blanched, then admitted that he
had rented the car. When asked
where he had gone he replied, after
| One tire on the car bore a peculiar
tread. Officers found the mark of
tire of this same unusual tread in
little gulch near the murder house.
, where the slayer is believed to have
! left the car. Burch gave the name OF
. -. L. Jones' when he rented the
car. The address given was found to
be that of relatives.
Bought Gun in Chicago.
Chicago, Aug. 9.-Arthur Courtney
Burch, held in Los Angeles as a sus-
; pect in the murder of J. Bolton Ken
! nedy, purchased from Won Lengerke
& Antoine. local sporting goods firm.
a 12-gauge shotgun on February l.
1921, it was learned here today.
Discovery of the purchase of the
gun here is believed to supply the
: 'tmissing link" in the evidence Los
Angeles police have assembled in the
[ case against Burch. Kennedy was
slain, according to reports from Los
D Angeles, with 12-gauge shotgun.
That Burch had purchased the gun
: became known when Charles Antoine.
:, a member of the firm, consulted his
8 books and found the record of the
Il purchase.
e Local authorities believe that Burch
n purchased the gun just before he left
d for Los Angeles in answer to an
: urgent summons he admits he received
: from Mrs. Madalynne Obenchain.