Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-25
W|MDLEY INDICTED
WITH CROWDER IN
CANAL DROWN|NGS
FirSt-Degree Murder Charged
in Deaths of Formers Wife
and Stepdaughter.
$4,000 INSURANCE
ALLEGED PLOT MOTIVE
Scene September II Described by
Prisoners as Accident-1ntended
Burning of Home Told.

Harry C. Wimbley, 80, and John M.
Crowder, "a, were indicted today by
the grand jury on flrst-degree muroer
charges in connection with the drown
ing last September II OF Wimoley S
wife and Swear old stepdaughter dur
ing a birthday outing on the CheSa-
peake g. Ohio Canal.
The indictments charged that the
two men, with deliberate and premed-
ttated malice" cast, threw and pusned
Mrs. Elizabeth Traylor Wimbley, 70,
an her daughter, Wilma Traylor, into
the canal.
Crowder. in q signed confession OBJ
tanned by police week after the Wom-
an and child died on the mothers
birthday, charged that Wimbley had
plotted the deaths of the pair to col
iect some $4,000 in insurance money.
He admitted, according to police, that
he had upset a canoe, throwing the
mother and daughter into the canal,
but insisted that he had done so "ac-
cidentally" as he stepped out OF the
craft.
Arson in Alleged Plot.
Wimbley, q man of many marriages
and many aliases, whose real name is
said by police to be Howard C. Dicker-
son. intended to sand-bag his wife and
stepchild as they slept, according to
Crowder's confession to police, and then
burn their home at Dendron, Va, TO
hide the crime. Crowder said Wtmbley
revealed his plot to him as they were
driving down to Dendron, supposedly TO
bring Mrs, Wimbley and the child back
to Washington for a birthday party.
On their way down, Crowder told po-
lice, Wimbley stopped at a filling sta
ton and bought five gallons Of gasoline,
which the younger man said was to be
used In setting fire to the house. Later
they stopped and Wimbley tore strips
from a seat cover with which he fash
Toned sandbagS, CroWder confessed.
The plot failed, however, according
to the confession, when Crowder got
cold feet" The two men then drove
the woman and child to Washington
and on the following day took them
up the canal.
Signal to Upset Canoe.
While he was out in q canoe with
Mrs. Wimbley and Wilma, Crowder told
police, wimbley signaled to him with
his hands to overturn the canoe.
Crowder maintained he refused to up
set the craft, whereupon he quoted
wimbley to police as saying, Dam
you, why didn't you turn 1t over?"
Later, as he was stepping out OF
the canoe onto the shore, Crowder
the craft capsiZed. He said he made
several vain attempts to rescue the
pair, finally calling the Fire Rescue
Squad.
Five First Degree Cases.
Five persons were charged with first
degree murder and one with second
degree homicide in the grand jury's re-
port of % indictments made today to
Justice James M. Proctor in Criminal
Division !. The grand jurors declined
to indict in Is other cases.
In addition to the Wimbley case the
grand fury indicted Eldridge White,
colored. accused of causing the death
of Charles G. Robinson, also colored, by
hitting him with an ak November Is at
2425 SHOWS court; Andrew Ingram, col
ored. charged with shooting James Tay-
Tor. also colored, November Is at 1903
Eleventh street, and Robert Ford, col
ored. alleged to have shot to death
James Turner, also colored, November
is at 70 @ street.
Murder In the second degree was
charged against Andrew K. Bryant, col
ored, who is said to have fatally stabbed
Peter H. Watson November Is at 1912
Tenth street.
The grand jury re-indicted Dave
Evans, former general Secretary-treas-
urer of. the International Union OF
Operating Engineers, who was accused
of embeZzling union funds. He had
been indicted by the recent illegal grand
fury and the case had to be repre-
scented. The alleged populations are
said to have occurred between Septem-
Der, 1929, and March, 1881.
Charged With Robbery.
Joseph Wines and Frederick Scully
were accused of robbery. They are said
to have held up the store of Lorenzo
E. Costa, 738 Fourteenth street. and to
have taken $18 from CoSta's son, who
was In charge of the store. The men
were arrested at New Rochelle, N. ",
and clipping of the report of the rob-
berry was found on Wines, it was re-
ported.
Assault to rob was charged in an
indictment against William H. Dunlop
colored, accused of entering the store
of Abraham RoSenblatt, 800 P street,
on September 26 and attempted to
hold him up. The Storekeeper re-
sisted and fired his pistol at the in
truder, who was later found wounded
a short distance from the store.
Besides the refusal to indict Charles
B. Broone. a master plumber, in con-
nection with the asphyxiation of a
child, the grand jurors ignored the
following cases:
John Henry Thomas, arson; James
z. Savoy, bigamy; Carl Cummings,
carnal knowledge; Alfonso E. Williams,
ENLIGHTENMENT; David E. Miller, forgery;
Mary Wilson, Susie Demitro and Bo-
lita Demitro. grand larceny; William
A. Banta, Richard F.. Rayborn, Carl
Jones, Joy-riding; Carl Jones, house
breaking and larceny, and Walter l..
Hatton, larceny after trust.
Others and Charges.
Others indicted and the charges
against them include:
John Curley, assault with dangercu us
weapon; Daniel Lee and Melvin Ed
monds robbery; Clarence Seymore (allas
Clarence Seymour), Jesse Jones, Mar
garet Curtis (alias Myrtle Scherker)
Walter Mcknight and Samuel Wilhof-
sky, grand larceny; Nathan Cosman and
Milton Bremen, violation national pro-
hibition act; Louis A. Anderson, VIII
liam Theodore Ward and William john
son, joy-riding; Hugo George Sprenger
and Newton Lester Poindexter, grand
larceny and joyriding Albert Small
wood, HOUSEKEEPING, larceny and JOY
riding, and Charles Mills, HOUSEKEEPING.
o. e. S. Chapter to Meet.