davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1929-10-09

While the many leads, runrors AMI
conjectures are being run out by
Department of Justice agents, mem
bers of the homicide squad are still
maintaining that Virginia Mcpherson
died by her own hand and have
endeavored to convince the justice
operatives that their theory is
correct.
Detective Sergt. Joseph Waldron,
who went to New York, on one
angle of the case was quiZzed at
length yesterday as was Detective
Sergt. Dennis Cullinane. Cullinane
was on office duty the day the
girls body was found and accom-
panied Lieut. Edward J. Kelly to
the scene of the crime.
Board Still Sits
With investigators quiZZing wit
nesses in the Department of Justice,
in an effort to get all Of the facts
in the mystery death, the special
board Of inquiry, named to investi.
gate charges of the Grand Jury
that Inspector William s. Shelby
and Lieut.. Edward J. Kelly, had
attempted to muzzle witnesses and
bunglej the investigation, sat in the
District Building in solitary state.
Six witnesses, all members of the
grand jury which reported against
the veteran policemen and recon-
mended that they be disciplined,
were called by the board for yes
terday and only one put in his ap.
pearance. This witness Eugene
Beatty. bitterly assailed the action
of the grand jury, declaring that
the charges were the direct result
of prejudice.
The hearing, of the % members
of the grand jury, turned out to be
a farce. The board had made
elaborate plans for the hearings and
Corporation Counsel William w.
Bride even asked for a policeman
to be detailed at a door, about 40
feet from the hearing room, to keep
ficials.
For and Against
AS the matter now stands there
have been two witnesses against
the officers and two who have
warmly supported them. The other
members of the jury merely stayed
away and gave no explanation.
The board lacks power to subpoena
or extract information from anyone.
Just what will happen in the case
of the 70 additional witnesses, all
witnesses in the Mcpherson death
quiz, remains to be seen. The board
has sent out invitations to one and
all to come in and tell what they
know. After seeing what happened
in the case of the grand jurors,
many at the District Building are
wagering odds that the board is in
for a few more days of watchful
waiting.
The Washington times., 1929-10-09

From then until 2:45 a. m. today
Dayton sat beside the body of his
sweetheart. Then he called Lorenzo
Jones, colored bellboy, and made his
startling statement Jones went to
the hotel desk and gasped out his
story to William Bowman, house de-
tective, while Dayton returned to
the room where Morrow found him.
Dayton Still Drunk In Precinct
Dayton was wearing a tuxedo
when arrested. A small handbag
containing a change of clothes was
found in the room. Miss O'Don-
nell's shoes and stockings, the
former bloodstained were found
neatly placed under the bed and
were taken. along with other
articles found in the room, to the
Eighth precinct.
After talking to Dayton at the
precinct for a few minutes. Lieu
tenant Morgan said he was so
obviously still under the influence
Of liquor that there was no use in
trying to get statement from him
at that time. Dayton will be taken
to headquarters today for further
questioning.
Home In Missouri
Dayton came to Washington
about eight months ago. He had
had several positions before going
The Washington times., 1929-10-09
IT HOTEL, MURDER IS End OF KIND HERE In MONTH
WIND AND COLD
GREET TEAMS
IN CHICAGO
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CONTINUED from First Page)
and. according to those who were
supposed to enjoy Mr.. Mack's con-
fidence. Earnshaw> would be the
man unless 1t turned that he had
nothing but the right idea.
Joe Mccarthy, Cub manager, was
all set with Pat Malone as his
pitcher and, with the drab back
ground of the leaden sky to work
with, Patrick's 'high-hard" one fig
ured to be not without its effect.
However there still was some
doubt on the other side of the field,
It being held by some of the volun-
teer managers that John Picus
Quinn, who is older than Santa Claus
himself, would deploy his salivary
gland into action on behalf Of Mr..
Mack. John Picus, with his splitting
and slow one, wasn't a bad bet. at
that, after the way Ehmke con-
founded the resident nine in the first
game. Another thing. in his favor
was the fact that he is a notorious
cold weather pitcher.
And today was colder than
maekerel's mustache.
1t was so cold that the occupants
of the bleachers sat in miserable
silence through most of the prelimi.
nary workouts, rousing themselves
only to a momentary stir when
Stephenson hit successive drives into
the leftfield stands during batting
practice.
The grand stand, being reserved
for the aristocracy, quite naturally
was almost deserted when the
Athletics made, their appearance at
noon. Those hardy souls who did
| occupy seats in the covered stands
at this hour must have been all
dressed UP with no place to go.
Anyhow, there was no doubt that
they were all dressed up. Most of
them were dressed to their eye
brows, their chins being buried In
their bosoms and their ears in their
| coat collars.
The band headed by Altrock and
| schacht, did its best to bring some
cheer to the occasion. However,
| the kind of cheer the fame needed
| doesn't come out of horns.
| Malone's probable selection as the
| Chicago pitcher seemed to be Or
dained when he took his place at
| batting practice. However, when the
Athletics stepped into the cage for
| their turn, both Earnshaw and
Quinn went up there to see what
they could about it. There was
nothing to do, therefore, but to wait
until shortly before game time
| when the ceremony known as warm
| ing up was to take place.
The crowd brushed icicles off its
whiskers long enough to raise a
cheer when the Cubs went out for
| fielding practice at 1 o'clock, How
ever. they seemed to be more in.
| terested in the fact that Jimmy
! Foxx. the only home-run hitter of
| yesterdays game, had just waited
one into the distant stands in left
field. At this hour the reserved
sections were about half filled with
the main detachment Of the crowd
still journeying on it's way to the
park.
The Washington times., 1929-10-09

