Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-06
VERDICT DUE TODAY
IN POLICE HEARING;
KELLY BACK ON STAND


Continued From First Page.)
made from the time he was called to
the Park Lane, shortly after Mrs. NC
Pherson's garroted body was found,
until he interviewed the husband OF
the nurse for the second time at the
third precinct police station, where ne
was being held for investigation.
Mcpherson told him during this in
terview, Kelly said, that his mother had
seen his wife and that she was not
satisfied with the arrangements for
reconciliation. Mcpherson, Kelly con-
tinued, said he called his wife on the
telephone Thursday, September IL, and
she told him she wanted him to come to
the apartment to see her. Accordingly,
Kelly said, Mcpherson declared he went
there about 7:30 O'Clock that evening
and his wife greeted him in black
evening gown.
Kelly then quoted Mcpherson as say
ing that his wife wanted him to go to
a dance with her and he refused, say
ing that he was separated and was
through"
Kelly said Mcpherson told him he
did not call his wife Friday, but on
the following morning he telephoned
Spouse. Later that day, Kelly said.
Mcpherson declared he went to the
apartment for the purpose OF deter
mining whether his wife had taken the
furniture, and it was on this visit that
he found her body on the bedroom
floor.
II asked this boy" Kelly said. "if he
had anything to do with his. wife S
death. He replied that he did not.
Appeared to BE Sorrowful.
From my interview with Mcpherson
at the apartment and also at the police
station, he appeared to me TO be Sor-
rowful. While he was not crying, he
displayed sadness. He was ready and
willing to answer all questions. From
my experience as a police investigator
he gave no indication of guilt"
Kelly then told of his return to the
detective bureau. where he reported
the result of his preliminary investiga-
ton to Inspector Shelby, telling him that
while the case looked bad" it had the
elements of suicide. The detective then
told of his subsequent visit to the Dis
trict Morgue, where he made an ex-
animation of the body of Mrs. McPher-
son for marks of violence.
ut had no bruises" Kelly continued.
There was mark on the neck and
on the neck looked like an old one to
met had a scab on it.
After saw no bruises and no marks
of violence these facts, coupled with
Mrs. McPhersons previous alleged at
temptS at suicide and the parting OF
husband and wife. were enough to con-
vince me that no crime had been COM
mitted.
had no right to insist. It Is just as
much the duty of police officer to
protect an innocent man as 1t Is to
prosecute the guilty"
Impressed With Story.
Kelly said he was particularly i'm
pressed with the manner in which
young McPherson's mother conducted
herself She told US, he said, that she
was asleep on Thursday night when her
son returned from his trip to Mount
Rainier and had no idea what time he
got in.
This bore the impress of truth
Kelly declared Mothers will lie fol-
their children, especially when they are
in trouble. I have found this to be
true on numerous occasions, and you
can't blame them for 1t. But here was
mother who would not misrepresenl
the truth, even to strengthen the alb
of her son. who was being questioned
relative to what might nave peen q
murder"
Picking up again the thread OF his
story, Kelly told of McPherson's BUS
trip downtown Friday morning ana MS
return to playground on Georgia ave-
nue., where he spent the rest of the Gay:
Mcpherson also told U.S." ne SAID, OF
going to a dance at Indian Spring that
night returning home about 2:5o oclock
| and going to bed, after kissing his fatner
goodnight. He told us he had kissed MS
father every night since he was small
| child"
| He said McPherson's mother told him
and Inspector Shelby of telephone
conversation she had with her daughter
I in-law, Virginia, Wednesday night. VIZ,
ginia called her, Mrs. Mcpherson tolo
them, and was sobbing SO at the TIME
that she could hardly carry on a con-
versation. Kelly quoted Mrs. McPherson
| as informing them she told Virginia
Bob was coming down to see her that
| night, to which Virginia replled:
Mother, he has been here and gone.
| Tell him not to bring that money down,
as l am going away. Remember Una.
whatever happens ] loved you ana
| daddy"
Miss Berry Is Quoted.
AT Trinity Towers, in our interview
| with Dot Ringer" Kelly continued, sne
stated she had been at the Mcpherson
| apartment on the Monday night pre-
| ceding her death.
I'VE next went to see Martha Berry
who said she was the best friend MRS
Mcpherson had in Washington. Sne
said she was at the Mcpherson apart
ment on Tuesday when Bob came II
and said: Virginia, come in here anc
clean up this mess She also said sne
knew the couple had had some quarreis
but she did not think Mcpherson woulc
| do the girl any bodily harm.
| "On Wednesday, Miss Berry said vr.
| ginia called her four times, asking nei
to come and share her apartment. MISS
Berry said that while she was In tine
Mcpherson apartment Thursday, VIZ
| ginia asked her If a grain of morphine
| would kill her. She said the girl seemed
| to be melancholy
After interviewing Miss Berry W.
returned to police headquarters. where
] I saw Mcpherson and Mr.. and Mrs