Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-29

always would regret the fact that she
didn't open the bedroom door, as Mrs.
Mcpherson probably was choking to
death at the time of her visit.
The two other telephone operators
testified on minor phases of the case.
! The grand jury heard from another
person who had been to the Mcpherson
apartment the night in question.
Howard Templeton, young drug clerk
employed in the Park Lane drug store.
who came here from Mrs. McPherson's
home town in North Carolina, took two
packages of cigarettes to the apartment
shortly before O'Clock at the tele-
phoned request of Mrs. Mcpherson.
Templeton said he had found the latter
dressed in black gown. apparently
ready to go out. and had asked her
where she was going. The clerk said
she told him she was going to dance
! in Georgetown with Bob her hus-
band. She seemed to be in the best of
spirits. .Templeton told police he had
been inside Mrs. McPherson's apart
ment on only one occasion. and that
was on the previous Tuesday night. He
explained he had just come to Wash
! ington, and Mrs. Mcpherson, being a
! lifelong friend, suggested he come with
her to an apartment on an upper floor
of the Park Lane and meet some friends
the apartment and was introduced to
several young men. He and Mrs. Nc
PheTson, the police were told, left in a
| few minutes, and Mrs. Mcpherson asked
him to stop in her apartment for a
moment. He stepped into the Nc
, Pherson apartment, according to the
police version, and Mrs. Mcpherson
picked up the telephone. called her
husband and informed him the Tenn
| pleton boy is here"
| Lieut.. Kelly questioned the husband
about this call and verified it with the
amplif1cation that the husband told his
wife he didn't care whether the boy
was there or not.
Testimony of Nurse.
Converting for the second day of the
investigation, the grand Jury summoned
Miss Martha Berry. nurse and intimate
| friend of Mrs. Mcpherson, who is be-
| lieved to have told the investigators of
an occasion when Mrs. Mcpherson is
said to have pondered an attempt to
end her life by leapirg from the roof o.
the Highview Apartments where the
young couple then lived.
In addition to this testimony Miss
Berry was questioned relative to the
objections which young Mcpherson is
said to have expressed to the friendship
between the two girls. Miss Berry made
a denial of this. but police say she adj
mitted to them that Mcpherson disliked
her friendliness to his wife.
Mrs. Mcpherson had asked Miss
Berry to come to her apartment to live
following the separation from her hus-
band and when she refused, police aver,
this was an additional motive for sui
eide.
The parents of the dead girls hus-
| "a 20 1n ~
grand jury inquiry on the second day
| of the hearing. Mrs. Mcpherson, ST.,
the quiet-mannered confidential secre-
tary to the Secretary of War, is sup
posed to have told the grand jury what
she knew of the marital difficulties OF
her son and daughter-in-law and OF the
part she had played in attempting to
effect reconciliation following their
separation. Mrs. Mcpherson spoke
highly of her daughter-in-law ana at
tributed the quarrels of the pair to pei
ty misunderstanding.
Recalls Telephone Call.
Mrs. Mcpherson has told of tele-
phone call from her daughter-in-laW
which she received at her Office on the
afternoon of the day the girl died. Inc
! younger Mrs. Mcpherson sold OF the
estrangement that had taken place ana
is said to have asked her mother-in-
law to inform Bob he needn't bring
the money he had promised because
she was going away. Her mother-ln-
law advised her to remain at the apart.
ment until young Mcpherson coulo
come there to see her.
That evening the girl again called
Mrs. Mcpherson, ST., getting In toucn
with her at her home while she was
entertaining friends. Virginia was cry
ing, her mother-in-law said, and Soboed
out, Mother. am going away ana Will
not see you again, but whatever nap-
pens I want you to know that Will
always love you and dad"
Not wishing to disclose to her frienos
the troubles of her son and daughter.,
in-law, Mrs. Mcpherson merely advlsed
Virginia to wait until Bob talked with
her, and added he was on his way 10
the Park Lane.
To this the girl is reported to have
replied, Mother, he has already been
here and we can't make up" Inc
mother-in-law endeavored to sootne the
girl as best she could under the re-
straint imposed upon her by the pres
ence of guests and then hung up, &C
.cording to police.
Mrs. Aileen Saville, manager OF the
Highview Apartments and S. M. FER
kins, colored ianitor of the eStaoiisn-
ment, were asked to testify OF their
attempts of Mrs. Mcpherson to commit
suicide.
Janitor Helped Husband.
Mrs. Saville told of the occasion
when Mrs. Mcpherson was overcome py