Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-04
ALLEN AND CHANCE
ABSENT AS BOARD
OPENS Police QUIZ
investigation in Mcpherson
Case Delayed Half a Day
by Witnesses.
Delayed half a day by the failure of

Delayed half day by the failure of
two star witnesses to appear, the spc-
cial board appointed by the District
Commissioners to investigate the grand
jury's charges against Inspector Will
! liam 8. Shelby land Lieut.. Edward j.
Kelly, formally opened its inquiry at
80 o'clock this afternoon.
James T. Scott, one of the % men,
bers OF the grand jury which returned
an indictment for murder against Rob-
ert Mcpherson and criticized severely
the conduct of Shelby and Kelly in
their conduct of the investigation into
his wife's mysterious death, was the
first witness to face the board of in
quiry, composed of Corporation Counsel
William w. Bride and Maj Donald A.
Dawson, Assistant Engineer Commits
sioner.
Merritt o. Chance, foreman of the
discharged grand jury, and Policeman
Robert j. Allen, whose independent
probe of the death of Mrs. Virginia Nc
PherSon brought about the grand jurys
action, who were scheduled to testify
at the initial session of the board, did
not appear and left Bride and Dawson
stranded.
Allen Explains Absence.
The board received no word from
Chance, but Allen previously notified
it that he would not testify since he
had not been restored to duty.
The policeman has baen under sus-
pension for several weeks because of
his unauthorized investigation of the
case"
Handicapped by the lack of authority
to subpoena witnesses, there was MOTH
ing for the Board to do after Chance
and Allen had failed to appear but to
adjourn. 1t expects better luck, how
ever. at the afternoon session, which is
adjourn at its morning session. -Four
witnesses were notified to be present
this afternoon. They are James T.
Scott. Samuel P. Agnew, Altman @
Ellington and William B. Hubbs, all
members of the discharged grand jury.
Hubbs is the taxi driver who served as
clerk of the jury.
Two Ask Open Hearing.
AS prelude to the morning session OF
the board which never got under way
Shelby and Kelly, through counsel, de.
manded that the star chamber investi-
CATION be suspended and that they be
given an opportunity to vindicate then
regulations before the Police Tria
Board, where sessions are held in the
open and witnesses can be subpoenaec
and croSs-eXamined.
The board took the demand under
advisement. Belief was expressed
however, that charges could not BIT
drawn against Shelby and Kelly or
the basis of the conclusions set forth
in the grand jurys report.
Shelby was represented by Henry I
Quinn and George E. Strong. Kelly:
counsel is James A. O'Shea The two
veteran police officers were not present
when their demands were presented
| to the board, but remained in an Office
adjoining Brides where the investi.
CATION is to be held.
The. lawyers went into conference
with the two-rnan board about 9:3(
| o'clock and remained until 1915, /.
minutes after the investigation origi'
nally was scheduled to start.
Attorneys Reveal Action.
Quinn and O'Shea announced tx
newspaper men as they left Bride
Office that they had filed with The boare
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