Evening star., 1926-10-09
HOW SOLDIER MET ,
DEATH UNSOLVED
Fort Myer Probers Uncertain
of Whether Suicide or Muir
der Occurred.

While. Federal agents working today
10 solve the mysterious death Of PVT
Edgar H. Miller. Fort Myer cavalry
man who was shot To death in Ar
linctou National Cemetery early this
week. We're expecting an early solu-
tinn of the crime. IT developed that
they are still undetermined as to
whether the soldiers death was sui
eide az murder.
The name of tho girl who wrote the
letter of warning found In the dead
manss clothes and 10 which much
importance was first attached by
Lieut.. y. T. Rarnum. ono Of the Fort
Mycr investigators, is now known 10
the authorities. She formerly lived In
Arlington County. hut has been
traced To an apartment near tho Cap
itOl
Written Three Months Ago.
, Those in charge of the inquiry,
however. admitted today that they
expected nothing to develop from
any information this young woman
might give them. The letter. il has
been determined, was written three
months ago, and the warning re
| ferled to an unilnpOirant matter he
tween soldiers at the fort. Although
the letter Will. of course. he run down
to Il conclusion. the police already
have discarded ii as a clue - Solu-
tion of the troopers death.
The case had narrowed down TO-DAY
to the question: "Who shot Ernest
Johnson" If Private Miller was
; murdered the investigators are fair
| ~ confident that tho bullet that
pierced the Cavalryman's brain in
Arlington Cemetery was fired from
the same pistol that wounded John
son on the other side Of the cemetery
minutes before.
Soldiers Are InterrOgated
IF II were not for that Johnson
affair" one officer ON the board Of
inquiry said today. I'VE would feel
justified in returning a verdict of sui
eide immedia tely. 1t would. of course
be an unusual suicide. Tn" weapon
was held In q most awkward position
for man tn shunt himself, q most
| improbable position. But il was not
an Impossible position The ahsenCa
of burns. Of course, is hard 10 eX-
| plain, but we would not withhold n
verdict on that premise alone
The board Of inquiry. composed of
| three Fort Myer officers. sat Nester-
day afternoon and interrOgated half
i
that Miller was worried and morose.
Interrogation Of the soldiers who
knew Miller most intimately disclosed
| the fact that he may have had $40 I'm
his pocket when he left the post.
| There was S11 in his clothes when the
| body was found. one man said he
had seen Miller counting his money
| and named the denominations of the
bills. These COrrespOnded with the
denominations of the bills found on
! the dead man.
| Justice Agents Silent.
| The Department of Justice agents
! on the case are working with the ut
/ most secrecy. They have not even
| disclosed their plans to the local p"-
| lice Two operatives called at the
House Of Detention this morning and
demanded custody of Marian Gray,
also known under her married name
of Marian Smith. Miss Gray was the
girl who accOmpa nied Johnson when
he was shot. and the similarity of her
initials with those on the note warn
ing Miller-"MaIian l.. S.-caused
her to he held.
The two agents took the girl away.
and officials at the House of Deten-
tion did not know when she would
return or whether she would be
brought back at all Miss GRAY has
been eXonerated as the author of the
note, hut she was ordered continued
held for investigation nevertheless.