Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-26
Prosecutor Declines to Reveal
Source of New Evidence,
but Officers Leave Soon
After Seeing Visitor.
POLICE PISTOL EXPERT
CONFRONTS CAMPBELL
Lieut.. John Fowler Tells Suspect
How Firearm Was Identified as
Weapon Used by Slayer of Gov
eminent Clerk-Missing Smith
Family Is Located.

New information obtained to-
day from unrevealed sources
prompted Commemorative Attor'
ney William C.. Cloth of Airing,
ton County to announce this aft.
ernoon that the mystery sur
rounding the murder of Mary
Baker gradually is being dis
sipated.
The prosecutor indicated that
the new lead, described only as
Important concerns the alibi OF
Herbert M. Campbell, Arlington
County real estate man, charged
with the Staying. Cloth said his
confidence that the investigation
Is reaching a climax has in
creased since yesterday afternoon
and that this optimism was
strengthened materially as a re-
suit of today's developments.
The new informtion came from the
same man who voluntarily visited the
prosecutor at the Arlington County
Court House this morning. The name
Of the informant was withheld. Soon
after the man had departed from
Cloths Office, Headquarters Detective
Carlton Talley and an Arlington Coun-
ty policeman were dispatched in a car
to an unannounced destination in the
county. They returned in an hour and
went into conference with the COM
monwealth's attorney.
In what authorities characterized as
"a psychological attempt" to shatter
the belief of Campbell that an error
was made in identifying his gun as
the fatal weapon. the accused realty
man today was confronted with the
surprise testimony of police expert on
ballistics.
Lieut. John Fowler, gun authority of
the washington Police Department,
faced Campbell behind closed doors in
the Office of Commemorative Attorney
Cloth, and sought to convince the
prisoner that the bullets found in the
Baker girls body came from the 81
caliber revolver turned over to police
by Campbell
AT the same time it was disclosed that
Lieut.. Fowler made triple examination
of the fatal bullets and Campbell's gun
prior to the test conducted by DR.. Will
iner Souder, Federal expert on ballisticS.
Fowlers confidential report to, police
concurred with that later made by DR..
Souder, 1t was announced by the prose-
cutor.
Shows Campbell Findings.
Fowler showed Campbell the report
of his findings as a result of the three
examinations he made shortly after
Campbell had voluntarily given the re-
volver to police, with a fantastic story
about the mysterious actions of "a man
with wart on his nose" The real
estate man since has confessed he lied
about this stranger and has declared
the revolver never left his possession
to his knowledge.
It was after the report from the
local expert that investigators sub
mitted the gun and bullets TO DR.
Souder for his official opinion, without
letting the latter know about Fowler's
finding. DR.. Souder made careful
scientific study of the weapon and the
slugs and reported that Campbells gun
had fired the bullets submitted to him
for study.
Insist Error Was Made.
Campbell and his attorney, Charles
EIenry Smith of Alexandria, have in
sisted DR.. Souder must have made an
error in his findings. and in order
, further TO check on the report of DR.
5ouder it had been decided to ask the
opinion of Maj. Calvin Goddard, inter-
nationally known ballistics authority, in
Chicago.
On the advice oy Lieut.. Fowler of
the "unquestionable results" of the police
experts three examinations of the gun
which had been voluntarily turned over
to authorities by Caenpbe!l. the prisoner
to be asked If he still believes that q
mistake was made in the identification
of his revolver as the one used by Mary
Bakers murderer.
Cloth stated that Campbell also would
be closely questioned again regarding
his "alibi" that he was elsewhere than
at the murder scene on the evening OF
April IL, when the Navy Department
clerk was fiendislly attacked, shot three
times and left. partially nude, in a cul-
vert near Arlington Cemetery.
Expects Compbell TO Agree.
The decision to bring Fowler bach
into the case was reached at a con-
ference with the lieutenant last night
the prosecutor explained.
After hearing Lieut.. Fowler detail b
me just how he identified Campbell
gun as the one that fired the bullet
into Mary Bakers body" Cloth stated
there is no doubt in my mind what
ever as TO the accuracy of the f1ndin
Continued on Page 2. Column A.