Arizona republican., 1921-08-07

LOS ANGELES. Aug. Mrs. Madelynne Obenchain. young di- vorced woman. was held in the coun- ty Jail here today as a material wit ness in connection with the staying of her fiance, John B. Kennedy. in- surance broker, while detectives perused letters she wrote Kennedy in the hope of finding something to shed light upon the killing.
 Tonight investigators for the dis trict attorneys office, which has taken charge of the inquiry, an- nounced that they believed they could establish connection between the killing and a man and a woman whose names they withheld.
 So far as was known to the public these investigations involved little more than visit to the scene of the tragedy, accompanied by Mrs. Oben- chain and the reading of the letters, which were turned over to the off, cers by Kennedy's parents. From the same source the investigators were given an account of the attachment of Mrs. Obenchain' for Kennedy.
 It was at her own suggestion that Mrs. Obenchain accompanied officers to the scene of the shooting, the grounds of Kennedy's bungalow, in the Beverly Glen district, and pointed out to them where she and Kennedy were standing when the shot was fired from group of bushes about 30 feet distant.
 Mrs. Obenchain also detailed the search for "a lucky penny w.Iich she said she and Kennedy were nianing when he was shot. She said s,,e hao buried the penny a year ago while in | company with the broker. Officers today could not find it, though, with her, they searched for some time. Two exploded twelve gauge shot 1 gun shells still smutted with burned powder. were found in the brush by a reporter where the assassin is said to 1 have stood.
 Two shots were fired at Kennedy, according to Mrs. Obenchains story, 1 but only one took effect, that strik- ing him in the back of the head. A resident near Kennedy's bungalow 1 told the newspaper reporter he saw l an automobile with dimmed lights 1 parked off the roadway near the Kennedy home about. g o'clock last l night. or shortly before the shooting l Kennedy was shot from ambush last l night as he was about to enter his l summer cottage in Beverly Glen, I where he had been accompanied by l Mrs. Madelyne Obenchain, a young divorced woman.
 Volunteer witnesses brought yari- ous stories of Kennedy's recent life to l the authorities, and these were being l investigated, although received with little hope that they would lead to a solution
 An inquest over the body of Ken nedy will be held, it was announced but the date will await completion of preliminary inquiries.
 Mrs. Obernchain, who said she was | formesly the. wife of R. R. Obern-
 chain. attorney of Chicago, from
 whom she was divorced, told the
 sheriff's deputies that Kennedy wal
 shot from behind. She said she aft
 erward say two roughly dressed mel |. disappearing in some bushes. Tn,
 shooting occurred shortly before mid
 night, but no report was made to thu
 couEty authorities until early today
 Deputies found the back of Kennedy
 head had been blown off. apparent.
 by shot from d shotgun. , Our home was really broken ul
 from my love for Mir. Kennedy" tn,
 statement continued MT. Obern
 chain was willing for me to obtail
 the divorce if it would make me hap py, but said he would willingly talk me back.
 T would have been married to NIT
 kenrf ly long ago, but he could no
 overcome the objections of his moth CT, who, he told me, disliked me. have known MT. Kennedy five year
 and was to marry him, but for som
 reason I married Mir Obernchain. M , relations with MT. Kennedy have al , ways been of the best. Nothing o an improper nature ever occurred. He came to my room at the Alex . andr:. hotel the other night. He kep , pleading with me to marry him an to tell him so he would leave Califor } mia and go east with me. 1 final
 induced him to leave the room an 2 he said he would if I would promis ,
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