The Washington times., 1923-10-23
Of BOYS
POSSIBLE IN
CLINE CASE
Sons of Prominent Hagers-
town Men May Be Cues
toned About Killing.

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Continued from First Page.)
nection with the brutal murders OF
Mr.. and Mrs. John Cline. may be
ordered today by States Attorney d.
Angle Wolfinger.
Since the two boys were put
through two-hour grilling last
week, additional information regard
ing their activities on the dav of
the crime has been placed in the
hands of authorities.
Their Identity Yelled.
The authorities decline to make
public the names of the. boys, and
they are also reticent about discuss
ing the report that the youths will
be arrested today.
David Beckwith, the tramp who
was arrested in Shippensburg, Pa,
yesterday and brought back last
night by a deputy sheriff, may be
released today. Authorities said to-
day they did not believe he was con-
nected with the murder, even though
the man has failed to give salts
factory explanation of how he got
blood spots on his derby hat and
shoes.
Beckwith, a typical tramp, at
tended the inquest held last night
in connection with the deaths.
Questioned by Sheriff Kline,
Beckwith admitted that the derby
and shoes, with blood spattered
over them, that We're found at the
home of a farmer in Pennsylvania,
were his own. He said he did not
know how the blood got on them.
Maybe chicken blood, maybe
something else, l don't know" he
said in answer to questions.
Beckwith said he was born near
Thurmont in Frederick county, Md.
Asked about his parents, he said:
81 don't know that I ever had
any,"
Wen Known Character.
The tramp is well known around
Hagerstown. He is about fifty
years old and has been a hobo for
more than a score of years, he
says.
Beckwith readily admitted that
last Tuesday, the day. Of the muir
ders, he was around Hagerstown.
He says he knows nothing of the
murder
Authorities declared today that
they were finding it difficult to
get a statement out of the old
man. He readily answers every
question, but his replies are dis
connected. There is a belief here
that the mans mind may be un-
balanced.
Beckwith told the police here
that he was once at the Washing
ton County Home. He said he
spends the summers roaming
around the country and stayed in
was headed for this town when ar
rested.
Flies Into Rage.
Beckwith has a ragged beard and
apparently has had no bath for
many days. His clothes are like
wise ragged. He carries with him
a cane and several pairs of shoes.
At the inquest, the tramp flew
into rage several times. He con-
stantly walked about the room in
which the inquest was being held,
sometimes swinging his cane high
in the air. If he realized that he
was being held on a suspicion of
having committed a double muir
der, he did not show it.
The coroner's jury which inves-
tigated the death last night held
that Mr.. and Mrs. Cline were muir
dered by a person or persons un-
known at this time.
Young Cline Testifies.
Harry Cline, seventeen-year-old
son of the aged couple, was one of
the first witnesses to take the
stand. The young boy said he left
his work at noon and went directly
home. Failing to find his parents
in the house, he searched around
the yard. He said he saw the
outer doors to the cellar opened
and peered down into the basement
of his home.
He then said he saw his mother
and father lying on the cellar
floor. He rushed down to them
and got to his mother just as she
breathed her last.
Cline was later arrested and re-