Seated in the sergeant's room at
Police Station No. faultlessly at
tired in Tuxedo and patent leather
shoes, Dayton told police the story
leading up to the finding this morn
ing of his dead sweetheart.
He had been drinking since Sun
day, he told the officers. On Satur.
day he made an appointment with
the girl, whom. he had known for
the past eight months, to meet her
Monday night. Going to her home
about 8 p. m. Monday Dayton says
he met Miss O'Donnell, and they
went to a downtown restaurant
where they duied. He did not know
the name of the restaurant.
The couple went to the hotel about
midnight Monday. There a quarrel
began. Both drank after going to
the hotel, he said. Dayton is alleged
to have asked the girl to marry him,
saying that he was mot making
enough money now. but to marry
her as soon as he could" rne girl
told him, he says, that ''proDably
she would marry another man. :"
The Washington times., 1929-10-09
DautOn Tells H0W He Killed Her
Then Went TO Sleep By Body

Dayton does not know the name Of
the other man.
The couple quarreled until about
2:30 Tuesday morning, according to
Dayton's story. Then, at about 8
o'clock, as the girl was lying inert
on the bed, the man strangled her
to death. He says that she made
little, If any, resistance.
At that time. Dayton said. me
realized "a little" what he had
done, and tried to drink enough
whiskey to get up enough cour
age to kill himself" with a gun
he had brought to the hotel when
he registered. Failing in his ef-
fort to bolster up his courage, the
man went to sleep. awaking again
some time during the day Tues
day. He drank the rest IF the
liquor he had and went to sleep
again.
Tried to End Life
Awakening at 2:30 this morning.
the man realized what he had
done, he told police. and tried TO
shoot himself with the pistol. The
The Washington times., 1929-10-09

The slain girl, according to her
sister, left her Sixteenth Street
apartment, about SIS Monday
evening in the company of young
Dayton. She was in evening dress
and Dayton was dressed in a
tuxedo. They intended to meet a
couple from Kansas City, believed
to have been registered at Ward
man Park Hotel, and then to go to
@ dance.
Dayton was in excellent spirits
and was jubilant over his success
as an insurance salesman. He had
just given up position with LOCAL
sewing machine company to enter
the Insurance business and had
been extremely successful, writing
a number of worthwhile policies.
That was the last the sister saw
of the slain girl until notified to-
day by the police Of the tragedy.
She became worried early last eve-
The Washington times., 1929-10-09
FOR SHOE
SHOP LOSS

William T. Miller, 100 block
Massachusetts Ave, former man
ager of the Lincoln Shoe Store,
100 block G. St.. N. W., was held
on $1,000 bond in Police Court
Yesterday by Judge Robert f. Mat
tingly for investigation by the
Grand Jury on a charge of en-
bezzlement.
Miller is held in connection with
an alleged shortage of ITO pairs
of shoes and a small sum of money.
Previously he had agreed to pay
SO a week out of his salary as
compensation for shortage of 23
pairs, but he did so because as
manager of the store he took re-
sponsibility for any loss Of stock,
his lawyer, Harry Whelan said.
The Washington times., 1929-10-09
Miss ODonneU Was Engaged
To a Man Named Taylor, Report

