Evening star., 1922-08-18
BELIEVE S[AYERS
a. CAME FROM WEST
Mcbride Murder Probers
- Still in Dark as to Mo-
tive, However.
INQUEST MOVES SLOWLY Y
Authorities Seek to Determine
Whether Crime Was in Mary
land OF D. C.

The trail along which investigators
have been cropping for a week in an
effort to track down the murderers
of Barney A. Mcbride, western finan-
Cier and oil operator was turning
sharply toward Muskogee today
back to the oklahoma city where the
slain man wreSted Il vast fortune out
of a chicken farm in the space of
five years.
1t is now regarded as certain that
the slayer was an acqua tance, prob
ably of years, and not a chance high
wayman who was attracted by Nc
Brides display of wealth.
Every hope of finding the person
who stabbed the oil operator to
death and abandoned his body on a
small road near Meadows. Md, is
likewise thought to lie in thor
ouSh investigation of his activities
in the west. A careful canvass of
McBride'S associates and friends IN
MuSkogee. responsible authorities de-
clare. is practically certain to reveal
the motive.
Likely Followed From West.
Evidence obtained in Atlantic City
Washington and Maryland points un-
mistakably to one conclusion: That
some person or persons. either a
sworn enemy or hired assassin, fol-
him out to the Meadows road. slew
him there and abandoned his body
virtually where it fell.
That the murderers had good rea-
son to. believe they never would be
captured is indicated by the careless
in a place 1t was certain to be found,
perhaps even a few minutes after
they hurried away. The same circum-
stances preclude any possibility of
Mcbride having been slain in the Dis
trict or some unfrequented spot. and
hndv a
lonely.
A dozen families live within a
stones throw of where the body was
found; hundreds of automobiles pass
shortest cut and smoothest highway
between the Marlboro pike and the La
Plata road.
Not Work of Discretion.
In conclusion, why. ask expert
criminologists. should any sane per-
son slay a man in one place and then
carry his body in an automobile over
q busy highway at least seven miles
and dump it in a spot that Is not
even so secluded. Fort Dupont. the
only other place where Mcbride is
said to have been killed. offers bet
ter seclusion than the Meadows road.
The western f1nancier's assassins
struck quickly, surely, making an
outcry impossible. Seventeen times
1t is probable that the gunny sack
was thrown over McBride's head at
the same time. by a second murderer
to smother any outcry.
The Maryland police think Mcbride
was killed at Fort Dupont and his
body carried to the Meadows road.
The District police. after a weeks
investigation, however, feel certain
the assault was committed in Mary
land.
land detectives have been assigned
to the case. though Constable Thomas
Garrison has been exerting every en-
ergy to assist in the investigation.
Asks Delay of Inquest.
At the inquest, which was held at
Ritchie's Station, Md, last night, As
sistant States Attorney Ryon, prose-
ed postponement until such time as
the authorities determine whether
the case comes within the jurisdic-
tion Of the state. Should that be de-
termined, he said later, Baltimore de-
tectives will be requested to assist
the Prince Georges police.
Reporters who visited the Meadows
road yesterday were attracted by a
dirt road leading into the forest. Fol-
lowing this road. they came upon a
stream and some garments that might
have q bearing on the case.
Carefully bundled together were a
mans handkerchief. a woman's hand
kerchief and blue and white shirt,
badly torn. With them was heavy
piece Of fabric. Both handkerchiefs
and the heavy goods bore marks that
were identified by DR.. J. E. Stansbury,
coroner for Prince Georges county, as
blood stains. The shirt was stained
with grease, evidently from an auto
mobile. 1t Is within the realm of pos
sibflities that the slayers might have
washed bloodstains from their car at
the stream.