Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-02
BAFFLED POLICE
SEEK BOMB CLUES
Religious Differences Doubt
ed as Possible Motive for
Holiday Explosion Tragedy.

Continued From First Page)
joined the Seat Pleasant Methodist
Church just before Christmas, and was
teacher of q Sunday School class there.
Parran said this afternoon he was
without specific clues and had no
definite theories. He placed ITO credence
in the religious hypothesis, whose sup
porters would attribute the act to
fanatics, and said that the idea of a
rejected sutton seemed more logical,
despite failure so far to substantiate it.
Brady has insisted his wife had no
suitors other than himself, and he and
members Of her family declare they are
completely at loss to account for the
crime.
Sister Is Questioned.
Headquarters Detectives Fowler and
Flaherty today held a conference with
Mrs. Alice Ireland, 124s Morse street
northeast, sister Of John Hall father of
the stricken family, after Lieut.. Joseph
Morgan, head of the homicide squad,
learned that Mrs. Ireland had told re-
porters yesterday she had an idea who
did it," but wouldn't tell unless forced
to-"
In conversation with q Star reporter
yesterday Mrs. Ireland. after making
these statements, intimated there had
been some sort Of trouble growing out
of the elopement Of Naomi with young
Brady.
Today Mrs ireland denied having any
suspicion of any one in connection with
the explosion. Lieut.. Morgan said he
talked at length last night with Norris
hrAthAr vrhn
from home at the time Of the blast,
but gained no information of value.
Boys Find Package.
John Hall, the father, was pathetic
figure as he paid a brief visit this
morning to the gruesome shambles
which was his modest, but comfortable
home-the scene OF holiday happiness
until yesterday morning. He said ar
rangementS for the funeral Of his
daughter were being made by the
Gasch undertaking Arm in Hyattsville
and that interment would be in Mount
Oak Methodist Cemetery at Mitchell
vile, Md.
Russell Violet, q Star carrier boy liv-
ing on Oakmont avenue Seat Pleasant,
and Everett Minder, his 15-year-old
cousin and associate carrier, told today
OF finding the gayly wrapped package
which hid the bomb on the front porch
OF the home OF Mrs. John Buckley last
Sunday mornin". Delivering a paper
to the hc"'- .'iCh is diagonally across
the St" J. u the Hall house, the boys
saw til: package, bright with Yule dec
orations, on the porch and. ringing the
bell, handed 1t to Mrs. Buckley.
1t was about a foot long and resem-
bled large candy box. Its contents
were heavy, the boys recall.
Mrs. Buckley took the package in and
found 1t was addressed to Mrs. Hall.
There were no postmarks or stamps,
Mrs. Buckley did not know any one by
the name of Hall, as Naomi and her
family were newcomers to the conf
munity. The package lay around the
house until yesterday, when Mrs. Buck
ley called to one okSthe Hall boys and
asked him II the package was for his
house. He said 1t was for his sister,
and hurried home with 1t, in company
with stuart Carneal, a playmate.
Two May Lose Sight.
The little family group was tense
with curiosity as Naomi took the heavy
package, examined it briefly, and Won
dered what it contained. The interest
of all the others also was keen, and
even little Samuel, the baby of the lot
toddled up to his sister, eyes bright
with excitement, as she began to tear
open the wrappings from the box on
her lap.
The injuries of the children tell
tragic story of how the group was bend
ing innocently over the deadly machine
when 1t exploded with a terrific roar
Little Dorothy and Baby Samuel, faces
near their sisters lap, were probably
peering close to the box. They may
be blind for life as q result.
Boys Fingers Amputated.
Leslie and Thomas, with the i'm
pulsiveness of boys Of their age, were
reaching out impatiently, as though to
help their sister expose the intriguing
contents. Two fingers of Leslie's left
hand were amputated at Providence,
while both of Thomas hands were man
gled, and several Of his fingers may
have to be cut of.
Mrs. Hall, standing close to her
daughter, was torn and lacerated about
the body and head. She and the two
older injured boys are expected to re-
cover, but the condition of Dorothy
and the baby is very critical, 1t was said
at Sibley Hospital today.
Mrs. Margaret Bromley, 86-year-old
BAaAOLlOtACN1 WHO YVES Ola Tic second
floor at the time of the explosion, was
treated at Casualty Hospital for shock.
Carneal, who looked through the kitchen
window. received q slight cut on the
face from flying piece OF metal.
Package Left at Wrong House.
The package. addressed to the young
woman who VAS killed, was opened by
Mrs. Hall in the kitchen of their two
story, white frame residence in Carmody
road, after it had been sent there by
MRS. Buckley.
Mrs. Hall was preparing New Year
feast. Hoping the box contained candy,
the children gathered around her rs
she prepared to open 1t.
AS she opened the package there
was teriftic explosion, heard q mile
away.
The kitchen was wrecked by the blast
which shattered windows in the house
and blew all doors on the first floor of
their hinges. The only eyewitness who
could give coherent account of the
tragedy was 12-year-old Stuart Carneal
who had brought the package with
Leslie Hall from the Buckley home q
few minutes before. PolitenesS saved
him.
POliteness Saves Boy.
When Leslie took the package inside
to his mother. the Carneal boy remained
outside on the back porch. He could
not, however resist the temptation to
peer through the window, for the boys
had "jiggled" the package and thought
1t contained Christmas candy.
MRS. Hall was opening it," he said,