Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-25
Inspector Reports Window
Referred to by Allen Not
Visible From Spot.
INVESTIGATING OFFICER
CALLED BEFORE JURY
Miss Sheppard, One of Main Wit
nesses, Hysteria Victim,
Unable to Appear.

While witnesses in the Mcpherson
strangulation case continued their
steady trek into the grand jury room
today, Inspector of Police William s..
Shelby announced an investigation he
had made disproved one of the principal
clues offered by Robert ]. Allen, sus-
pended third precinct policeman, who
has contended that Mrs. Virginia Nc
Pherson, pretty blonde nurse, was mur-
dered, and did not take her own life
with knotted pajama cord.
Allen has contended that he saw
man climbing out of the window of
the Mcpherson apartment on the night
the woman met her death, while Shelby
says that he went this morning to the
spot where Allen said he was with a
brother officer, Policeman Bolts, and
that the window is not visible from
that point. Bolts was called before
the grand jury this afternoon.
Meanwhile, one of the main witnesses
in the case, Miss Eleanor Sheppard, a
nurse, who was friend of Mrs. Nc
Pherson, and who is the last person
known to have talked to her, Is con-
fined to her apartment in the Chelsea,
the victim, according to her physician,
of hysteria, and has not been able to
appear before the inquisitors.
Informs Homicide Chief.
Learning that her presence was de-
sired, she sent word this morning to
Lieut.. Edward J. Kelly, chief of the
homicide squad, asking that he come
to the apartment If there were any
questions to be asked. She explained
that being unable to leave her room, she
was anxious that the authorities be GER
tain of her condition that they might
know it was physical disability that
was keeping her away.
Lieut.. Kelly denied that continued
questioning by the police was responsible
for Miss Sheppard's condition, and her
physician stated as his opinion also that
the questioning had nothing to do with
it, but that the hysteria was Just the
result of the entire ordeal to which
she has been subjected.
Miss Martha Berry, nurse and inti-
mate friend of the dead woman, was
ordered to the stand when. the tri-
bunai convened at $40 O'Clock this
morning. She was questioned for ap-
proximately 80 minutes.
Miss Berry Is presumed to have told
the grand jury of an occasion when
Mrs. Mcpherson Is said to have at
tempted to end her life by leaping from
the roof of the High View Apartments,
where she formerly lived.
Tells Of Objection.
In addition, Miss Berry was ques-
toned relative to the objection which
Robert A. Mcpherson, jr., husband of
the dead woman, is said to have ex-
pressed to the friendship between the
two girls. A denial was made yesterday
SNxy nf SfInh nhicPfinY1
but the police say she admitted to them
that Mcpherson disliked her friendliness
to his wife.
Following testimony OF the nurse, Mrs.
Robert A. Mcpherson, ST., and her hus-
band were questioned by the jury.
Their testimony filled more than 80
minutes, at the close of which the in
vestigating body recessed for a short
period to review another case.
Resuming the investigation, the jury
summoned Mrs. Aileen Saville. manager
of the High View Apartments, and F.
M. Perkins, colored janitor Of that
building.
Their Testimony.
Mrs. Saville and the janitor were eX-
pected to tell of incidents which oc-
Cured when the McPherson's were re-
siding at the High View Apartments, OF
her alleged attempts at suicide, of the
asserted alterations which the young
couple had and their subsequent recon-
ciliation.
Young Mcpherson has told police that
he summoned Perkins at one time to aid
him in quieting his wife, who he said
became unmanageable, and beat her
head against the wall of their apart
ment
Mr.. and Mrs. Roy Heavrin, residents
of the Park Lane apartments, who say
they heard sounds of an alteration in
one of the many apartments on the
night when Mrs. Mcpherson died, were
next called before the grand jury. The
alteration. police say, has been traced
to an apartment in the Lombardy, next
door to the Park Lane, where man
and his wife had dispute, which
lasted for hours. Policeman Allen,
instigator of the probe, however, be-
lieves the disturbing sounds could be
more closely connected with the death
of Mrs Mcpherson.
Policeman Robert j. Allen, who yes
terday declared he wished he had
never started this thing" and knew
that he was through" appeared this
morning confident that his theory Of
murder would be established. After
comforting with United States Attorney
Leo Rover regarding the testimony Of
Policeman Bolts. whom Allen said had
been his partner when they patrolled
the vicinity of the Park Lane Apart
ments on the night Mrs. MCPHERSON
CONTINUED on Page 2, Column 81