Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-14
Discovery of His Abandoned
Car on Highway Bridge
Caused Search.
CURS0RY EXAMINATION
REVEALS NO VIOLENCE
Alexandrian Was on Way to Work,
but Failed to Report-No Reason
for Suicide Seen.

Two hours after his abandoned auto
mobile was found on Highway Bridge
this morning, the body of Frank Lee
Simms, % years old, 1921 Duke street.
Alexandria, Va, delivery salesman for
local baking company, was found in
the Potomac River near the Virginia
shore, about 100 yards below the bridge.
Although a cursory examination of the
body showed no marks of violence. e.
L. Hoffman, business agent of the bak-
ing company, who was assigned to in
vestigate the case, said he had no reason
to believe Simms committed suicide.
The body was taken from the water
by M A. Warthen, Harold Yeats and
Robert Hogman, employees of the Mer-
ritt-Chapman Construction Co., who
started dragging the vicinity as soon as
Simms disappearance became known.
Inc Inc wafer was hardly more than waist
deep where the body was found.
Fellow Salesman Finds Car.
The abandoned car was discovered by
one OF Slmms' fellow statesmen for the
Charles Schneider Baking Co, ala
street, as he was crossing the bridge at
O'Clock TINS morning to make deliver
les in Virginia.
Recognizing the automobile, the driver
stopped, and after looking around for
the missing man, telephoned to Hoff-
man, VINO went to the scene to make a
personal investigation. Hoffman mott
NED police headquarters. Policemen
from the fourth precinct, the rescue
squad ana an ambulance were sent to
tne pr1oge and the harbor police pre-
cn1CC sent q boat to drag for the body.
daroor police arrived just as the BODY
was located and it was placed aboard
the police boat and taken over to the
virginia shore, where members of the
nre rescue squad endeavored unsucccss-
IuLy to resuScitate Simms pending ar
rival VI physician from Emergency
HoSpltal, who pronounced him dead.
Body to Be Examined.
Police said there were no marks of
violence in evidence, but deterrlinasio
OF this point awaited an Examination
OF the body at the Morgue by the COR
oner's office.
In the empty car were found Sinams'
wallet, containing his automobile regis
tration card and drivers permit, but no
money; his spectacleS and bank book.
The car was headed toward Washing
Con ana was parked against the curb
IN about the center of the bridge. The
ignition keys were in the lock and the
car was in operating condition.
Hoffman told the police that, al
though Simms usually turned in his col
lections daily, he had been known on a
number Of occasions to carry fairly
large sums of money in his pockets.
The dead mans wife, Mrs. Ruth Sinms.
said that she did not know whether he
was carrying any money with him when
ne left the house this morning.
Failed to Report for Work.
Simms left his home about 400 this
morning, as usual, to report at o'clock
at the Schneider offices, Mrs. Sinms
said. He failed to report for work.
He had been working for the local
baking company for about year and
was known as steady and reliable en-
ploye, the police were told.
Simms is survived by his widow and
baby son, Frank Lee Simms, IT,, IL
months old
Mrs. Simms became historical when
the news was broken to her.
Mrs. Stmms could advance no mo-
tive which might have prompted her
husband to take his own life. She
noticed nothing unusual in his de-
meanor when he left for work this
morning at the usual hour.