The Washington times., 1923-01-27
. SSAlJL I
CHARGED
BY GIRL
GUEST
Miss Elizabeth Rhodes, Hurt IN
Leap, Unable to Appear
for Three Weeks.

John Southey Larcombe, jr.. from
a window of whose apartment on the
fourth floor of the Royden, 1919 r
street northwest, twenty-year-o
Elizabeth Rhodes is alleged to have
jumped or fallen Thursday night, il
scheduled to be tried on charge Of
assault in the United States branch
of Police Court February is.
Judge John p. Mcmahon assenfed
to the setting of this date today after
consultation between Headquarters
Detective VermilIion. who served
warrant on Larcombe yesterday, and
Assistant District Attorney Ralph
Given, Police Court prosecutor
Physicians in attendance upon Eliza
beth Rhodes at Emergency Hospital
disclosed that she would not be ready
to appear as witness in the case for
about three weeks.
LarcOmbe Not in Court.
Larcombe. who is out on 5000
bond, did not appear in court. nor
was he represented by counsel.
Unless Elizabetln's statements
when the case comes Hp for trial
might seem to point to something
more serious than SO far put for
ward, the decision in the case will be
handed dwon by Judge Mcmahon
and the grand jury will not be called
upon to consider it. The maximum
penalties for conviction on charge
of simple assault are fixed by Dis
trict statutes at one year in jail
or $500 fine.
Narrowly Escapes Death.
Never in his professional career.
says DIR. George w. Allen. who il
handling Miss Rhodes case at
Emergency Hospital, has he seen p
more remarkable escape from death
or serious injury than the girls.
The final study of X-ray plates,
showing practically every bone Of
Elizabeth's body, established last
night that not a single fracture was
sustained. despite the sheer drop OF
more than forty feet to frozen
lawns.
She is doing very nicely" said
DIR. Allen. ''Of course, the nervous
shock was severe and there existed
some concussion of the spine. This
partially paralyzed the legs for sew
eral hours and necessitated her
dragging herself by the strength of
her arms to the paving, where she
was found. Her body is generally,
but not seriously, bruised. Unless
pneumonia complications set in as
result of exposure, / think I can
say recovery will be rapid"
Finger Prints on Sill.
Detectives who went over the
disarranged Larcombe flat yester-
day found on the window sill from
which Elizabeth said she precipi-
tated herself unmistakable finger
prints, done in perspiration and
dust, and testifying to someone
hanging in anguish by their finger
tips as long as the strength of
their arms permitted. The seem
ing explanation came last night
from Mrs. Catherine Hines, Eliza
beth's married sister, at the family
home, 1866 Rhode Island avenue.
1t is she who appears as complain
ant on the warrant charging Lar
combe with assault.
"Sister told me-" said Mrs. Hines,
that she chung to. the sill as long
as she could. When she felt her
strength waning, she murmured
prayer, closed her eyes and let go.
She believes the prayer saved her
life
WithhOlds Woman's Identity.
Sleuths detailed to the case by
Inspector Grant, chief of detectives,
have not finished with interrogat-
ing Larcombe, they-say. In his
replies to questions yesterday he
said, they declare. that he told
Elizabeth to go in the bedroom
when theyheard a knock on the
outer door as they were sitting In
the living room. The caller was
another woman. he is alleged to
have related. whom he got rid of
as soon as possible.
Who this woman was, Larcombe
steadfastly declined to reveal. The
police want to know. They point
out that the authenticity of Lar
combe's version virtually hangs on
the question of whether or not
there was a caller that necessi-
tated EliZab eth's hiding.
Larcombe returned to his flat
after bond had been furnished for
him at the Tenth precinct station
whittier he was taken at o'clock
yesterday afternoon from headquar-
ters. He is reported to have said
he would probably engage counsel
today. If so. the chance of further
by the police would seem
to be about nullified. Only the for
mutation of new charges or fatal
result of the Rhodes girls injuries
would give an excuse for rearrest.