Evening star., 1923-03-25
SEEK BLACKMA|LER
AS ACTUAL SLAYER
IN MODELS MURDER
Exposure of "Mr. Marshall"
as John K. Mitchell of Phi!a-
deIphia Sensation.
BELIEVE PLOT TO EXTORT
HUGE SUM BEST CLUE
Stolen Letters Expected to Be
Found in Possession of Man
Sought by Police.
By the Associated Press.

by the Associated Press
NEW YORK. March 24.--Assistant
District Attorney Pecora, who for nine
days has preserved the tncognito of the
mysterious Mr. Marshall OF the
Dorothy Keenan, murder case, today re-
luctantly admitted, when faced by a
band of newspaper men, that Mr.
MARSHALL was John Kearsley Mitchell
of Philadelphia, capitalist, clubman
and son-inlaw of +. T. Stotsbury of
J. p. Morgan and Company.
At the same time Mr.. Pecora removed
the Veil of secrecy surrounding the
denity of "Mr Wilson, secretary" who
accompanied Mitchell TO the apartment
OF the Broadway model the night be
fore she was slain with chloroform
Mr.. Wilson" said the assistant prose
cutor, was John II. Jackson. New York
lawyer.
Detained Several Hours.
After this denouncement. Mr.. Pecora
held conference with Mitchell and
Jackson. The pair, accompanied by
Nelson Olcott another New York law
yer. retained by Mr.. Mitchell, stepped
into Mr.. Pecora's office after it had been
vacated by Billie" Bradford, Miss
Keenans maid, who also had been sum-
moned for further questioning.
Mr.. Mitchell was detained in the dis
trict attorneys office until nearly I
o'clock tonight. He refused to make
any statement as he left and rushed
down the elevator to the street.
After the clubman had gone, Mr..
Pecora said he was absolutely con-
vinced" that Dorothy keenan, was rnur-
dered as the result of a blackmail plot
directed against Mr. Mitchell, in which
Dorothy either refused to participate
or failed TO keep promise to do So
Has Definite Idea.
Mr.. Pecora further declared he had a
very definite idea" who the black
mailer was. and said certain man
knew Miss keenan, had received letter
from Mitchell written while he was at
Palm Beach. This letter was said to be
in the possession of the person who
murdered the model, unless he has de-
stroyed it.
billie" Bradford's story. Mr.. Pecora
said, was particularly interesting and
served to add considerable strength
to the blackmail theory. The negro
maid said Miss keenan, had received
this letter and that other letters re-
ceived from Mitchell had been placed
in the models safe deposit vault. The
last one was the only one in the
apartment, she said. Billie" identified
as Mr.. MitchelHs a suit of pajamas
found in the apartment, said Mr.
Pecora.
Large Amount Involved.
Questioned as to the blackmail plot.
Mr.. Pecora said the amount involved
was very large" He said there was
evidence to support the theory that
the blackmailer intended to confront
Mr.. Mitchell in Dorothy's apartment
and that the night of the Staying had
been set as the date for springing
the trap.
Mr.. Mitchell and Albert Guimares,
the man in the fur coat" who was
a friend of Dorothy's, were not ac-
Quainted, Mr.. Pecora said He de-
clared Billie" Bradford had told him
under no circumstances were the two
TO be allowed to meet, and that Mr.
Mitchell was to be kept in ignorance
Of her intimacies with other men.
Umbrella Clue Dropped.
The information obtained today
from the maid also sets at rest any
Importance that might be given to
the mans umbrella found in the
apartment" said Mr.. Pecora- "She
says II had been there for weeks and
that she had been often told by Miss
Keenan, to take it and keep it if she
wanted it,"
Mr.. Mitchell was among the first
to learn of Dorothy's death. Mr..
Pecora said. Shortly after noon on
Thursday, the day after he last Wis
tied the apartment, he called up the
apartment and voice he did not
recognize answered the telephone. He
said he asked for Miss keenan,, and
the voice at the other end of the
wire said: Dorothy is dead"
Shocked at News.
Mr.. Mitchell told Mr.. Pecora he
was so shocked at the unexpected
news that he hung up the receiver
without further conversation. He di-
rected Mr.. Jackson to find out fur
ther details, and the lawyer called
a private detective who called the
medical examiners Office.
1t was Mrs. keenan, who answered
the telephone in her daughters apart
ment. She had already corroborated
the statement that a man called and
asked for Dorothy the morning after
the murder.
Called for Questioning.
Mr.. Mitchell-whose wife, Mrs.
Frances Stotesbury Mitchell today
professed in Palm BEACH complete
surprise when informed that her hus-
band had been named as the mys-
tcrious "Mr. Marshalr-was called
here for questioning as to whether he
had any knowledge of a blackmail
plot which Mr.. Pecora believes ex-
jSted, but in which Miss keenan, re-
5 fused to join. In a formal statement,
Mr.. Pecora reiterated his belief that
Mitchell and Jackson had no connec-
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