Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-04

the origin of the sounds of the domestic
quarrel reported by the Heavrins. In
this investigation Shelby related how
the detectives located the apartment
of William Brown, who revealed that
he and his wife had had a quarrel about
the time the Heavrins heard sounds of
domestic argument.
Location Believed Fixed.
I'VE felt then" Shelby said, that
we had very firmly established the To-
cation of the quarrel reported by the
Heavrins. I then directed Lieut.. Kelly
to go to the Park Lane and advise the
Heavrins of these developments"
Subsequently Fowler and Fleharty re-
ported, Shelby said, that they had made
a thorough canvass in the apartment
house and were unable to locate the
origin Of any sound of a quarrel
Shelby then launched into a deScrip-
ton of the report given him by Lillian
Conway concerning the two telephone
calls to the Mcpherson apartment on
the night the young nurse met her
death. The operator first told him OF
Virginia's conversation with her mother
in-law during which the nurse broke
down and began Sobbing. A little later,
she told him, a girl called Mrs. Nc
Pherson and that the nurse refused to
back later. At that time Mrs. Nc
Pherson was still crying.
Apartment Is Inspected.
Shelby said he then went to the Nc
PherSon apartment and made a cursory
inspection. He did not go into detail,
he said, because he knew Lieut.. Kelly
had already been over the ground and
that he had confidence in him. He de-
q "a f,,rr to-
in this Police Department and an equal
Of any in the country"
Shelby said he made particular in
quiry as to where the body was living
when found. After leaving the apart
ment. he testified that he went to see
the manager of the High View Apart
ments. who told him of Virginia Nc
Pherson's former attempt at suicide
Lieut.. Kelly went with him Sunday
Afternoon to Casualty Hospital, Shelby
said, where they reported the scope Of
their investigation to Deputy Coroner
Rogers and suggested to him a list of
witnesses to be summoned to the coro-
ner'S inquest. At that time, he said,
Rogers told them he intended to follow
the usual procedure at the inquest,
namely-to have the investigating Off
Ger detail his investigation to the jury
and then to invite the jury to call such
hear.
Inspector Shelby then told of the first
incident in their investigation, which
led some people to believe Mrs. McPher-
sons death might not have been such
an obvious case of suicide as at first
appeared.
Phone Operator Quizzed.
ION reaching my Office early Monday
morning." he said, II was informed that
telephone operator at the Park Lane
Apartments Mrs. Mary Roberts, had
called detective headquarters late Sum-
day night and asked for Lieut.. Kelly.
She informed the officer who answered
the phone that she had something on
her mind and wanted to see Kelly as
soon as possible.
The next morning, Kelly not being
available, another detective was sent
to see her. She told him that Lillian
Conway was friendly with Bob Nc
Pherson and knew more than she had
told uS-that, as a matter of fact, she
had been in the Mcpherson apartment
Thursday night.
"I Immediately ordered both women
brought to my office and faced the
Conway girl with Mrs. Roberts. The
latter thereupon denied that she had
ever made such statement to the de-
tective. The Conway girl, however, de-
MED any close friendship with Bob
Mcpherson, but admitted she had been
in the apartment Thursday night. She
told me she became worried after listen
ing in on the two telephone converse
tions in which she heard Mrs. McPher-
son sobbing, and tried several times to
| get in touch with the young nurse on
the telephone. Receiving no response
she took a. pass key and entered the
| apartment at about 800 pm. She said
she switched on the lights in the liv-
| ing room and saw black dress laying
In the middle of the floor, but the
bed room door was closed and there
was no sign of Mrs. Mcpherson. She
declared that she then concluded the
nurse had either gone to sleep OF
slipped out the back door, so she went
| back to her switchboard"
Shelby then described the visit paid
him by Mr.. and Mrs. Blackwelder, sis
| ter and brother-in-law of Mrs. McPher-
son. After he had told them all the
details of the police investigation, he
| said Blackwelder asked him If the
| police had received any information
relative to Virginia having been treated
for bruises by DIR. Hornaday, or If we
knew that a Mai. Walker had been
keeping money fora 1er to prevent Bob
Mcpherson from getting 1t.
Shelby said he and Kelly called on