Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-29
Commissioners Request Is
Made in Behalf of Justice In
voIving Shelby and Kelly.
MAY CLEAR QUESTION
OF DESTROYED EVIDENCE
Confidential Nature of Govern
ment's Records Make Accessible
ity to City Uncertain. g..

ATTORNEY General Mitchell was ex-
pected to reply today to the request OF
the District Commissioners that records
of the Bureau of Investigation in the
Mcpherson strangling case be made
available to municipal officials nqulr-
ing into grand jury criticism OF the
Detective Bureau.
There was much speculation as to
whether the Department Of Justice
would grant the request, in view OF the
fact that files of the Federal Investiga-
ton Bureau are regarded as highly
confidential
Justice Is Involved.
The Commissioners are understood
to have told the Attorney General that
the cause of justice would be served in
the probe of serious accusations against
Inspector william S. Shelby and Lieut..
Edward j. Kelly, former detective chiefs,
if local authorities were permitted to
examine the data obtained during
Federal investigation of the Park Lane
tragedy.
The commissioners are of the opinion
that the Government records may throw
some light on the allegations OF the
July grand jury that important evidence
in the Strangling case was destroyed
with The consent of Lieut.. Kelly, then
head of the homicide squad. Inspector
Shelby. at that time chief Of the Detec-
tive Bureau. shared in the blame dl-
rected at the police.
Confers With Cullen.
J. Edgar Hoover. director of the btu
reau of investigation, was in conference
today with Thomas F. Cullen, inspec-
tor in charge of the Mcpherson inquiry.
At the time Hoover had not received
Official word Of the receipt by the At
torney General of the Commissioners
letter, which lay on the Attorney Cen
erals desk.
It was expected Mitchell would con-
slider the letter on his return from to-
days cabinet meeting at the White
House Before replying to it he I'M
doubtedly will confer with Director
Hoover.
The Federal authorities are said to
be reluctant to be drawn into the local
controversy over charges that the local
police "bungled" their probe of the
Park Lane case. They deliberately
avoided going into the police situation
during their investigation, having been
so instructed at the outset by the
Attorney General.
Information Confidential.
A serious dificulty in the way of per-
hitting examination of the records by
the Commissioners or their agents. Maj
Donald A. Dawson and W. w. Bride,
is the fact that much of the informa-
ton contained therein was secured from
witnesses with the understanding 1t
would be held In confidence.
1t is probable the Government would
oppose use of the records as definite
evidence in any proceeding growing out
Of the police inquiry, but might give
careful consideration to any proposal
AtAn
records and protect the condolences i'm
posed In the Government by persons
who gave information.
Action by the committee, of which
Mai. Dawson and Bride are members,
cannot be taken before next Tuesday.
IL appeared today. Mai. Dawson will
be busy with the McCrory explosion
case until Tuesday and Corporation
Counsel Bride is out of town.
Allen Continues Active.
Robert J. Allen, dismissed policeman,
continued his activities in the McPher-
son case today by sending to John e.
Laskey. former special assistant to the
Attorney General, in charge Of the case
for the Government letter inviting
the lawyer to attend Aliens lecture at
the washington Auditorium Sunday
night. Allen has announced he will
discuss THE Inside of the Mcpherson
Case"
The letter to Laskey asked why it
was the second grand jury failed to
indict Robert A. Mcpherson, jr., after
Iaskey had announced he had enough
evidence to bring the husband to trial
on the charge of numbering his wife.
WAS it because you made mis-
take in introducing defense testimony,
a fact that was excoriated on the floor
oF the Senate nv Senator BleaSe of
South Carolina. and which the public.
as far IS I can learn. thought was I'M
precedented?" the former policeman
fTo,1{red