Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-12

the Senate and that an investigation
and report is to be made by that COM
mittee.
I'VE assume you desire to ascertain
the facts, not only as to the suspension
of Officer Allen, but also as to the
blanket accusations of majority OF
the grand Jury against Assistant Su-
perintendent Of Police Shelby and
Lieut.. Edward J. Kelly in connection
with their testimony as chief OF de-
tectives and head of the homicide
squad at the secret sessions Of the
grand jury in what is known as the
Mcpherson case. They and We, as their
counsel, offer you our fullest cooper
alton to that end.
"They welcome an opportunity to an
swer accusations, which opportunity has
heretofore been denied, and ask that
those, who will now be required to ap-
pear, be asked to specify and make
definite the precise acts Of omission
for their accusation. Otherwise, they
would be compelled to detail their en-.
tire activities in that case, as they are
conscious of no wrongful or improper
acts, either in this connection or at
any time during their more than 20
years of service on the Metropolitan
Police force of the District Of Columbia.
ture of the acts which were the basis
for the alleged charges, they will be
entirely in the dark. They not only
will be unable to prepare for their
defense before your committee, but VIII
be required to waste much Of your
valuable time and to speculate as to the
information desired by the committee.
Promise to Answer.
1--WE assume that your committee
will be DESTROYS of conserving as much
time as possible and minimizing any
possible interference with the investi-
! cation and trial Of Robert A. McPher-
son. If you will permit them to testify
after their accuserS have testified, We
believe that they will be able to answer
| them fully, completely and finally"
The joint statement issued by the
| attorneys follows:
Assistant Supt. Shelby and Lieut..
\ Kelly and their counsel have offered the
Senate District committee the fullest
cooperation in ascertaining all peril
| nent facts relating to their activities
| in which Is known as the Mcpherson
case
"They welcome this opportunity to be
advised of the specific acts of omis-
| sion and commission which were the
basis of the sweeping accusations OF
| the grand jury.
"They hope that the Senate investi-
| cation can be conducted so as not to
| interfere with the investigation and
trial of Robert A. Mcpherson, who has
been indicted for the alleged murder OF
| his wife. While they are willing to CO.
operate to that end, they are not re-
| sponsible for the accusations against
| them or the time or manner OF their
| investigation, and will answer all ques-
tons fully and completely in Justice to
those who have expressed faith in them
and to themselves"
Enters Conference.
| Inspector Shelby returned today to
the Department of Justice for another
| conference with Government agents in
charge of the Governments inquiry
into the Mcpherson case.
/ Since the department is not con-
| cerned with the accusations against the
Police Department 1t was assumed the
inspector was questioned again regard
| ing details of the findings which led
| local police authorities to believe Viz
ginia Mcpherson a suicide.
| A police private, whose name was not
| disclosed, also conferred with the Gov
| eminent agents this morning.
| In view of the opinion expressed by a
| physician to the effect that Mrs. Nc
Pherson may have had fractured skull
| WIl6Il I1eE DOQy WAS 1OuIlu, IL ID huOWH
the Justice investigators are considering
the possibility that some instrument
other than a pajama belt may have con-
tributed to her death.
Might Explain Trip.
It is believed the denomination of
police witnesses with this theory in
mind may explain the visit to the de-
partment today of Inspector Shelby and
the policeman.
The theory hinges, of course, on the
result of the new autopsy to be under
taken in China Grove, N. c. The
elimination of the girls body was ar
ranged primarily to determine the EVIL
dences of a skull fracture reported by
DIR. Edward A. German. DR.. German
who pronounced the nurse dead, has
informed the Government he found
some evidences pointing toward frac-
ture, although the official autopsy per-
formed by the coroner's ONCE failed to
! disclose any significant marks of
violence beyond those caused by the
! pajama belt garrote.
Among others questioned at the De-
partment of Justice today were MIR. and
Mrs. James Copperthite, proprietors Of
a boathouse on the upper Potomac
They were called to testify concerning
report that woman resembling Mrs
Mcpherson narrowly escaped drowning
In the river at the hands of two men
who had taken her out in a boat. Mr.
and Mrs. Copperthite said they werC
unable to suhStantiate the report.