Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-23
MARINE IS SLAIN
IN FAMILY QUARREL
Fatally Shot as Man and
Brother-in-LaW Struggle
for Gun.

AS the outcome of a shooting at 140
G street southeast early last night,
Clarence Badgley, 22-year-oid Marine
private. stationed at Annapolis. is
dead. and Otto Vanderford. "a years
old. employe OF the naval research
laboratory. in whose room the tragedy
occurred. will appear as the defend
ant before a coroner's jury this after
noon after a night spent in a cell at
the fifth precinct.
A quarrel with his brother-in-law.
Charles NJ Bennett. a Marine, pre-
coded the fatal shooting. Vanderford
stated this morning. and his estrang-
ed wife, who had met him to get her
possessions stood on the threshold as
the tragedy was enacted
A few feet away. in the hallway.
were two young girls, Anna and En-
nestine Minter. who had come with
her from Annapolis. where she had
been staying since separating from
her husband on August l6. Ralph f..
Thornton. pharmacists mate. station
ed at the Naval Academy. who accom-
panied the party from Annapolis. in
the automobile parked outside, heard
the shot and took Badgeley to the
Naval Hospital. He died 20 minutes
after his arrival.
Agreement Drawn Up.
Vanderford said that on August 16
his attorney drew up an agreement be-
tween himself and his wife, 22-year-old
Mae Vanderford, in accordance with
which they were to live apart with
out "molesting or interfering with
each other in any manner or form. !"
Mrs. Vanderford then went to Annap-
oils, leaving some of her things in
Later, he said, he received a report
which led him TO visit Annapolis and
plan to obtain an absolute divorce.
After making two trips to Annapolis
he communicated with his wife and
requested her to get her possessions.
he stated.
Accompanied by the Minter girls,
her brother, Badgely and Thornton,
she drove to Washington yesterday,
meeting .Vanderford at Providence
Hospital, where she had been to visit
her sister, Melvina Bennett, who is
convalescing from an operation.
Refused to Leave"
vanderford stated that he told his
wife that it would be a suitable time
for her to visit his room and get her
belongings.
when we got to the house the
whole party went into my room,"
Vanderford stated "but l wanted to
speak to my wife privately and asked
the others to leave the room.
THE girls went on out, but my
brother-in-law refused to leave the
room," he stated
The two men quarreled. Wander
ford said that he had a gun in his
hip pocket. He carried it, he said,
because my wife had told me that
the men were mad at me because
had paid the two visits to Annapolis
investigating the report I had had
concerning her. and would shoot me-"
Speaking of his quarrel with his
brother-in-law. he said:
He got me by the throat. I
reached to get my gun. He reached
for it, too. In the struggle the gun
went off,"
Badgley entered the room Just in
time to receive a fatal wound in the
abdomen. He swayed into the hall
way and crumbled down about 10 feet
from the door. In the meantime the
fight in the room continued. The gun
was fired again, the shot going
through Benefits trouser leg.
Neighbors Telephone Police.
Nelghoors telephoned police and the
entire party was taken to the fifth
precinct.
Mrs. Vanderford and the Minter sis.
tiers, both Of whom are under 16 years
of age, were transferred to the House
of Detention, while the other material
witnesses were detained at the Navy
Yard.
After serving in the Marines for
three years and IL months. Badgley's
enlistment was to have expired Satur.
day. His mother lives at Sheridan,
Mich. He was on duty at the Mid
dies" target range at Annapolis