Evening star., 1929-12-04
ASKSfEDERAL AID
IN SCRVENER CASE
Grand Jury Requests Justice
Department to Help Check
Fingerprint on Pistol.

nnent of Justice by the grand jury
investigating the mysterious death of
Detective Sergt. Arthur B. Scrivener
IL was learned today.
The Department of Justice has been
requested to assist in checking a par
tial fingerprint found on the pistol with
which Scrivener was shot. 1t was re-
ported that the departments experts
also would take fngerprints of various
persons connected with the case.
Shortly before noon today Thomas
?. Cullen. an inspector of the Bureau
Of Investigation Of the Department of
Justice, and E. x. Thode, chief Of the
division of Identification and informs-
ton of the Bureau of Investigation,
arrived at the grand jury room in the
District Supreme Court Building and
said they were planning to have a con-
ference with United States Attorney
Leo A. Rover.
Would Check Prints.
Meanwhile John F. Maragon of Chi
easo, a former friend of Scrivener, an
nounced he would make special ef-
fort to have the fingerprint said by
police to have been found on the
weapon with which Scrivener was kill
ed definitely established as authentic.
Maragon previously had told reporters
he planned to suggest to the grand
jury when he was called as a witness
that it cause the fingerprints OF all
persons connected in any way with
the case" to be taken and checked
with the print found on the pistol.
Surprise was caused by the arrival to-
day of Garner Scrivener, a brother of
the slain detective, from Akron, Ohio,
where he is q member of the police
force. He said he expected to be called
before the grand jury.
The dead detectives brother asserted
he would be willing to give the inquisi-
torial body all the information in his
possession. He explained he was In VIM
chester, Va, at the time Of the funeral
of his brother from the home of his
parents, Mr.. and Mrs. Turner Scrivener.
Witness Recalled.
Miss Catharine Markey, a witness of
yesterday, was recalled today. She was
the first person questioned by the
grand jury this morning. Miss Markey
declined to discuss the case on leaving
the grand jury room. She previously
had. said she last saw Scrivener two
days before his death and that he asked
her on that occasion to be his wife.
though he had told others he intended
=
Another witness recalled today was
Sergt. Fred Sandberg, chief of the
Police Department bureau of identifi-
cation. Sandberg carried q large en-
velope when he entered the grand jury
room and returned empty handed. He
was believed to have presented in evi-
dence q fingerprint of q member Of
the Police Department. Sandberg re-
fused to comment on any angle Of the
case.
After q previous session with the
grand jury. Sandberg told newspaper
men he had found q fingerprint on the |
Scrivener pistol, which convinced him |
the detective was murdered because |
the Identification failed to correspond
with Scriveners fngerprintS.
One Of yesterdays developments In
the scrivener Investigation was the let
ter of Senator Cole BleRSe, Democrat, Of
South Carolina, to District Attorney
Rover. in which the Southern SENATOR
sharply criticized the present grand jury
for its decision in the Mcpherson case
and said IL would be "nonsensical" to
submit any matter to this grand jury
where an unbiased or unprejudiced re-
suit would be expected"
Senator's Reply.
This was the reply Of Senator Biease
70 letter Mr.. Rover had sent him the |
day before, inviting the Senator to send
to the District attorneys ONCE any in
formation he may have bearing on the
death Of Scrivener
Honorable Leo A. Rover, United States
District Attorney, Washington, D. c.
Dear Sir:
II have yours of December 2, which
reads as follows: MY Dear Senator
Blease: The grand jury this morning
commenced an investigation into the
facts and circumstances surrounding
the death Of Detective Sergt Arthur
Scrivener. which occurred on the morn
ing Of October Is, 1925.
al have been advised that you may
have in your possession some informa-
ton which would be helpful in arriving
at the truth surrounding the death Of
Mr.. Scrivener.
"T should therefore appreciate it If
you would send the information to my
ONCE 80 that it may be presented to the
Sincerely yours,
(Signed LEO A. ROVER,
United States Attorney
"After the result Of the investigation
by the present grand jury into the
death Of Mrs. Virginia Mcpherson,
think 1t would be very nonsensical to
submit any matter to them for conSid-
GRAFTON where an unbiased or unpretu-
diced result would be expected.
With my kindest regards. am. very
respectfully,
(Signed) COLE L. BLEASE."
It was the present grand jury which
decided not to return an indictment
against Robert A. Mcpherson, jr., the
husband Of the dead nurse. Mcpherson
had been indicted by the previous grand
jury. but 1t was found later that one
OF the members of that grand jury was
ineligible to serve because she received
q pension from the Government, and
1t was decided to have the new grand
jury hear the Mcpherson case. After
the second grand jury had decided not
In indiat McpherSnn he was roIna.nd