The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-12-18
MUCH MYSTERY
SURROUNDS KILLING

Sation ct the klillnR Oh mrs. Ihelma
Hamm Richardson, stenographer, who
was shot to death at the home Of her
former employer, Thomas Pollard,
real estate and insurance man, Mon
day night, continued today without
important development, although de-
tectives working on the case said they
had collected additional facts which,
they said, may prove material when
Pollard is brought on trial on a
charge Of murder in connection with
the young woman's death.
Having finally rejected the theory
that Mrs. Richardson was shot acci-
cidentally during a struggle with Pol
lard, the police have conferred their eff
forts in support of the theory that
she was shot by Pollard following a
quarrel over another woman, whose
identity has not been revealed and
whose alleged connection with the
case has not been made clear by the
authorities. The police insist there
is another woman in the case, inti-
mating that she is choir singer in a
local church. They also advance the
theory that jealousy Of this woman
prompted Mrs. Richardson to 60 to
the Pollard horne Monday night.
Another phase of the case which
occupied the attention of the detec-
tives today is the part which j. Mosby
West played in the tragedy. West is
being held as an accessory in the
killing of Mrs. Richardson. An an
alysis of the statement which he made
to the police on the night Of the kill
ing has failed to convince the au-
thorities that he has told all he knows
about the visit to Pollard at his home
and what transpired there.
The authorities said today they had
failed to clear up three Of the vital
points in the case. The most impor-
tant of thess swas said, is the exact
manner in g Sth the woman was shot
The second point is the ownership Of
the pistol with which she was killed
and the third is the exact spot whers
the shooting took place.
There is conflict in the statement
Of witnesses as to where the shoot
ing hsppened, according to, the polics
fieest Sssaid So .Sssssi
ties that the shot was fred Will
Pollard and Mrs. Richardson wer,
struggling in the vestibule of the Pol
lard home. Nei"hbors who were at
tracted to the scene declared the
first saw the body of the young wo
man lying on the ground in an area
way between the Pollard home an
the house adjoining. Assuming tina
the shooting was in the vestiblue, a
West said, the police declare it
unlikely that the young woman, sho
through the heart, could have Wake
the distance from the porch to tn
lawn before she fell.
Another incident which the detec
tives say they have been unable t
explain is Pollard's action in sum
moning his lawyer and the latter
arrival at the Pollard home severa
minutes before the emergency Of
ficers reached the scene. The frs
officers to reach the house said the
found Pollard in consultation witt
his counsel, Hiram w. Smith, Will
the body of the young woman wa
Lying on the lawn. The police sum
moned the ambulance which rushe
Mrs. Richardson to the hospital, al
though apparently she was dead be
fore her body was removed.
This incident and the movement
of West in the interim between tn
shooting and the arrival of the polic'
are two of the most battling angle
of the case, according to the authori
ties.
Pollard and West both maintaine'
their silence during the seventh da.
of the investigation. Pollard ha
made no statement regarding tn
killing, following the advice of coun
: sci, and West has refused to tall
since he testified at the inquest Thurs
e day. Pollard is still at liberty unde
= $4,000 bond, while Vests bail stand