The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-02-20
BODIES ARE.
FOUND
nm
Mysterious Note Indicates
They Were Killed by
Religious Fanatic.
By International News Service.

ST. PETERSBURG. Fla, Feb.
2O.-Each shot through the left
temple, apparently murdered as
they slept, Mr.. and Mrs. j. M.
Mcdowell, formerly Of Decatur,
Ga, were found lying In aApool
Of blood in bedroom at their
home here today.
Left Mystery Note.
In the bed on which the bodies
were discovered by police was a
crumpled letter, written on heart
shaped stationery. The writing was
couched in religious language and
referred to ''sin washed away in
blood
1t was one year ago today that
the two young daughters of this
couple were burned to death on a
kerosene-soaked. mattress at Decatur,
Ca, where they lived at that time.
Dead Several Hours.
There was every indication, &C.
cording to police, that the couple
were murdered five or six hours be.
fore the bodies were discovered. The
belated alarm was given by Frank
Mcdowell, eighteen-year-old son of
the victims. Upon the discovery of
his dead parents, Frank screamed.
His screams brought neighbors, who
summoned the police.
When the police arrived Frank ex-
hibited a bump on his forehead,
which he said he sustained when he
was struck as he opened the door
OF the bed room. The abrasion was
slight and the bump disappeared in
the course Of an hour.
Here is the story Frank told de.
tectives:
AwOke at Midnight.
II was awakened at about mid
night. l was sleeping on a couch in
the room right next to mother and
father. 1 heard some sort of com.
motion in their room and stepped to
the door to investigate. Just about
tina time I heard several shots. I
couldn't tell you the exact number,
they came so fast.
"Then opened the door. The
bed room was dark, but / could
make out dim shape to one side
OF the door. Then 1 heard a swish.
Ing sound and knew nothing for I
don't know how long. 1 think it
must have been fifteen minutes be-
fore I regained consciousness. Then
switched on the lights.
II saw mother and father on the
bed. They looked like they were
asleep except for the blood, which
was all over the place..
Two Sisters SIain..
Frank defied police to connect him
with the crime, as he was SUBJ
, jected to prolonged cross-examina-
ton.
When Frank told police that one
year ago today his two young SIS
ters were killed a. Decatur, Co., and
their bodies destroyed by fire and
that the murderer was never appre-
hended, a deep mystery spread over
the entire case. The mystery
deepened as police picked up odds
and ends of an amazing chain OF
evidence that pointed to half a
dozen theories, but isolated none.
The outstanding clues in the
strange case were:
A .32-caliber revolver, its butt
spotted with blood, was found
through Franks directions at the
bottom Of trunk in the bed room.
The revolver rocked Of pungent
powder fumes. but was loaded. Be-
side it was a cartridge box, half
filled with cartridges, and a half
dozen cartridges which had been
fired.
In the kitchen of the home police
picked up knife, it's cutting edge
dulled irregularly; in the screen OF
front entrance to the home police
found a triangular tear, which. fur
nished the only indication Of forced
entrance.
Finally the heartshaped letter,
CONTINUED on Page 2. Column 81