The Washington times., 1921-08-12
KENNEDY DEATH
CLUEHANGSON
SHOTGUN BUTT
Part Of Death Weapon FORCES
New Link in Solution to
Auto Crime.

| twelve-gauge shotgun, believed to be
part Of the much-sought weapon
| with which j. Bolton Kennedy,
wealthy young broker, was slain a
week ago is occupying the attention
today Of ali officers working on the
mysterious murder case. I.
Gun Stock Missing Link.
With the indictment on first de-
gree murder charges of Arthur &.
| Burch and Mrs. Madalynne Ober-
cnse. investigators are endeavoring
to forge together the links In the
chain of evidence. The gun stock
recov cred last Saturday Ia regarded
as an important link In tn chain.
Mrs. Obenchain and Burch were
named in indictments returned dur
ing the night after a grand jury
investigation that began early yes
terday.
Another angle of 'the case that
came to light today was testimony
said to have Been given to the grand
jury yesterday that Burch had
thorn in his knee when taken from
| the train at Las Vegas. The thorn
was removed, It was said. by DIR. ].
j. Finley. who was a witness before
the grand Jury. Malcolm McLarn,
Investigator for the district attorney,
introduced branches Of shrubbery
picked at the scene OF the murder
that bore thorns similar to the one
extracted from Burch's knee.
discriminating Note.
Another important bit Of testimony
given the grand jury was that of a
jail surgeon who is said to have
stated that Burch's shoulder showed
a slight discoloration such as might
have been produced by the recoil OF
a gun. 1t was on these points OF
| testimony. II Is believed. that Burch
was indicted. Mrs. Obenchain was
indicated because of a telegram she
is said to have sent to Burch two
weeks before Kennedy was slain.
This telegram. the State contends.
| read:
Things look bad here. Please
come at once. MADALYNNE,."
Mrs. Obenchain denied sending this
| telegram. and holds that she asked
| Burch to come here because she be-
lieved he needed a rest and a
change"
Although both Burch and Mrs.
Obenchain were taken before the
| grand jury. each refused to testify.
The two defendants, while show.
| ing signs Of worry. maintained a
soIcal air or apparent Indifference
and optimism over their plight to-
Z day. Burch. when asked il he had
heard that he had been Indicted,
! flicked the ash from his cigarette
and remarked:
/ We'll. isn't that Interestingly"
Burch and Mrs. Obenchain were
ordered held without bail and Judge
Sidney n. Reeve set Monday as the
cav Of their arraignment.
The butt Of the shot gun. which
officials say they believe is ,he
weapon that sent its charge of
death laden buck-shot into the brain
OF young Kennedy a week ago, was
found floating In the surf at Santa
Monica last Saturday, about six
teen hours after the murder hal
been committed.
Conductor Finds Butt.
Tho butt was taken from the
water by William Wylie. a conduc-
tor. In a sworn statement made
public today. Wylie asserted that
the butt was shiny and only lightly
rusted when he retrieved 1t from the
ocean.
Wylie was camping at Santa Mon
lea when he found the gun, and he
attached no significance to his find
until he learned that a corps of
divers were searching for the murder
gun in the ocean near an abandoned
pier. He turned over his important
find. He said the spot where he
picked up the gun butt was only q
few yards from the old pier.
Officers have been searching for
the gun with which Kennedy was
killed ever since Burch was caken
from an East.bound train at LAS
Vagias. New, and the alleged murder
car located. They announced today
they believed they would be able to
identify this gun butt as that Of tho
weapon with which Kennedy was
killed.
Mileage Comedies.
The mileage registered on the
motor car rented by Burch the night
of the murder led deputy sheriffs to
take up the search for the murder
! gun at the beach. The car had been
driven forty-four miles. Investigators
| found that the distance from Los
Angeles by the shortest route Is ex:
actly forty-four miles.
Officers also learned that Burch
had rented the car the night before
and had driven forty-five miles, which
left them to believe that the car may
have been driven over the same
route.
While the grand jury yesterday
was hearing evidence and voting the
indictments, Ralph Obenchaiu, for
mer husband Of Mrs. Obenchain, who
gave her up SO that she might marry
Kennedy, sent word that he was
rushing TO her assistance. Late yes
terday she had telegraphed that he
como to her side. He and Burch
both courted Madalynne while all
three attended Northwestern Univer-
sity.
Kennedy Killed on Steps.
Burch, the son of the Rev. w. A.
Burch, professor at Northwestern,
also IS divorced, his wife, who is u
daughter OF Bishop w. A. Quayle.
Of st. Louis, having sued for divorce
In Kansas a year ago.
Kennedy was killed as he stood
on the steps OF his cottage in Beverly
Glen, where he had gone with Mrs.
Obenchain to search for a lucky
penny. According to her story, Mrs.
Obenchain said she was at thu head