Evening star., 1929-12-16
ROVER MAY REOPEN
.DREYFUS FALL CASE
Relatives Indicate Woman
Was Slain, in Affidavits
Made to Prosecutor.

Information contained in afidavits
received by United States Attorney Leo
A. Rover was being checked today in an
effort to determine whether a grand
jury should investigate the death of
Mrs. Aurelia Fischer Dreyfus, young
divorcee, at the Potomac Boat Club
october 20.
Rover revealed he had obtained affi-
daYitS from several relatives of Mrs.
Dreyfus indicating the woman might
have been murdered. He added every
effort was being made to learn whether
! the information in his possession was
of sufficient value to warrant grand
jury investigation.
The United States attorney explained
| the case would not be taken before the
grand jury unless 1t should be decided
that there was an element of mystery
surrounding the young woman's death.
He pointed out that several days prob
ably would be required to delve into
the case in such a thorough manner
that definite decision might be made.
Many witnesses Heard.
A coroner's jury heard numerous wit
nSsSes before deciding that Mrs. Dreyfus
died as a result of an accident. Her
death was caused by injuries suffered
in a 20-foot plunge from a balcony.
She was sitting out dance" when she
either fell or was thrown from the plat
| form. She died soon after in Emer-
! gency Hospital.
Shortly after the woman's death
police took Edmund j. McBrian, New
York broker, into custody. He was
questioned and released. McBrian told
detectives he had been with Mrs. Drey-
fus on the balcony, but had left to get
her wraps. He declared he believed
she fell while sitting on the railing. No
one saw the woman topple, so far as is
| known.
Several other dancers strollins along
| the balcony heard the thud as MR..
DreytuS' body struck a platform. They
ran to the Worlan's side and found her
IN pool Of blood. she was removed
to Emergency Hospital. Physicians m
] jected oxygen into her lungs in an un-
successful effort to save her life.
Affidavits Not Public.
| While the aff1davits obtained by Ro-
yer were not made public, it was under
stood certain relatives charged McBrialI,
an old friend of Mrs. Dreyfus, had
| made threats on several occasions. The
/ day of Mrs. Dreyfus' death, some of
her relatives declared they believed she
had been victim of foul play.
| Mrs. Dreyfus formerly was the wife
! OF Herbert Dreyfus, New York broker
| and club man. The couple were di-
vorced in 1924
News dispatches from New York to-
| day revealed that Mrs. Dreyfus is be-
neved to have been the same woman
who appeared before a grand Jury IN
| New York in 1000 foef;Gol
investigation into the Staying of Dot
KING, Broadway chorus girl. This nys
| terry witness concealed her identity at
tnat time. She was said to have told
| the grand jury she was with Albert g.
GulnlareS at the time of the King
grFS murder. GuimareS, q friend Of
the chorus girl had been held in con-
nection with her death.
Family Belief Is Expressed.
Mother, father, brothers and sisters
OF Mrs. DreyfuS, refused to believe her
death was accidental. But they would
not discuss the possible connection of
MRS; MIS- OreyIus' tragic end with the New
York murder of Dot King.
RTec& Fisher, sister Of Arts, nvevfl,-
S&lo: DO you tain2 il we could h2vs
| oeen satisfied Wita the verdict OF t.e
Coronar'S jury, we would have had Ina
case again opened up2"
one SAID the whole family already
nad suffered almost beyond human en-
durance and that they would not again
undergo the ordeal of an Investigation
II they did not believe that the truth
ABOUT her sisters mysterious death
might develop from Investigation.
mother and I have both been In the
hospital simply because of all we had
TO endure" she said, "and another two
members of the family almost had to
go to the hospital"