Dayton's jealousy is believed to
have been aroused by the attentions
shown Miss O'Donnell by q young
man named Taylor, who is reported
to have been engaged to her.
Miss ODonnell's close friends
knew of the engagement and heard
her discuss plans for her marriage.
She did not have an engagement
ring, but 1t was known that she was
deeply in love with Taylor, and that
they contemplated getting married
before long.
Taylor's first name Is not known
eevn to Miss O'DonnelTs closest
friends. He is said to be studying
dentistry and to be employed by a
dentist outside of Washington. For
merly. it is said. he WAS ernploYed
The Washington times., 1929-10-09
MCPHERSON CLUES
GROW WARMER
Continued from First PagD

Continued from First PagD
but confined himself to discussion
! of the blood stains found on the
bathroom floor and also on the floor
of the bedroom close by the body
Came From Florida
While most Of the other witnesses
have been asked to call at the de-
partment agents went out and
brought in the colored witness
wanted this morning. All efforts
to ascertain her identity failed, as
did attempt to find out what she
might know about the Mcpherson
case. Her only reply to questions
by newspapermen was that she was
from Jacksonville, Fla.
Fred Latham, the 14-year-old
school boy who yesterday revealed
to The Times an attempt MADE last
summer to drown Mrs. MCPHERSON
is expected to be called before the
agents today. He has positively
identified pictures of Mrs. McPner'
son as the woman who was threat
ened with drowning in the Potomac
in July, and has also identified pic
lures of one of the men he says
accompanied her on that occasion
Another witness has been located,
it is understood, who is prepared to
testify that on the night oi Septem'
ber II, the night Mrs. Mcpherson
is believed to have been slain, she
was warned by a friend of Robert
A. Mcpherson, jr., to keep away
from the nurses apartment"
The friend, of the dead nurse, told
Justice agents that she was ner'
vous on account of her girl friend
and was about to visit her This she
said she was warned against by the
friend of the nurses husband.
Gives New Light
Considerable weight Is given the
testimony of the girl by those on
the investigation. and a number OF
new avenues probably will be opened
as the result of her statement.
The second development came
when agents were hurriedly sent to
the home of A. A. Hurley, father OF
the dead girl, at Chester, S. c., to
investigate a report to tie effect
that at the time of her death Mrs.
Mcpherson had $1,000, which so
far has not been accounted for.
The only money found after the
girl died was $41 which her hus'
band took from her purse shortly
after finding the body.
While in Chester, S. c., agents
will also endeavor to learn more
about the engagement ring of the
pretty nurse, which has mysteriously
vanished.
Ring And Money
Young Mcpherson at the jail,
several days ago, admitted that he
had taken the sal, for safe keeping
but stated that he knew nothing
of the engagement ring. He also
said, that on the Wednesday. pre-
ceeding the day he found the life
less body Of his wife, that they
had quarreled and she had re.
turned her wedding ring to him.
In regard to the money supposed
to have been left by the nurse,
$4O0. according to agents had. been
paid to her just prior to her
death. This will be run out after
the girls father has been inter.
viewed at his home.
The Washington times., 1929-10-09
Sister Searched City When
Marjorie Failed to Come Home

ming and instituted a search for the
sister. She, called every hospital,
inquired if a marriage license had
been issued to her sister at Rock
vile, called most of the hotels, and
inquired Of taxicab companies. but
without any results.
The slain girl had never before
remained away from her apart
ment over night and the sister was
apprehensive that something dread
full had happened.
Marjorie was we'll educated
girl and was employed in an edi-
torial capacity by the National
Geographic Society. She wrote
articles for the National Geo
graphic Magazine. She was a
graduate of a Catholic college and
also attended the University of
Pittsburgh. Her father is said to
be editor of a Uniontown, Pa,
newspaper. Her mother is dead and
bar father is rom arriad
The Washington times., 1929-10-09
Malone, Cubs Pitcher,
Faces Assault Suit

CLEVELAND, Oct. 9,-Pat Ma.
lone, pitcher for the Chicago Cubs,
will be sued at the close of the
world series by F. R. Howe. of
Lakewood, for an alleged assault
In a Cincinnati Hotel last Thursday
unless Judge Kenesaw Landis. base
ball czar, takes action. Howe as
serted today.
Howe, who claims ne received
head bruises and blackened eye
at the hands of Malone. said he mad
written Joe Mccarthy. manager Of
the Cubs, and Judge Lands re-
rarding the alleged assault.
The Washington times., 1929-10-09

by the Government, here.
Taylor wSs scheduled to visit
Miss O'Donnell in Washington
either late in September or early
in October. 1t is believed that his
contemplated visit aroused the
jealousy of Dayton to a pitch of
frenzy.
Close friends of Miss O'Donnell
heard her say repeatedly that she
liked Dayton and that she con.
sidered him a nice young man but
that she simply could not love him
and that marriage to him was en-
tirely out of the question. In his
note left at the scene of the tragedy
Dayton mentioned that he was
madly in love with Miss O'Donnell
that the love was unrequited,. and
that he could not live without her.
The Washington times., 1929-10-09
Continued from First Page

