Evening star., 1929-12-19
Reconstruction of Picture of
Mcpherson Tragedy Is
Virtually Completed.
PICTURES OF SCENES
AT APARTMENT SHOWN
Reporters Barred Until Coroner
Saw Body-Mild Clashes
Enliven Session.

Former Policeman Robert j. Al
lens sensational claim that he had
seen man leap from window OF
the Park Lane Apartment early IN
the morning on the day Mrs. Vir-
einia Mcpherson was found stran-
gled to death in her bed room was
publicly repudiated for the first time
today by officer Laurence Bolts,
former partner of Allen, who figured
as a witness in the trial of Inspector
William S. Shelby and Lieut. Ed
ward j. Kelly for alleged bungllng
of the Mcpherson case.
Allen was only absent about 10
minutes on their round of duty the
night of the occurrence, and Bolts
said he could not have gone to the
Park Lane and back again to the
rear of Emergency Hospital where
he had left him in that short time.
He said Allen at that time MADE no
statement that he saw man Jump
from the Park Lane.
A reconstruction of the detailed pic
fure surrounding the mysterious DEAN
of Virginia Mcpherson was virtually
completed today at the second session
of the extraordinary trial of Police In
spector William S. Shelby and Lieut..
Edward ]. Kelly, thus paving the way
for determination of the basis OF the
July grand jury's accusations OF m
efictency against the two veteran po-
lice officers in connection with their
of the case.
A collection of photographs OF the
rruesome scenes in the Park Lane
apartment where the garroted body OF
Mrs. Mcpherson was found September
II, taken by police photographers and
other incidental details OF the police
investigation were woven into the re-
constructed picture of the death of the
young nurse-a picture which twice be-
fore was built up for the two grand
duries which investigated the case
The prosecution continued its parade
of witness before the trial board 70 sup
port the charges that Shelby and kelly
had been lax and inefficient in the part
they played in the investlgatlon OF
Mrs. McPherson's death.
Shortly before he was scheouleo 10
take the witness stand, Allen, however,
announced he would refuse to TESTIFY.
at am thoroughly dissatisfied and DIS
Gusted with the entire proceedings, ne
Eaid. st am convinced that 1t Is noth-
ing but a whitewash and the McPher-
son and Scrivener verdicts OF the
present grand jury convinced me tnat
the police and the district attorney S
Office have the situation well in hand.
am tired of trying to aid such an in
sincere and partial proceedings.
Reporters Are Questioned.
Six prosecution witnesses had testified
before the luncheon recess OF the trlal
board They included two newspaper
reporters. who covered the case brought
out that Kelly, who, as head OF the De-
fectiye Bureau homicide squad, was IN
charge of the investigation did not ad-
nit any newspaper representatives 70
the death chamber in the Mcpherson
apartment until after the coroner had
viewed the body and issued certlhcate
of suicide.
Two fngerprint experts of the Police
Department also called by the proSecu,
ton pointed out that views Oh all
fingerprints and other material eVl.
dence had been photographed. Fred
Sandberg, the recognized Bertllllon au-
thority, who is in charge of the De-
tective Bureaus f1ngerprint department
ven praised Kelly for his ''painstaking,
thorough and efficient investigation.
one point developed by the prosecu-
tion in this connection was that the
bathroom in the Mcpherson apartment
had not been examined for potential
1ngerprints.
Mild Clashes Enliven Hearing.
Aside from Sandberg, the other wit
nesses who testified were William r
Enyeart, a headquarters flngerprint ex-
pert; Harold Kneeland reporter toi
the Daily News, ard Rex Collier OF tht
news staff of The Evening Star, both ol
whom covered the Mcpherson case
Wilmer C. Ruff, manager of the ParR
Lane apartment. and David z. Schott
a stenographer at police headquarters.
Several mild clashes between th'
prosecution and defense lawyers en-
iivened the morning session. Sneloy
LAWYERS are Henry /. Quinn and George
.. Strong. Kelly is represented by AT
torney James A. O'Shea. Robert Z
CONTINUED on Page 4, Column Sd