Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-19
Offer UnofficiaIIy Conveyed to
Prosecutor Clears Way
for Interview.
MITCHELL AIDE CONFERS
WITH INVESTIGATORS
Held Likely to Take Advantage Of
Opportunity, Although No An
nouncement Is Made.

The way was paved today for De-
partment of Justice agents to fill an
important gap in their record of the
Virginia Mcpherson strangulation mys.
terry by questioning Robert A. McPher-
son, jr, youthful husband of the dead
nurse, now in jail charged with his
wifes murder.
The last barrier to this move was
eliminated today with the announce
ment by william z. Leahy, counsel for
Mcpherson, that the Federal investi.
gators are welcome" to interrogate his
client at any time.
Ieahy's unusual offer was conveyed
unoff1cially this morning to John z.
Laskey, assistant to the Attorney Gen.
eral, assigned to prosecute McPherson
on a grand jury indictment, charging
him with willfully and deliberately tying
a pajama belt about the neck OF his
wife and thus choking her to DEATH
more than a month ago.
Laskey is understood to have dis.
cussed the offer with j. Edgar Hoover,
director of the Bureau OF Investigation,
and Thomas F. Cullen, in charge OF
the Federal investigation being made az
the instance of the Senate.
While no announcement was forths
coming Immediately from these ON.
cials, it was expected they would take
advantage of the opportunity to ques-
ton Mcpherson without delay.
No Request for Interview.
It has been indicated previously that
the Justice agents deplored the fact
they were brought into the case too
late 70 receive the benefit of face-to-
face testimony from the bank clerk,
named by the grand jury as being the
murderer of the Park Lane nurse. Hav-
ing been lodged in jail and subjected
to silence restrictions imposed by his
attorney, Mcpherson has been freed
from questioning by those who are to
prosecute him in court.
Attorney Leahy said today that while
he has received no request from the
Government for permission to interview
his client, he would interpose no objec-
ton to such an interview II the Cow
ernment indicated to him a desire to
talk with Mcpherson. L,eahy is pro-
ceeding under the conviction that Nc
Pherson is innocent of any crime and
is willing to assist the Government In
solving the mystery of the death OF
his wife. Mcpherson is known to be-
lieve his wife committed suicide a
theory supported at the outset by q
coroner's jury and the local Detective
Bureau.
The murder hypothesis first was ad-
vanced openly by Policeman Robert J.
Allen, formerly of the precinct in which
the tragedy took place, and as a result
OF Aliens activities the grand jury In
vestigat1on was precipitated and Nc
Pherson was indicted.
The Department of Justice, il it ques-
tions Mcpherson. will conduct the in
terview with the same "open mind"
with which it has approached its in.
quiry. The department, oblivious to
the findings Of the grand jury, is try
ing to establish first whether the girl
was murdered. and If so, who COM
mitted the crime. In pursuing this
course it is understood the Federal in
vestigators have considered the possi-
bility that persons other than Nc.
Pherson might have been implicated
Several alleged suspects" have been
questioned repeatedly.
Mrs. Conway Questioned.
Pending the decision as to the ques-
tioning of Mcpherson, the Federal op-
erativeS continued today the questioning
OF persons thought to have information
that might aid in the solution Of the
mystery. One of the important wit
neSses questioned this morning was
Mrs. Lillian Conway, telephone opera
tor at the Park Lane Apartments who
AAf~S ob1OC0 oAAC NLoAlCQ ttlC
apartment on the night of the tragedy
to make inquiry concerning telephone
conversation which she had overheard
between Mrs. Mcpherson and Miss
Eleanor Sheppard, friend of the dead
girl.
Mrs. Conway has stated she listened
in and heard Mrs. Mcpherson crying
and Sobbing as she told Miss Sheppard
she could not talk to her over the tele-
phone at that time Mrs Conway was
so impressed by what she had over
heard that when she was relieved from
the switchboard 20 minutes later, or
about $3.50 O'Clock, she took a master
key and entered the apartment. to find
all in darkness and silence She
switched light on in the living room,
she declares, and saw a black evening
dress in the middle of the floor. Think
ing Mrs. Mcpherson had retired OF left
the apartment, she turned out the light
and departed.
The agents expected today or tomor-
row to question also Mrs. Billie Lind
say, formerly an occupant of the Park
Lane Apartments, but now of New York
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