Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-22
CAMPBELL ABANDONS ALIBI,
BUT DENIES BAKER MURDER

9ttC OdAHGa NAiIONc Va bAlC IHiAt JIG pa
shook hands again and Frank Campbell
hurried away from newspaper men to
his car, parked in the rear Of the court
house.
Campbell approached the steps of the
jail, flashlights of newspaper camera
men glared, but the prisoner did not
wirice. He walked briskly up the steps
and disappeared behind the jail house
doors.
Watched for Some Time.
Campbell had been under surveillance
from the moment he turned the fatal
gun over to Arlington County police
some weeks ago. DR.. Wilmer Souder,
expert on ballistics, OF the Bureau of
Standards, readily identified the az
caliber revolver as the one from which
the bullets had been fired into Mary
Bakers body.
In turning in the weapon, Campbell
told Sheriff Fields that he always kept
the revolver in his home, but that, much
to his surprise, he had found 1t in his
desk at his real estate once, not far
from his home, after his suspicious had
been aroused by the inquiries made OF
him by a mysterious stranger, distin-
guiShed by a wart on his nose.
Campbell, at the time, asserted that
this man, who was past middle-sge
and gray-haired, had visited his once
some weeks after the murder and asked
him II he had anything against Her
mann Barrere" When Campbell, ac-
cording to his original tale. told the man
he had not, the stranger asked the real
estate man IL he had gun and where
it was located. Campbell said the man
left suddenly, and that because of the
strangers curious remarks, went to his
house and made search for the gun In
the chiffonier, where he usually kept it,
but could not find it there Then he
searched his Office. and was surprised to
locate 1t in the drawer of his desk.
Investigators of the Department of
Justice, Washington Detective Bureau
and Arlington County agreed at the
time that Campbell's story was too
fantastic to be credible" They did not
let the realty operator know, however
that they doubted his story, but from
that time on he was under suspicion
and his movements on the day of the
crime were being carefully checked.
Barrers Regarded Key.
In view of this disclosure, it is now
believed the authorities at no time were
convinced that Barrere was the actual
murdered, although, as they often an
nounced, they regarded him as a key
to the solution of the mystery.
Barrere was arrested in Montreal last
Sunday night when he walked into po-
lice headquarters there, under the in
fiuence of liquor, and reported that he
had been 'gyped" out of $50 bill by a
stranger from whom he had ordered
two pintS of whisky.
Montreal authorities recognized Bar
rere from his picture on Washington
police circular, and he readily admitted
his identity. profeSsed surprise that he
was wanted for the murder of Mary
Baker and expressed willingness to re-
turn to Washington and clear him
self"
1t did not take Prosecutor Cloth,
Lieut.. Kelly and Department of JUS
tice Agent Samuel Hardy, who went to
Montreal and returned with the pris-
oner, long to express their doubts about
Barrere's guilt. He told a straightfor-
ward story of his business relations with
Campbell, said the latter had grudge
against him as a result of real estate
litigations In which one of Barrere's
friends had figured, and cited the names
OF half dozen persons who, he declared
could prove he was elsewhere than at
the murder scene on the night of April
IL.
Kelly CARTONS Campbell.
AS last nights inquisition began
Lieut.. Kelly was heard to remark:
Campbell, you want to think care
fully before you answer these questions
we are going to ask you. I think it is
only fair that you should know we have
checked you more closely than you ever
realized. Think hard, and take your
time answering"
Kelly then read to Campbell his
original statement of his movements at
the time the Baker girl was riding to
her death. In his statement Camp
bell had said he took his son 10 a Boy
Scout meeting about the time Mary
Baker was being attacked at Seven
tenth and B streets and that he spent
most of the remainder OF the evening
with his family at Oakcrest
Kelly told Campbell that the au-
thorities knew this alibi to be untrue.
Yes" Campbell calculated And
I'm sorry that / lied to you that way.
The only reason I did 1t was to pro-
tect my wife from having me mixed
up In it,"
Tells of Auto Ride.
Campbell then began a detailed ac-
counting OF his automobile ride with
woman companion, and the damaging
duLHiSSlOnS SOON 1OllOWed.
Are you protecting somebody"
Campbell was asked abruptly.
The man denied the implication and
reiterated that he did not know who
killed Mary Baker.
1t was said Mrs. Campbell was in a
state of prostration today at her home
In Oakcrest. She is Campbell's second
wife. Before her marriage she was
MISS Ruth Callahan. There have been
no children by this union, but Campbell
has a son and daughter by a previous
marriage.
AS the showdown neared the climax
IN the prosecutors Office early today, a
gruesome photograph of Mary Bakers
Dooy as 1t lay in the culvert at the
Tune OF discovery on April IL was sud-
denly placed before Campbell. He looked |
at IL and quickly turned his eyes away
and said nothing.
Campbell earlier Yesterday had de-
clared he never heard of Mary Baker |
until ne read of her murder He said
ne had no recollection of her ever hav-
ing visited his real estate ONCE ana |
certain houses. Miss Baker and her two |
nousemates, Miss Skinner and Miss |
Sperry, were looking for a house to rent
an Arnngton County last March and |
nhalV selected residence in Lyon /
Park, several miles from Oakcrest
DISMISS Abb Witnesses.
Inc first indication last night that |
something unusual was taking place i'm |
the prosecutors Office was when word |
was sent to Mr.. and Mrs Harrison w |
SmI.n ana their son Willard. summoned |
as abb witnesses for Barrere that thew
would no longer need to wait around |
but should come back TO the court house |
today. Campbell had been In the prose- |
cutors ONCE for several hours at that |
time, and Cloth announced a few mo- |
ments after the departure of the Smiths |