Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-16
Vital Organs Turned Over to
Capital PathoIogist for Fur
ther Examination.
CAUSE OF COLLAPSE
IN RAVINE UNKNOWN
May Have Slipped on Rocks While
Crossing Run--P Possibility of
Poison Also Considered.

An autopsy this afternoon over the
body of j. Benson Thomas, Washing
ton real estate operator, was said to
have eliminated the possibility that
Thomas met with foul play, although
little light was shed on the mystery of
his death in rocky covert of the Po-
tonac River Valley, just above Chain
Bridge, in Maryland.
The findings of DR.. william r. Pratt,
Montgomery County health officer, who
conducted the examination at Rockville
this afternoon, diSproved an earlier re-
port by a physician that the dead
mans jaw was fractured.
Vital Organs Studied.
Beyond slight scratches about the
face, nothing was found to indicate vio-
lence. The vital organs were removed
and will be analysed by DR.. Oscar B.
Hunter, pathologist of George Wash
ington University, to determine if poison
could have contributed to the death. A
report probably will not be made for
two or three days.
Meanwhile, the theory grew that
Thomas had fallen into the run of
water, while crossing slippery stones,
and was rendered unconscious. An in
sensible man could have drowned in the
shallow water where the body was
found yesterday by John j. Keane,
manager of a shoe store, who was cross
ing the valley from the Chesapeake q
Ohio Canal to the Potomac while on a
fishing expedition.
John j. Keane, manager Of a shoe
store, on fishing expedition, CHANGED
on Thomas body while passing through
the underground of the little -frequented
locality toward a fishing hole on the
river. The body, fully clothed and
lying on its side, was just over the Dis
trict line in Maryland, and the au-
topsy will be performed at Rockville
today by DR.. William T. Pratt, Mont
gomery County health officer.
Thomas was known to take solitary
walks while in a gloomy frame of mind
It is possible he left his car parked
near Chain Bridge, where it was To-
Gated Wednesday by his brother, and
set out to walk of a At of depression.
Crossing the slippery stones Of the
little stream, Thomas friends pointed
out, he may have stumbled, plunged
forward and been rendered unconscious.
There was enough water where he lay
to have drowned an inSensible man.
The circumstances of his death bear
a strange parallel to those of previous
mishap which some three months ago
all but cost him his life.
Was Thrown in Greek.
While driving through Rock Greek
Park, Thomas car hit bump, over
turned and threw him, unconscious,
into a shallow branch. He was lying
face downward in the water when am
other motorist CHANGED by and pulled
him from the stream.
At Walter Reed Hospital Thomas was
revived and treated for decorations and
shock.
Lieut. Edward j. Kelly, chief of the
Washington homicide squad, who visit
ed the scene, expressed the opinion that
the death was a suicide. Thomas mad
sustained business reverSes recently, his
family said.
Investigators could find no indica-
ton of foul play. nor could they learn
that Thomas had any enemies. From
the position of the body, investigators
(Contirued on page @ Column 81