Evening star., 1926-10-24
Necktie and Position of Body
Offer PuzzIing Problem
for Coroner's Jury.
PR0BERS SCOUT IDEA
OF SELF-DESTRUCTION
Marshaling of Facts, However,
Presents Points Hard to Recon-
cile With Staying.


Sergt. Arthur r. Scrivener came to
his death early on the morning of
Wednesday. October 13. by the hands
Of a murderer or by his own hand
will be considered by coroner's jury
at an inquest into the death N the
near future.
Bizarre and repugnant as a suicide
theory appears at first to those
who knew and honored Scrivener,
the fact remains that the six men
who sit on the coroner's jury must
consider 1t. They must face the un-
assailable fact that a man can die
violently only by the hand of another
by an accident or by his own hand.
1t is the duty of a jury to determine
the cause of death.
Dismissing an accidental death as
impossible. investigators have been
working fruitlessly to sustain
theory of murder as the method in
which Scrivener met his death.
They have been blocked at every turn.
They refuse to accept theory of
suicide. They continue doggedly on
the theory that murder. mystery
drenched murder. took their fellow
officer from their ranks. They are
no more than actfinders for the
coroner's jury. however, and they
must place before the jury the facts
as they are found.
Results Scant and Meager.
Scant and meager as the results of
the investigation thus far have been,
some facts cry aloud for considera-
ton. These placed before. the
coroner's jury. will be the signposts
to the verdict.
It is a fact that Scrivener's body
was found reposing-up-grade-in a
steeply graded alley, on the back. face
upward.
1t is a fact that in the right hand
Of Scrivener was elutched 9 silk'and'
wool necktie Of good, strong quality.
1t is a fact that a pistol with one
bullet fred lay about 10 inches be-
yond his feet.
It is a fact that Scrivener died
from bullet through the heart, fired
from a close distance. left to right,
with a slight downward slant.
1t Is a fact that death ensued with.
out any signs of a struggle remaining
on the body Of the deceased.
1t is a fact that only a few hours
before his death Scrivener. apparent
ly in high spirits, informed news
paper friends that he would be mar
ried within the ensuing "a hours. But
he kept this secret from his closest
friends at headquarters.
Always Alert and Courageous.
1t is fact that Scrivener had
shown himself in times past to be
quick, courageous. alert and the
antithesis of a man who would die In
a tight corner without a struggle.
These are primary facts established
on which others must rest in the de.
termination as to how death occurred.
The police have taken up these pri'
mary facts one by one and examined
them closely.
First, the natural way for a man
to fall from a standing position fac.
ing down grade. in a steeply graded
ailey. is down grade. And the natur.
al course of a fall for a man leaning
forward and facing down grade. grasp
ing a necktie from the neck OF an
other in a steeply graded alley, is face
downward. In this connection 1t must
be remembered that Scrivener reposed
face upward. and upgrade In the al
ley, lying on his back.
Investigation further along this line
no marks at the elbows. or on the
face or hands to indicate a turning
of the body after the fall
Problem for Jury.
So that the first question for the
coroner's jury arising from this group
of facts will be:
How, in the event of murder, could
the body have fallen In such a posi-
tion? This question has proven one
of the obstacles to the investigators
proceeding along the murder theory,
because it presents facts and not sup
positions.
The pecktie remains important.
Tests have demonstrated that zoo
mounds of Jerking weight suspended to
a four-in.hand necktie of the same
grade and Of the same age in wear
as the tie found in Scrivener's hand
fail to part IL at the neckband. Ii
will be remembered that the necktie
found on the scene was a silk-and'Wooi,
wrinkle.proof tie, which had been
neatly tied in a fourin-hand knot,
with the loop at the point above the
knot. The center Of this loop was
parted by tear.
Actual tests show that 1t is very
difficult to tear tie OF the Sood
strong QuaIIy OIL IIc ucChPICSO AONlAN
In Scriveners hand, when around the
neck of a person. cushioned and sup
norted by the collar and neckband.
II is possible to break it by passing
the loop Of the tie over the top OF
door, for the sharp edges there cut
1t to some extent.
Theory Is Tested.
Obtaining a tie which experts said
matched the quality Of the one found
In Scrivener's hand. investigators at.
tempted to break it from around the
neck of a man without success. and
1t was only with the greatest dim.
Guilty that they found such breaking
could be accomplished when the tie
was placed around a sharpedged
square object.
On the other hand, it was found,
cheaper grades of ties might be
broken by passing them around some
sQuare-edged object, but even these
proved virtually impossible to break
when around a mans neck.
So. granting that there is no insur.
mountable question presented by the
direction of the fall Of the body back
ward. what answer will the coroner's
jury find to the puzzle presented by
the torn tie, with a loop. which is
found TO be too small for the neck Of
good.sized man? When invest.