Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-19
FINGERPR|NTS LINK
SUSPECT IN KIRK
MYSTERY Staying
Capital Police Seek TO Iden-
tify George Pierce Tucker,
Held in Los Angeles.
PRISONER C0NFESSES
CHOKING WOMAN HERE
Records in Washington and Dem
yer Said to Confirm Iden.
tifcation.

Fingerprints on the spectacles of
Emma Kirk after the murder Of the 10
year-old woman in January, 1925, were
found this afternoon to tally precisely,
police say, with the prints Of a man
arrested on suspicion in Denver, Colo.
November /, 1928. and now under arrest
in Los Angeles.
The man gave his name, both in Dem
yer and Los Angeles, as George Pierce
Tucker. His description was sent out
to principal cities in the belief he might
be wanted by police.
In response to a telegram of inquiry
from Inspector William s. Shelby this
morning, Los Angeles police replied the
suspect had described himself as George
Pierce Tucker.
Impressions Compared.
After being informed that a man who
described himself as George Pierce had
confessed the Kirk murder in Los An
geles, Detective Sergt. Fred Sandberg,
the departments Identification expert,
compared the impression taken from
the eyeglass with that supplied him By
here. Sergt. Sandberg announced the
impressions appeared to him Identical
in every way.
Pierce is said by Los Angeles police,
according to Associated Press dispatches.
to have made full confession of the
murder, saying he visited the umbrella
shop Of Miss Kirk after leaving a night
club here
The man was picked up on the
street by a policeman who heard him
mumbling incoherently to himself about
having committed a murder" At first
he said he was Harry Jones, later
Identifying himself as George Pierce, 80
years old, the son Of wealthy parents
Wen known in Washington and Phila-
delpllia.
Police Match Prints.
Shortly after finding the print on the
spectacles matched the print of George
Pierce Tucker, sent out from Denver,
Inspector Shelby announced the finger
print classification wired by Los An
geles police matches with both the Den
yer. print and the print on the spec
tacles.
Inspector Shelby added he would ap-
ply Immediately for q murder warrant
for Tucker and would seek an indict-
mint OF the young man. He advises
the Los Angeles police to hold the man
they have in custody until he Is called
for by Washington police.
No plans have yet been made for
sending for Tucker.
Reported to Correspond.
The communication from Los An
geles also contained the fingerprint
classification of the man under arrest
there, and Sergt. Sandberg said it corr
responded with the classification of the
impressions taken in Denver and those
Of the print on the eyeglass.
Inspector Shelby said he planned TO
send man to California to return the
suspect for questioning, and would seek
an indictment for murder If subsequent
developments bear out the fingerprint
Identification.
In describing the Staying of Miss Kirk,
Tucker is quoted as saying: MY mind
snapped. don't know what happened.
All I remember is that suddenly
reached out and clamped my hands on
her throat and choked the life out of
her. I'm tired and want to rest. They're
kill me, I suppose. They should. At
least can rest then"
Meanwhile, police sought to learn II
Pierce Is known here and to trace his
movements in 1925 in the event they
get line on him.
Pierce's story of having strangled
the woman with his hands does not
check with details of the crime as
reconstructed here. There were no
scratches on the throat and Miss Kirk
apparently died of suffocation after
her own shawl had been looped about
her nose and mouth.
Her body was discovered January
%, some "a hours after death. Neigh
bors were attracted to her shop by
the persistent mewing Of cats, trying
to enter through back door.
Fear Version Is Wrong.
Miss Kinks hands and feet had been
securely trussed with Irvine. The crime
received considerable publicity in news
papers and various detective maya
zines.
Pierce told Detective Lieut.. Frank
Condaffer of Los Angeles police that he
was sales manager for the United Cigar
Stores Co. in this territory at the time
of the crime. Several veteran employees
of the company here said they had
never heard of such man.
Miss Kinks sister, Mrs. Harry B.
Shaw, TOO block of Upshur street, did
not know Pierce, nor could police find
any associates of the dead woman who
ever had heard of him.
Pierce told California police his wife
and 10-month-old baby were In San
Francisco on a vacation.