Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-03
SPECIAL ATTORNEY
WILL Be APPOINTED
Department of Justice to
Take Over Prosecution
of Mcpherson Case.
Continued From First Page)

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liam w. Bride and Mai. Donald A.
Dawson. Assistant Engineer Commits
sioner, who constitute the special board
appointed by the Commissioners to in
vestigate the grand iury's charges
against Inspector William S. Shelby and
Lieut.. Edward J. Kelly, completed prep
arations today for the inquiry by max
Ing q personal survey of the apartment
in the Park Lane where the garroted
body of Mrs. Virginia Mcpherson was
found September IA.
Surroundings Studied.
Accompanied by Headquarters De-
tective Dennis J. Cullinane, the board
made the inspection OF the apartment
with view to familiaring itself with
all Of the physical conditions surround
ing the mysterious death Of Mrs. Nc
PherSon in order better to visualize the
verbal pictures to be painted by the
witnesses who appeared before It,. The
position in which the body was found,
the location Of the pool Of blood, and
every other detail surrounding the case
was studied.
Bride and DAWSON visited the apart
ment after q conference with United
States Attorney Lso A. Rover, the Sec
ond since their designation by the
Commissioners to sift the charges
against the two police officers. Rover
promised the full cooperation of his
once In the inquiry.
The investigation will be formally
opened at 10 O'Clock tomorrow morn
ing and is expected to continue for at
least three weeks. All of the sessions
will be held behind closed doors. with
the public and the press barred, but
Bride explained the complete transcript
of the testimony of the witnesses would
be made public at the close of the in
vestigati
Merritt o. Chance. former postmaster
of Washington. and foreman OF the
grand Jury which returned an indtct-
ment tor muroer against Robert Nc
PherSop and bitterly criticised Shelby
and Kelly for the manner in which they
handled the investigation Of his wife'S
death. is to be the first witness. Police
man Robert J. Allen, whose ''unau-
thorized" investigation OF the case re-
suited in the indictment OF Mcpherson.
scheduled to follow Chance on the wit
ness stand.
Grand Jurors Called.
The board also has sent registered
letters to all members OF the grand
jury, requesting their appearance, and
similar invitations will be extended later
to the 20 witnesses who testified before
1t. as we'll as Coroner J. Ramsey hewitt
and DR.. Joseph D. Rogers, deputy cor
oner who performed the autopsy on
Mrs McPhersons body, as well as
members Of the coroners jury. who re-
turned the verdict of suicide in the
case.
There Is a probability. 1t was said
that Mcpherson may be used as q
witness. as well as the members of his
family and the family OF MRS. McPher-
son. but the board said 1t would not
request their presence. II any men,
bers OF the family of either Mcpherson
or his wife desire to testify, 1t was
announced, the board would be glad
to hear them.
Bride and Dawson are carefully scan
ming the list Of the 10 witnesses who
testified before the grand jury with a
view to eliminating any of them whose
testimony may not have any direct re-
lation to the charges against Shelby
and Kelly. It Is likely. 1t was indi-
Gated. that some of them will not be
| invited to appear. unless they desire
| to do so. Bride made it clear that he
has extended q blanket invitation to
any person to testify who may have
any information which may be Of value
to the board in probing the charges
against the two police officers.
!
has been mapped cut 50 that the board
| can complete taking the testimony OF
members of the grand jury and the
three principal figures in the case
Allen, Shelby and Keny-by Monday
afternoon, after which It will call the
! witnesses before the grand jury and
the coroner's jury.
Text Of Letters.
requesting their appearance before the
special board of inquiry, follow In part:
The Commissioners of the District
OF Columbia have designated the I'M
dersigned to investigate to the fullest
extent the charges made by the grand
! Jury in the resolution dated September
| 80, 1929, concerning the alleged most
| inefIicient and unbusinesslike manner
in which the investigation into the
death of Mrs. Virginia Mcpherson was
conducted. as well as certain alleged
misconduct Of certain ofhcials involv-
ing the Withholding of testimony and
its actual perversion.
ITO that end, it is desired that all
persons who have any knowledge Of
any fact or facts relating thereto are
requested to appear before us that such
Information may be brought to light.
and If there be responsibility by
any department or individual that re-
sponsibility be fixed and a report there
on made to the Board of Commission
erS
You were a member of the grand
Jury above referred to. and 1t Is respect
fully requested that you appear before
this board at room 425. District Build
ing. at Chour) on day so that you
as are within your knowledge with ref
erence to the subjects under investiga-
ton.
"There is to be no thought other than
to get the full facts"
The letters were mailed last night
after Bride and Dawson conferred with
United States Attorney Rover and pro-
cured an official list Of the members
of the grand Jury as we'll as the wit
board members also discussed with
Rover certain legal aspects of the in
veStigation and went back again today
for the same purpose.
Confidence that his client would be
exonerated was expressed today by
william Z. Leahy, attorney for Nc
II see no reason to object to an early
trial" Leahy declared. Il feel sure
the boy will come clean because I can
see no motive he might have had to
kill his wife. People don't commit
murder without q motive. They had
separated, so why should he want to
murder her?"
Leahy had q long conference today
with the parents of the young defend
ant, mapping out plans for his defense
These plans still are in preliminary
stage as Leahy only recently was re-
tanned to represent Mcpherson and as
vet has had no opportunity to become
familiar with all the details connected
with the case.
Leahy explained that he was i'm.