The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-12-20
Murder Al BRIDGE
x1EN hl ANNE A.sE!N es4zo 0~1S PIGEON: q
I 'lHE T" @E2osygEz F"No

special investigator Dundee and
Captain Strawn Of the homicide
squad, gladly had agreed to call
only those witnesses and extract
from them only such information as
the authorities deemed advisable.
Lydia Carr, whose black veil had
defeated the news camera leveled at
her poor, SCARED face, was the first
witness called by Coroner Price, and
she was required for the single pur-
pose of identifying the body as that
Of her mistress.
To two perfunctory questions
'Haye you any information to give
to this jury regarding the cause and
manner of the deceased's death2"
and Have you any personal knowl-
edge of the identity of any person,
man or woman, of whom the de-
ceased stood in fear Of her life?"-
Lydia answered a fat "No!" and
then was dismissed.
Karen Marshall, looking far too
Young to be the wife of the elderly
ex- Judge, Hugo Marshall, was the
second witness called. DR.. Price
guided her gently to a. brief recital
of her discovery of the dead body
of her hostess, emphasizing only the
fact that, so far as she could see,
the bedroom was unoccupied except
by the corpse at the time OF the
discovery.
He then handed her the photo
static. copy of a blueprint of the
ground floor of the Selim house,
with a penciled ring drawn around
the bedroom.
Karen falteringly identified 1t, as
we'll as the pencil-drawn furniture,
and Immediately was disinissed-to
the disappointment of the packed
rows of spectators and reporters.
DR. PRICE himself took the
- stand next and described, in
technical terms, the wound which
had caused death and the caliber
of the bullet he had extracted from
the dead woman's heart.
IT find, also, from the autopsy"
he concluded, that the bullet trav-
eled a downward, slanting path.
should add, moreover, that I have
made exact mathematical calcul-
lions, using the position of the body
and of the wound as basis, and
found that line drawn from the
wound, and extended, at he cor
rect slant, ends at point 51.8
inches high, upon the riglat-hand
side Of the frame Of the window
nearest the porch door,"
And he otligingly passed the
marked blueprint among the jury.
When it was in his own hands again,
he added: "It is impossible to state
the exact distance the bullet trav-
eled more nearly than to say the
shot was fired along the line have
indicated, at a distance of not more
than fifteen feet and not less than
ten"
Captain Strawn rose and was per-
mitted to question the witness:
Or. Price, that blueprint shows
that the bedroom is fifteen feet in
width, doesn't it?"
"That is correct
''Have you also measured the
height Of that window sill from the
f1oor?" 4e-a-A .~. ~-a
st have" the coroner answered.
1.-THE height from floor to sill is
twenty-six inches"
Now doctor, from your calcula-
tons, would it be possible for
man crouching in the open window
to fire a shot along the path you
have Calculated"
"It would" DR.. Price answered.
But as I have pointed out it is
impossible for me to say at exactly
what distance from the body the
shot was fired"
But Strawn, Of course, was amply
satisfied. Ana so we're Dundee and
the district attorney, for it suited
their purposes admirably for the
public to be convinced at this time
that an intruding gunman had
murdered Mia Selin.
Captain Strawn, sworn in, told
briefly of his being called to the
scene of the crime, of the activities
of Carraway. the fingerprint expert,
and Of the exhaustive search of his
squad of detectives.
did you find any person con-
cealed upon the premises, that is,
within the house itself, or in the
garage or on the grounds?" DR..
Price asked.
mo, sir.'
did you or your men discover
the weapon with which the de-
ceased was killed."
mo, sir"
did you question all persons in
the house at the time of the crime,
as to whether or not a shot had
been heard?"
Il did. The answer in every case
was that they heard no shot"
A ND you also questioned every
L n person present in an effort to
place responsibility for the death
of Mrs. Selirn?"
q did. 1 couldn't find that any
one present had anything to do
with it."