Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-10
New Evidence Contradicts
Earlier Account of Darkness
in Mcpherson Apartment.
KELLY-SHELBY PROBE
ORDERED SUSPENDED
Commissioners Hold Up Special
Hearing Pending Outcome of
Operatives Work.

! New evidence believed to have an i'm
| portant bearing on the question OF
! whether Mrs. Virginia Mcpherson was
| strangled by pajama belt tied by her
own hands or by those of murderer
has been uncovered by the Department
| OF Justice, The Star learned today.
The new lead" sharply contradicting
previous reports concerning conditions
at the death scene when the body was
| found, has developed from the apparent
establishment of the fact that light
was burning in the bedroom, when the
Park Lane tragedy was discovered.
Prior to the investigation by the
Department of Justice 1t had been
claimed the bedroom was In darkness
after the nurses death, claim that
was used by advocates of the murder
theory in attacking the suicide verdict
OF the coroner's jury.
Point Made Of Darkness.
The point had been made repeatedly
that it was unlikely a person would
commit suicide in darkness, or that a
woman would be able to turn out the
lights while in the throeS of strangula-
ton.
With the point seemingly decided
that small table lamp in the bedroom
was turned on when the body was
discovered the question at once arises:
Would a murderer rish tie posSi-
bility of being seen by escaping through
window with the bedroom lamp
lighted?"
At the same time 1t is apparent that
the Department of Justice so far has
not endeayored to draw any conclusions
whatever from any of the evidence or
testimony now in its possession. 1t has
received much information Of conflict
ing nature. and until all the data are
at hand and weighed in relation to
known facts in the case, the importance
of new leads as well as old ones can
not be estimated
Work With Open Mind.
The Federal investigators emphasize
that they are proceeding with an open
mind" toward all theories and their first
efforts will be devoted to determining
whether the girl ended her own life or
was the victim Of murderer.
1t was in pursuance of the desire to
establish at the outset whether 4 crime
had been committed that thorough
study Of conditions at the scene of the
death was undertaken. This study Is
not yet completed.
The question as to the lights in the
room naturally was one for special con-
sideration, in view Of tho stress laid on
vestigations. It was generally under
stood until today that witnesses had
testified, without discrepancy, that the
bedroom lights were extinguished.
Evidence Regarded as Convincing.
From whom the Department of Jus
tice obtained the information pointing
to different condition with respect to
the lights has not been divulged. 1t is
indicated, however, that the department
regards the new testimony as rather
convincing.
The fact that the table lamp in the
bedroom was lighted during and after
the tragedy does not necessarily pre-
clude the possibility of murder, it is
pointed out. A murderer does not al
ways think of such details as extin-
gushing lights, although it is certain
that II murder was committed on the
night of September IL at the Park Lane
Apartments, the guilty person exercised
what trained detectives regard as re-
markable ingenuity.
The theory that a murderer fled
through a window of the apartment
onto low gravel roof outside was ad-
vanced first by Policeman Robert j.
Allen, central figure in the reopening of
the case. Allen had sworn he saw a
man on the roof near the Mcpherson
apartment late in the night of the
tragedy.
Janitor's Testimony Recalled.
william Mills, colored janitor of the
Lombardy Apartments. next door, was
one witness whose statements support
ed the supposition that the Mcpherson
apartment was dark that night. He has
declared that when he was awakened
by screams he went into the areaway
between the two buildings and saw no
lights except in an apartment far re-
moved from the scene Of the womans
death.
The possibility OF an escape by way
OF the bedroom door has been ques-
toned because of the testimony that
the body rested against the door, on the
inside, and that force was necessary to
shove the door open after Robert Nc
Pherson, jr., husband of the girl, re-
ported finding his wife dead.
Await Trial Results.
Meanwhile the stigma of the grand
iury's bitter attack on the Detective
Bureau for the alleged bungling of the
investigation probably will not be re-
moved until final disposition of the
case in the courts, it was indicated at
the District Building today as a result
directing the special board of inquiry to
suspend indefinitely its probe of the
charges of inefflciency against IN
spector William S. Shelby and Lieut..
Edward j. Kelly.
The decision to call a halt on the
investigation came late yesterday after
noon after several previous signs that
the inquiry was on the verge of col
lapse through the failure of the grand
jury to support its charges. The Com
missioners, however explained that
suspension of the investigation does
not mean that no further effort will
be made to determine the innocence
or guilt of Shelby and Kelly. but on the
contrary, the inquiry will be resumed
at some future date when it will not
be so likely to prejudice the case of
Robert A. Mcpherson, who has been
indicted for murder in connection with
the mysterious death of his young
wife.
In the meantime, the status of Shelby
, and Kelly will remain unchanged. 1t
was said despite the efforts of friends
to have them restored to their former
positions in the Detective Bureau pend
ing completion of the inquiry. Inspec-
tor Shelby, the deposed chief of the
Detective Bureau. is now in command
of the uniformed forces of the Police
a -