Evening star., 1925-04-07
Order to Exhume Samuel
Thoman's Body Follows
Assault on Daughter.
WIDOW, AGAIN MARRIED,
TELLS OF FAMILY ROW
Letter in Hands of Police Said to
Charge Poison Plot, Nam
ing Accused Person.

detective mystery rivaling in its
ramifcations the weirdest plot Of
dime novel came to light today when
headquarters detectives, who have
been probing with utmost secrecy 4
strange attack, about two weeks ago,
on Mrs Fleta Motherwell in her home.
Al 1905 C street northeast, climaxed
their investigation by exhumins the
body of her father, Samuel p. c.
Thoman, prominent Mason and Bureau
of Standards employe, who died near
ly a year ago.
The effect of this move is to con-
n ect the attack on Mrs. Motherwell,
details of which have been carefully
guarded. with the death of her father,
who, Health Department records
show, succumbed May %, 1924, at his
home. 1872 South Carolina avenue
southeast, from "encephaiitis dnham-
nation of the brain), following grip,
and heart failure
Police Have Letter.
Detectives are tracking down per-
sstent reports that the unknown
person or persons" who bound and
blindfolded Mrs. Motherwell while her
house was being ransacked on March
"A we're after an discriminating letter
bearing on Mr.. Thoman's death. Such
| a letter now is in the hands OF the
police, it is claimed. The letter is
said to make direct accusation against
a named person.
1t is the belief that these "un-
known" parties may be able to set at
rest the rumors that Mr.. Thoman was
poisoned fatally while suffering with
grip.
The widow, now Mrs. John j. Sell,
wife OF Marine Band musician, when
4rr he
made the statement that the whole
agitation for the exhumation OF MT
| Thoman's body was started at the
time of his death by Mrs. Motherwell
and Policeman John Lewark or No.
5 precinct, who rooms az the street
address.
Scores Her Daughter.
MY own daughter, my own flesh and
! blood. is responsible for this terrible dis-
grace" Mrs Thoman-Bell declared.
"She and this policeman have been say
| ing wrote letter about Mr.. Thon4n's
death and made certain statements TO
doctor at Casualty Hospital at the time
Of an attempt to commit suicide made
last November.
IF l wrote any such letter or made
any such statements it was while I was
in such an upset state that I didn't
know what ! was doing. It's a wonder
I didn't go crazy, what with her con-
slant nagging about Daddy having been
poisoned. If l wrote any discriminating
letter I was driven to do it in a state
of nervous collapse from Flets's and
Lewark's incessant talking to me about
their belief that Mr.. Thoman was
poisoned.
Claims Jealousy Motive.
| 1T is all the result of malice and
jealously, after the way l treated
| them, too.
But I'm glad the police are going
to open the grave this afternoon and
settle all this talk. They will find
out that DR.. Hart knew what was
the matter with my husband. He is
one of the best physicians in town
and was a dear friend and fellow
lodge member of Mr.. Thoman Do
you think he would have let them
bury him if he had thought there
| was anything wrong?
No. 1 didn't give them permission
TO exhume the body. He shouldn't be
disturbed like that. anyway. l would
| have disenterred him myself, how
ever, before this, if l had had the
money to do so.
Nursed Him Like Baby.
Il was the best kind of a wife in
the world to Mr. Thoman. After he
had the flu for months l treated
] him like a baby, and nursed him night
| and day. And when he died / was
| left without any means of support
| When 1 took that poison last fall
was actually starving. l hadn't
eaten anything for a long time.
was physically and mentally ex-
| hausted.
Certainly 1 married again. Why
shouldn't I? had TO support my
| baby somehow"
| Mrs Thoman who is ~ years old,
married Mr. Bell, who is "a, on March
last at the residence of Rev. Freeley
Rohrer. pastor of the Metropolitan
| Memorial Presbyterian Church.
Attack on Daughter.
The story of the attack on Mrs.
! Motherweu has heretofore been kept
! from publication, although it in it
self is of the front page variety.
| Police to whom the incident first was
reported were ordered by the De
tective Bureau to lay off" the case
and keep all news of the affair from
| the press, it was learned.
1t is known, however, that the
tain, substantially, the following
statement under date OF March "a:
| Text of Record.
Mrs J. F. Motherwell, 1905 c
street northeast, reports that at
pm, while in the kitchen of her
home, she was attacked by unknown
persons who grabbed her from be-
hind hIindfolded her and carried her