Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-18
TRAIL 3 Who MAY
SOLVE BAKER CASE
Probers Closing In on Sus-
poets in Virginia and
Washington.
Continued From First Page,)

ington yesterday when newspaper re-
porterS located them. One OF the girls
telephoned Cloth that the reporters
were haraSsing them, and he and
Sheriff Howard Fields of Arlington
County went to Fredericksburg to meet
them and escort them back.
Cloth and Fields questioned the girls
on the motor trip from Fredericksburg
and continued the interrogation i'm
mediately after their arrival at the
Arlington Court House. While both are
satisfied that they have drawn all in
formation from the girls which will be
helpful in solving the crime, they will
be available for further questioning
should the need arise.
While Miss Skinner and Miss SperTy
were in Fredericksburg the authorities
learned that a telegram was sent to
Miss SINNERS brother in Mooreland,
Iowa. The wire was surrendered to the
officers on an order of Judge S. w.
Coleman in Fredericksburg. II read:
Mildred and are dong we'll but
bounded by reporters. If they should
locate you, answer no questions. And
give no pictures Please get in touch
with Hugh Sperry and tip him of
olga
Capital Police Busy.
While the activities Of the investi-
gators centered chiefly in the vicinity
of Warsaw, the Washington police we're
busy today running down new leads
which they believed might throw further
light on the crime. Inspector Shelby
and a group of detectives and Depart
ment of Justice agents also were
cloSeted for more than an hour in the
office of Supt. Pratt, piecing together
the evidence already in their possession
One Of the developments was the
finding of the colored man who Sheriff
Fields of Arlington County was told
yesterday had purchased a gray top
coat and watch from a man near
Highway Bridge last week. The Ar
lington County police brought the coat
and watch to police headquarters, but
detectives declined to indicate whether
they attached any importance to this
find.
The blood-stained clothes uncovered
by the investigators yesterday which
Inspector Shelby said he considered of
much value" developed upon investiga-
ton to be the garments of a man who
had been injured in fight in a Wash
ington apartment house
The clothes were found in the room
OF Baltimore hotel, and because the
authorities were at that time search
ing for the travelling salesman suspect
it was believed they finally had found
the clothes of Miss Bakers slayer. The
detectives located the men who had
been in the fight, checked thoroughly
their movements in Washington from
last Friday to yesterday and found
that they had no connection whatever
with the Baker case.
Check I'm on Policeman
The investigators also checked the
reports that a park policeman had been
seen around the home of Miss Baker
and her two friends in Lyon Park and
learned that the officer had been there
prior to the time the three girls took
possession. The policeman said he was
looking at the house for the purpose of
renting 1t If he found 1t satisfactory
After investigating the housewarming
at the Lyon Park home of the three
girls held March 81, the officials salts
fed themselves that Miss Bakers
suspected slayer was not present at that
affair. The officers learned that it was
a quiet, orderly party, attended by
friends of the three girls, among whom
were a group of Miss SINNERS aSsoci-
ates in the legal division of the
Veterans Bureau where she works.
Miss Baker it was said, was not the
center of attraction at the housewarm-
ing as has been reported, but spent most
of the evening in the kitchen preparing
food for the guests. She was not OBJ
served throughout the party with any
male companion.
Mystery Proves Battling.
The murder of Mary Baker, COM
mitted one week ago tonight, is begin
ming to assume the proportions of a
major mystery. To all outward appear
ances crime which should be simple
of solution, it has baffled investigators
from the Department of Justice, the
local Detective Bureau and Arlington
County.
In the six days which have elapsed
since the young Navy Department clerk
left Lenten service to meet a man
who beat, criminally assaulted and then
killed her with three bullets from a
pistol, the best criminal Investigators
of the city have made every effort to
solve the murder. Some suspects have
been eliminated but otherwise, appar-
emily, they are no nearer q solution
than when they started.
Mary Bakers was an ordinary life,
according to the testimony of her
friends, her correspondence and her
family. She lived, apparently, just as
thousands of other young Government
clerks do. All day in the Office and
quiet evenings at home, routine broken
occasionally by a date" or a trip to
the movies with a girl friend. She
attended church regularly; she was
considerate Of her parents, and her EN-
ployers speak highly of her character,
her integrity and her ability.
Every hope OF solving the murder
the Y,oiiee haIieve hin0ea hmm IAaryatn0