Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-01
ALLEN
SAYS SERGEANCY
IS ASSURED Him
He's "Sitting on Top of the
World" Young Lone.H Hand
Investigator Declares.

Policeman Robert j. Allen is sitting
on top of the world" to use his own ex-
uberant description.
The lone private, whose "unauthor-
lied" independent investigation of the
oeath of Virginia Mcpherson won him
first the Scathing denunciation of his
superiors and then the vindication of
the District grand jury. is enjoying the
fruits of victory.
When, without the authority of his
precinct captain, he began a probe to
prove his charges that the young nurse
had been murdered, many of his COL
leagues predicted he was riding to a
fall
Instead, he rode a perileus course to
most extraordinary triumph.
Elements of Romance.
1t was triumph that carried with it
all the story-book elements of romance
and mystery needed to capture popular
! imagination. Think of ,it-a 28-year -old
beat-pounder bucking the whole police
department and winning. A "corre-
spondence school sleuth' the griZZled
veterans of crime detection called him,
but his despised evidence swayed a
grand jury to indict man for murder
and condemn matured inspector and
gray-haired lieutenant of detectives
for "inefficiency."
What victory it must be for Allen
to see the officers who suspended him
themselves recommended for suspen-
sion by jury of men and women.
Naturally of a boastful disposition.
Policeman Allen may be pardoned for
gloating over the "spoils."
Demands His Reward.
The chief reward which he now de-
mands is a detective sergeantcy at po-
lice headquarters. He says Inspector
Shelby, chief OF the detective bureau,
solemnly promised him the promotion
in the presence of Maj. Pratt, superin
tendent Of police Newspaper men also
quote Inspector Shelby as having de-
clared he would make Allen detective
sergeant If he proved the case was
murder.
That's the greatest thing that ever
happened to me, that detective ser
geantcy," Allen exclaimed again and
again today.
But suppose they don't give it to
you?" 1t was suggested.
why, they've got to give 1t to met
Allen declared, emphatically. The
honor of the police department is at
stake Maj. Pratt heard Inspector
Shelby promise me that job. They
can't back down now. It was a gentle
mans agreement. I've kept my part
Of it and they've got to keep theirs.
Buys Home Furnishings.
Listen. I have been so sure all along
of getting that promotion that I have
| bought a lot of stuff at the stores fol
my home with the $500 increase I would
get. They couldn't leave me in debt
| like that. after making a solemn prom
| ise. I'd be in a nice flx. wouldn't !
with all that stuff not paid for"
! Allen leaned back in a chair, re-
! f1ectively, and paused.
Say, won't be cutting figure with
that sergeant's badge on. thought? ne
| chuckled "All my police career / have
/ been looking forward to being a detec-
tive sergeant. That's why I've stuck te
! the fight through all my troubles, tt
get it. Nothing else would satisfy me
now.
II wouldn't even let them make me a
| lieutenant. am satisfied to be de.
| tective sergeant. I wouldn't trade that
| job to be President of the United States
! honestly
Has Been Depressed.
| Allen admitted he was pretty de-
| pressed at stages of the investigation
particularly when he thought his part
ner, Policeman Bolts of the third pre-
cinct, had gone back on him. He be-
lieves now Bolts must have corroborated
his (Allen's) story about seeing a man
emerge from the window of the Nc
Pherson apartment on the night Of the
tragedy.
Il felt from the way things were
going in the grand jury room while
was there, however, that matters were
going favorably for me-" Allen said.
Asked what he meant by this, he de-
clared the grand jurors at one time
hissed one of their number who indi-
Gated animosity toward the policeman
and that the jury applauded him when
he finished a description of how he
thought Mrs. Mcpherson was strangled
to death and how police had covered
things up" He said there were tears In
the eyes of woman members and of sew
eral men at another time.
Allen declared several women men,
bers of the jury embraced him after
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