Evening star., 1927-09-19

Assistant Attorney Given OBJ
tains New Evidence.
i Couple Are Detained.

Police are investigating additional
Information, placed today before Ralph
Given, assistant District attorney, in
connection with the cremation OF the
body of an infant in an apartment
house furnace. as a result of which
Clarence Edward Tippett and Mrs.
Clara Ruth Butterworth, the mother,
are being held for Investigations fol.
lowing disclosures made to police of
the fourteenth precinct.
Mr.. Given withheld the new evil
dence. believed to have been furnished
by the woman's mother. Mrs. Edna
Jones, with whom he was in confer
ence this morni-g. He said, however,
that "some charge" would be placed
against Tippett. who will be given
hearing in Police Court tomorrow.
It was known today that police are
investigating a case involving Tlb-
bett with another young woman about
two years ago in which it was said an
operation was performed at local
hospital. Evidence in this case was
given to Mr.. Given by the woman's
husband
Police of the fourteenth precinct
say they have confessions signed by
Mrs. Butterworth and Tippett admit
ting that the body of the infant was
burned in an apartment house furnace
at 1913 Harvard street the night Of
August 81, shortly after the birth of
the baby, at which no physician or
nurse was present. Tippett stoutly
denies that the baby was born alive.
Both Tippett and Mrs. Butterworth,
h 1ix-i,, in ha n
mcnt at 3616 Connecticut avenue. were
arrested following disclosures alleged
10 have been made by the woman's
mother, Mrs. Jones. Policeman j. A.
Wheeler said she told him the baby
was born alive and was smothered
In a blanket by Tippett 10 minutes
after its birth.
According to information given to
Mr.. Given today, he expressed doubt
whether the baby died of suffocation.
He said he had reason to believe the
Infant was so weak after birth that
It could not possibly have lived.
Policeman's Story.
Tippett is being held in the four
teenth precinct pending the outcome
of his hearing tomorrow, while Mrs.
Butterworth is at the House of De-
tention. Her 5-year-old daughter is
with her mother.
1t developed that a ''hunch" of Po.
liceman Wheeler led to the disclosure
of the crime. He became acquainted
with Tippett and Mrs. Tippett," as
Mrs. Butterworth was said to have
been calling herself, several months
ago when he settled some domestic
troubles for them. His suspicious were
aroused as to their relationship and
he arranged with Policemen Charles
and James w. Peters, both Of No. IA,
to watch the couple. The Tippetts
were making their home with Mrs.
Jones, the wor1an's mother.
Policeman Wheeler knew Mrs. Tip
pett" was to become a mother, and
upon his return from his vacation
last week found that she had returned
TO work. Friday afternoon he ques-
toned Mrs. Jones. He says she de-
clared that her daughters baby, born
in the apartment, had been smothered.
Policemen Wheeler, Charles and James
Peters arrested Tippett and Mrs. But.
terworth yesterday morning at
Seventh and F streets.
Tippett was grilled at the four
$eenth precinct station by Detective
Fowler and Capt. Williant >Scott,i Whe
later questioned the womAm The 'atis
khorities say Tippett then signed a con.
kession that he, had burned the baby's
body in the furnace, but denied that
he had smothered it.
Mrs. Jones, who, is the principal wit
ness in the case gave her version
of the baby's death to Mr.. Given this
r,orning. Meanwhile. police were in
Nestigating other facts disclosed in
1t was said he had been arrested with
another woman in a raid. Tippett at
that time was married to a woman
who now works in a local store. His
wife secured divorce from him in
Virginia as result of evidence OBJ
tained in the raid. the police declared.
Mrs. Jones' Statement.
According to Mrs. Jones' statement,
her daughter. was married to Jack
Butterworth in Newark, Ohio, from
whom she later was divorced. For a
while the married couple lived with
Mrs. Jones until domestic troubles
arose. At this time Mrs. Butterworth
went to work as cashier in a barber
shop where she met Tippett.
Tippett persuaded Mrs. Butterworth
20 come to Washington several years
ago. While Tippett and Mrs. Butter.
worth were living at 3105 Mount
Pleasant street in January, 1926, a
D2Dy DOy was DOFn 10 the latter. Inc
baby lived about four days and died.
While police are convinced the baby'S
death was natural, the records in the
case are being investigated.
Mrs. Jones said she and her hus-
band came here to try to separate the
couple in 1927. after Tippett had
written to her saying that he would
get her husband position here. She
did not succeed in persuading her
daughter to leave Tippett, she said,
and her husband returned to Newark.
Claims She Heard Baby's Cries.
So far as the statements of all are
concerned, no physician or nurse was
called in at the time of the birth of
the infant on August 27. Mrs. Jones
said she urged Tippett to get a
physician, but he claimed he had no
money. Tippett claims that Mrs.
Jones requested him not to call a
physician.
When she entered the apartment,
Mrs. Jones claims she saw the baby
and heard 1t crying. Then Tippett
rolled 1t up in blanket, she said,
and took IL away.
Investigation by the police dis
closed that Tippett was seen to enter
the Harvard street apartment, where
he was known to the janitor, carry
ing a bundle with him that same
night. He was later seen to leave.