Continued from First Page).
who has figured so prominently in
the Mcpherson case.
Miss ODonnell, who was 23 years
old and lived in an apartment in the
1900 block of Sixteenth st. N. w.
with her sister Catherine, was lying
on the bed clothed in an evening
gown, without shoes and stockings.
Her face was terribly beaten and
finger marks stood out on her
throat in bright red splotches.
Dead Several Hours
DIR. John N. Bader. of Emer-
gency Hospital, called by Morrow
and Schultz to the room said Miss
O'Donnell had been dead "for sew
eral hours"
On the dresser were two empty
pint whisky bottles. The room
was not I'm disorder. The muir.
derer had even placed his VIC
tim in the bed in comfort
able" position and had covered
her up. Only the bruised face
and disOrdered hair were visible
as indications of the crime. The
m. ked throat was covered.
In the dresser drawer was found
q note several pages in length.
Lieut.. Joseph C. Morgan, new head
of the homicide squad, would not
give reporters the entire contents
of the note, but read to them part
Of it. which follows:
II am going to kill my sweet
heart and then myself" the note
began. 81 know / love her
without her love / can not live.
1--WE have both deceived each
other and hurt one another. Now
the effect of the liquor is wearing
off. shall begin drinking again
and get up enough Dutch cour-
age to kill. myself"
This last sentence caused a
The Washington times., 1929-10-09
QuarreIed Ouer Other Man
And Killed While She Slept

time from Monday evening until her
death.
Finally, Miss ODonnell dOzed
off and Dayton related that he,
grabbed her throat and began to
strangIe her.
She awoke and tried to tight
him off. Bruises on her knees
bore mute evidence of the fight
she made for her life.
She finally sank into uncOn-
sciOusness, but his hold on her
thoat did not relax until he was
sure that she was dead. That was
sometime Tuesday," Dayton told
Lieutenant Morgan.
The Washington times., 1929-10-09
Mothers Dream of D. G. Home
With Son Shattered By Crime

KANSAS CITY, Mo, Oct. S
IN S.).-A widowed mothers dream
of a comfortable home with her
son in Washington was shattered
here today when Mrs. Edith Day
ton was informed that her only
child, Dexter Churchill Dayton, 25,
had confessed to strangling his
sweetheart to death in a Washing
ton hotel.
Mrs. Dayton obtained employ
ment only this morning as house
keeper in the home of George N.
Church here. Less than two hours
after she started her new position,
she was located by an Interna-
tional News Service reporter who
informed her of her sons confes-
The Washington times., 1929-10-09
Three Held as Agents
For Sale of ReYOlYers

NEW YORK. Oct. S.-Accused of
operating sales agency for the
distribution OF revolvers, three men
were arraigned in Tombs Court on
charges of violating the Sullivan
law. They were released In hail
of 81 900 each.
The accused are Ramon Capul,
80; Rafael Dearmas and John
Thompson. Thompson is the owner
of the building at 125 Liberty St.
where the men operated the
agency.
The Washington times., 1929-10-09
Slain Girl, Editors Daughter;
Had Worked For NeUsDnDers

OIL CITY. Pa, Oct. 8 0.N.s.e-
Marjorie ODonnell, who was
strangled to death in a hotel at
Washington, D. c., today, was the
daughter of John O'Donnen, editor
of the Oil City Derrick.
Miss O'Donnell was formerly a
newspaper woman, having been EN-.
ployed for sometime as club editor
on the old Pittsburgh Sun. She left
that position in August, 1927, when
the Sun was consolidated with the
old Chronicle Telegraph, and ac-
cepted a position with the National
The Washington times., 1929-10-09
GIRL IS STRANC[ED IN
~
MIDNIGHT LOVE ROW

