The Washington times., 1922-04-06
At T0RNEY
A 7 7 ACkS
STORY Of
SHOOTING
Bullet Entered Back Of Head,
Says Prosecutor-Inquest
Begins Saturday.
BY JACK CARBERRY,
international News Service.

IntefnotIOna news service.
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. April
6.-Through the tangled wep of
conflicting stories shadowing the
alleged accidental Staying Of Lieut..
Col. Paul Ward Beck, comman-
dant OF post aviation field. Fort
Sill, and we'll known in Washing
ton society, by Jean P. Day. for
mer State supreme court justice
and millionaire oil man, authorities
today visioned disclosures which
threatened to rock the army post
to its very foundation.
Stripped Of Decorations.
For. while brother officers of the
slain airman sought to defend Beck.
Forest Hughes. prosecuting attor'
ney, announced he was on the trail
OF series Of gay parties in which
glamor of the uniform mixed with
brew bottles" would be revealed.
Hughes based his investigation
into the killing of Beck on reports
that the Day home, in the hours
preceding the tragedy, resembled
military post"
While the investigation proceeded.
brother officers Of the dead airman
visited the h = in the morgue and
stripped ircr, Beck's uniform all
insignia Of rani and decoration.
The action vas taken on orders
Of Major Thomas B. Lanther. com
manding officer Of the military
court investigating the killing.
That other officers than Beck
and Maj. r. ]. Paddock, relative
Of Gen. John J. Pershing, were
present at the party which pre-
ceded the tragedy was denied both
at Fort Sill and at the Day home.
Shot in Back Of Head.
Days story of the tragedy. ac-
cording to Hughes. has been dis
proved in the finding of the bullet
lodged in Beck's brain.
The mushroomed pellet entered
back Of the airmans head. splitting
against the skull and penetrating
every part of the head in a dozen
fragments.
How a man could be facing an
other and then shoot him in the
hack OF the head is beyond me-"
Hughes said, commenting on Days
story.
In answer to Hughes statements.
Day re-enacted the tragedy in its
entirety. With his twenty.year-Old
daughter. Doris Day. as a witness.
Day with the aid Of his wife. de-
tailed every move he claims to
have made I'm the brief space pre-
cetiing Beck's death.
Daddy did exactly right glory
in him." Miss Day, tears streaming
from her eyes, told the group who
witnessed her fathers portrayal.
Attended School Hero.
why don't they believe him
why do they doubt mother?" the girl
demanded.
Miss Day. formerly attended Ma.
tional Park Seminary. at Forest Glen,
Md, just outside Washington.
Miss Days statement is believed
to have prompted her mother in de.
manding the right to tell her COM
plete story before a coroner's jury
Saturday.
Il want to tell my story-tell It
ALL" Mrs. Day said.
II have nothing to hide-I did no
wrong.
MY husband is the only man I
love"
Mrs. Day is expected to come to
the aid OF military men of Fart
Sill.
"It Is silly to say our home re.
sembled an army post" she said.
We had many army men as guests,
chiefly friends OF Col. Beck, but
our home was never the scene If
gay military parties in which liquor
played a part"
"Since my wife will testify. I too
will tell my story to the coroner's
jury" Day announced. overruling
the wishes Of his counsel.
Conducts Preliminary Inquiry.
Major Thomas George Lanphier,
head of a military board appointed
at Fort Sill, Of which Beck was
assistant commander, to investigate
the killing, came here in an air
plane with Capt Alexander Mileau,
jr., and conducted a preliminary
inquiry.
Lieutenant Colonel Beck's body |
will be sent TO Washington today,
accompanied by an officer. Burial
will be in Arlington Cemetery,