Evening star., 1923-06-30
BABE NOT SLAIN,
JURY'S VERDICT
Body Found Along "Jazz
Beach" Declared Pre-
maturely Born.

CLARENDON. Va. June S0.-"We.
the undersigned coroner's jury. find
TO evidence of crime being COM
mitted. The body, as reported by the
sheriff. seemed to have been pre-
mature birth and was disposed of in
the usual way"
The above is the verdict Of the cor
oner's jury rendered at the inquest
into the case of the discovery Thurs
day night of the remains of a child
buried by Sheriff A. G.. Clements of
Arlington county in the vicinity of
Jazz Beach about two months ago.
The case attracted unusual interest
IN the county because of the fact that
the head of the county's police de-
partment was placed in the position
of satisfying sentimt mt of the justi-
tlcation of his act The hearing was
held at the Arlington county court
house and the seating capacity of the
large courtroom was taxed.
Believed PrematureIy Born.
When called to the witness stand
to relate his connection with the
case Sheriff Clements admitted bury
ing the infant. which. he said. he be-
lieved was prematurely born. He said
the reason he did not notify the coro-
ner was because he did not think ii
necessary. Stating that he thought
he was doing a humane act by bury
ing the child. Sheriff Clements cited
three other cases where the summon
Ing of coroner's jury was passed by.
Sheriff Clements claimed that the
investigation was instigated by per-
sons who would do him injury in the
coming election. Addressing the
jury, he said il was an attempt on
the part of these persons to create a
political scandal.
Tells of Finding Body.
Alexander Carter of Hume Spring
who found the body and was the irst
called by Coroner Fl. B. Swain to the
stand. testified that after his discov-
cry he went to Del Ray and notified
the sheriff. He then told James Car
ter, "a brother, he sad. and William
Works. brother law, who went
In an automobile to convey the sher-
if to the scene.
James Carter and William Work S
both of whom We're present at the
burial. testified that they thought the
infant to be between three and four
months old. They also said that they
were Of the opinion that its throat
was cut
Howard Smoot. game warden Of the
county and special officer. said that
he was told OF the burial about a
week ago. when in the vicinity OF
"IaZz Beach" investigating a report
of still being in operation there
He said that he met Alexander Carter
who related the whole story to him
but that he did not make an investi-
cation at that time because he saw
gypsy woman and boy loiterin G
around the spot. He said the in
vestigation was postponed until
Thursday night. when the remains
We're found and the coroner notified
other Witnesses.
A. VI. Dawson of Clarendon. George
Hunaker of Ballston. l.. NJ. Kelly of
Clarendon, O. W. Moxley of Fort
Myer Heights, John w. Lyons of
Ballston and II. B. Angelo were other
witnesses called TO testify to the find
ing and removal of the remains,
which were taken to the undertaking 6
esta blishment of Mr.. Ives. where they
were viewed by the jury precedinG s
the inquest last night.
There was a wide division of opin-
ion among the witnesses as to the
SIZE and age of the child and the
character of a cash under the chin.
The jury summoned by Coroner
Swain Thursday night when the re-
mains We're eXhumed was discharged
selected from the grand jury list.
Boyer, foreman: Louis Metzger, r. r.
Burrows, Newton kimball, J. F. Cav
anaugh and James Wills.