Evening star., 1927-05-18
SLAY|NGS LINKED
WITH OIL MUDDLE
Dictagraph Plot Leads to
Theory Broker and Girl
Were Murdered.
BY the Associated Press.

LOS ANGELES, May 1S.--A maze
Of evidence declared to link the slay
ing of George +. Powell, jr., wealthy
broker. and his secretary, Miss Margie
Pike, with an asserted dictagraph
scheme to pry into the secrets of the
financial muddle of the Julian Petro-
leum Corporation today engrossed a
corps of investigators from the dis
trict attorneys office.
The dictagraph plot theory was in
jected into the case last night by
Chief Deputy Attorney Harold Davis,
after police had announced their con-
clusion that the deaths of the couple.
whose bullet.pierced bodies were found
in Powell's parked automobile early
yesterday, was a case of murder and
suicide growing out of the unrequited
infatuation of a neurotic girl stenog-
rapher for her employer.
Disclosing that the broker and his
secretary had been under surveillance
for several days, Davis ordered an in
quest, stopped arrangements being
made to send the girls body to rela.
tives in the East and seized her trunk
and all personal belongings.
Double Murder Suspected.
Davis said his investigation was to
determine whether the deaths might
possibly have been u double murder
by outside influences.
Davis theory was that Powell had
a dictagraph connection with the
private office of Loeb, Walker and
Loeb. attorneys for s. G. Lewis, who
recently resigned as president of the
Julian Petroleum Corporation after
asking that trading in the corpora
tion's stock be suspended because of
an over issue. Several investigations
into the affair of the Julian Co. are
in progress here.
Powell was suspected of having set
up his receiving apparatus in a va.
cant room of the building in which
the attorneys offices and the offices of
the Discount Corporation of Califor-
mia, of which he was manager. were
located.
Miss Pike was believed to have
taken down in shorthand the conver-
sations which came in over the in
Strument.
Girl Discharged Twice.
Howard j. Schoder. president of the
Discount Corporation, declared that
Miss Pike had been discharged twice
because of her infatuation for her Al
year-0ld employer. When she was dis
charged last week, for the second time
Powell volunteered to carry a check
to her for an additional months pay,
which the corporation offered. The
check was found in his pocket
Miss Pike left several notes indicat-
ing she was morose and brooding over
a friendship with Powell. whom police
believe she killed before turning the
pistol on herself
One Of the notes asked that her
grandparents. S. S. Roberts and his
wife Of Lawrence, S. Oak, be notified
if anything happened TO her. She told
friends she came here several months
ago from Seattle.
In support of his theory, Davis
pointed to holes in the room and a
leak" of confidential information and
said there was other evidence which
he could not disclose.
Officials of c. G.. Julian & Co,
1enied reports that Powell had sought
information concerning Julian Petro-
leum's affairs in order that it might
be used by c. c. Julian. promoter of |
the concern who was displaced two |
years ago by S. c. Lewis.
Julian himself was reported on an |
airplane trip to Vancouver, British |
Columbia.
Note Expresses Fear.
One of the notes left by Miss
Pike, according to Davis indicated |
that she feared for her life.
PowelTs wife last night at their
luxurious Pasadena home told re-
porters of her faith in her husband.
She said he often told her of the
case of his secretary and had said
II, % La ,,.c11la In1.a- To diScnal.e,n hnI. |