Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-29
Collapse of Probe Nears as
Clues Fail to Reveal
Trail of Slayer.
Handkerchief REMAINS
AS IMPORTANT FACTOR
Policeman's Story Of Her Meeting
With Man Will Be Gone Into
for Second Time.

Hope for solution Of the murder of
Mary Baker apparently hung upon a
turn Of fate today as the police elimi-
mated one by one their few remaining
clues to the identity Of the slayer.
Detectives who have worked on the
case day and night since the young
Government clerks body was found
April IL, readily admit that they now
can only wait for some "break" to open
up new angle of investigation, and
that without some stroke Of good for
tune, the murder probably never will be
solved.
william Hammond, park policeman,
who reported that he had on numerous
occasions seen Miss Baker meet q man
who drove an automobile with Maryland
tags, will be questioned at police head
quarters today by Inspector William s.
Shelby and Lieut.. Edward j. Kelly.
Hammond Firm in Belief.
Policeman Hammond has stated that
from his observation Of the couples ac-
tions, he got the impression that she
was arguing with the man, and he has
LITIGATION of this man, appreciable
progress will have been made toward
unravelling the mystery Of the girls
death.
The policeman, however, already has
made q full report OF his observations
to investigators in charge Of the case,
and no explanation was Forthcoming as
to why he is being requestioned.
One possibility pointed out was that
the police may have obtained some more
definite information as to the identity of
hn ~ 40 AEoFuland nj
and that Hammond is being recalled IN
an endeavor to confirm this partial iden-
tiflcation.
Handkerchief Yet Is Clue.
Another clue, which has not been
definitely abandoned concerns mans
initiated handkerchief which was found
by a photographer for The Star in
culvert near the one in which the body
was located. This handkerchief was
picked UP several days after the crime
had been committed.
The handkerchief bore an initial
which corresponds with the name of
man who has been questioned in con-
nection with the case.
It also Is expected that headquar-
terS' detective will be sent to New York
today or tomorrow to bring back to this
city one Of the three men who found
manhole on the Arlington Experimental
Farm.
Detectives last night held a lengthy
conference with a man named Martin
Furhamm, living in the 1900 block Of
Twelfth street, who said his room was
ranSacked two days after the clothing
and jewelry were found in the sewer.
According to police, one of the men
who was present when the clothes were
L. kRnl3 60
Gated in the removal Of the articles
from Furhamms room. Although
pointing out that the theft of the
articles from the mans room could
have had no possible connection with
the finding Of the clothing and jewelry
in the sewer, police believe the man
they want to question may be able to
throw some light on the presence in
the manhole Of novel, string OF coral
beads and necklace.
Immunity Offer Unanswered.
Their offer of immunity having
brought forth no response, many of the
Investigators are now turning to the
theory that Miss Bakers clothes were
placed In the sewer by the man who
killed her or some one who looted her
automobile shortly after she had been
killed. Immunity was offered to the
person who concealed the articles in the
hope that he would come forward and
tell his story, thus clearing up the most
puzzling phase Of the case.
The Arlington County police, under
Sheriff Howard Fields and Common
wealth's Attorney William G. Cloth.
were not working on the Baker case to-
DAY. Cloth was In court and 1t was
understood Sheriff Fields men had no
more clues to work on. It was made
kIaA4 L~@S-.
held in readiness should any new de-
velopments materialize.
Meanwhile, local detectives still were
running down several loose ends.
The police are suffering from ground
less information communicated to them,
but. as explained by Lieut.. Kelly, moth
ing can be left to chance.
A conference was held this morning
by Inspector Shelby, Lieut.. Kelly and
two Department Of Justice agents.
Afterward Inspector Shelby said there
was nothing new"