search to be made for weapon
or poison. Beneath the neatly
folded blanket on the foot Of one
of the twin beds was found a
fully loaded .38 calibre pistol. A
full box OF 50 shells for the pistol
also was found there.
The note written In ink on
hotel stationery, cOntinued4
How i hate myself for the pain
have inflicted on her. May
God forgive me. Now my woman
is dead! Marcy, sweetheart.
A last request from murderer
and n suicide. .. She is my
wife. God forgive us both"
The note was unsigned. AL.
though he referrde to her as his
wife, Lieut.. Morgan told re-
porters he had no information
that they were man and wife.
Detective Sergts. Fl. K. Wilson
and Oscar Mansfield. who were sent
to the hotel from headquarters
found that the couple had registered
as r. c. and j., III. Burton, of Bal
timore, at lilo a. m. Monday.
Reveals Her Identity
For some minutes, Miss ODon-
nell's true identity was unknown.
Just before being taken to the sta
ton house, Dayton told the detec.
tives who she was and they called
her sister.
At the station house, as the effect
of the liquor wore off, Dayton told
Lieutenant Morgan what he re-
membered of the events leading up
to the tragedy.
Dayton, 25 years old. salesman
for the Sun Life Insurance Com
pany, who lives in the 1900 block
H st. N. W., had known Miss
O'Donnell, an employe Of the Ma.
tional Geographic Society, for about
four months, he said.
The Washington times., 1929-10-09

'I don't believe my baby did any
thing so terrible" she said.
Young Dayton, a handsome chap,
left Kansas City last March after
holding minor positions with sew
eral Kansas City firms. He told
his mother he was going East to
seek success. He obtained a posi-
ton as a life insurance salesman
in Washington.
Recently he wrote his mother,
who has been a widow for 20 years,
that he hoped to bring her to
Washington to live as a Christmas
present this year.
Young Dayton's father was a
prominent grain dealer here before
his death. The widow was left in
meager circumstances
The Washington times., 1929-10-09

gun failed, and Dayton called the
bellboy whom he told that he "h I'd
killed is sweetheart" Police found
him on his knees, rosary claspcd
in his hands.
Capt. Robert E. Doyle, of Station
No. 8, interrupted the questioning
of Dayton to permit him to confer
with the Rev. j. L. Kilkenny, of ST.
Paurs Catholic Church, who came
to the station at Dayton's request.
The priest had nothing to say after
the interview, other than to state
that the youth seemed to be bear
ing up well.
Earlier in the morning Dayton re-
The Washington times., 1929-10-09
Times Staff Photo.

fused to talk with newspaper men
Asked if he had an attorney, the
dapper youth said that he did not
need one.
To all further questions Dayton
merely replied. Please don't annoy
me any more. for l have nothing
to say" and fell to pacing the mar,
row confines of his cell again.
Immediately after making his
statement to police at the Eighth
precinct, Dayton was taken to head.
quarters. AS he left the station he
was greeted by battery of camera
men, but shielded his face with his
hat.
The Washington times., 1929-10-09

Shortly after II a. m. Monday
he went to the hotel and registered,
meeting Miss O'Donnell later in the
day by appointment. They went to
the room and had few drinks. y
later going to a restaurant for din
ner. Then they returned to the
hotel, Dayton related.
Killed While She Slept 8.
During the night they began quar-
reling over her refusal to cease re-
ceiving the attentions of another
man. AS they quarreled he drank,
Dayton said, but Miss D'Donnell had
only a few drinks during the entire
The Washington times., 1929-10-09
Photo -Engravers Seek
40-HOur, 5-Day Week

DENVER, Oct. Q.N.S0.-A 40
hour, 5-day week will be sought
throughout the country for mem
bers of the International Photo
Engravers Union of North America,
according TO Edward ]. Volz, presi-
The Washington times., 1929-10-09

dent of the, organization, who WIS.,
tied here. T..
In a new working agreement,
Volz said, the union has provided
that the 4O-hour week take effect
during July and August of next
year, and that another month of
the shorter working arrangement
be added each year. The union now
has 5000 members,
The Washington times., 1929-10-09

Geographic Magazine in Washing.
ton.
She was a graduate of Setan Hall,
u girls school near Greensburg
Pa, and the Ursulina Academy at
Pittsburgh.
While in Washington she lived
with an older sister, Katherine
Another sister, Margaret, is a stud
ent at Holy Cross Academy al
Washington.
The father plans to leave Oil CITY
for Washington. this afternoon.
The Washington times., 1929-10-09
Laurel Work Outs

Weather clear. track fast
FIVE-EIGHTHS