Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-03
OFFICER LANGDON'S
/. PISTOLS PROBED
IN LIMERICK CASE
Declares He Knew Victim of
Mysterious Death Only
Casually.
ANOTHER PATROLMAN
QUESTIONED AND FREED
Fatal Bullet, Exploded Shells and
Seized Guns to Be Sent to
Ballistic Expert.

With policeman under detention, the
inquiry into the fatal shooting of le-
year-old Beulah Limerick branched out
today as detectives uncovered addi-
tional information Of the girls mascu-
line admirers.
Patrolman Robert r. Langdon Of No.
5 precinct was being held at No. IL
precinct, while police were investigate
ing two as caliber automatics he owns.
A rs caliber bullet was removed from
Miss Limerick's brain at an autopsy
Wednesday night.
Langdon said he did not know the
girl except for q casual meeting when
he went to her house at 18 Nineteenth
street southeast recently to investigate
a complaint received at No. precinct
in an anonymous letter.
The policeman had been on duty this
week from midnight to am, patrolling
beat which embraced the Nineteenth
street house, where the girl was found
dying in her bed about 10 o'clock We'd
nesday morning by a brother, Vernon
Limerick.
Under questioning, police quote Lang
don as having said he looked in through
the glass door Of the girls semi-base-
ment room about 4:15 o'clock on the
morning Of her death. Langdon said
he was investigating q report he had
received of disorderly conduct at the
Nineteenth street address. He said he
saw the girl lying upon the daybed, APP
parently fast asleep, with the bed cloth
ing well up over her body. Langdon
said he saw no one else and did not
hear any suspicious sounds in the
neighborhood.
Gun Turned Over to Police.
Langdon turned one Of the guns over
to the police yesterday when they ques-
toned him. It was loaded.
He gave detectives information Of
another .25-caliber gun which later
was taken from his home unloaded. He
said that on the morning Of the girls
death ne carried only the usual heavy
caliber service revolver.
While Langdon was being questioned
the investigation branched out In sew
Sra1 directions. Headquarters detectives
questioned 9 ninth precinct policeman
TO see II he could throw any light on
the case. They said they were satisfied
that he hNd nothing to do with the
case.
Police hoped also to obtain informa-
ton OF value from Miss Limerick's COM
panions at dinner last Thanksgiving.
They would not say If Miss Limerick's
diary, found in her effects after her
death, referred to the dinner or If they
learned of it through friends.
Painter TO BE Questioned.
Capt. Edward j. Kelly, in charge of
the homicide squads investigation,
said he expected to talk to a painter,
described as an admirer Of Miss Linz
erick's.
The death bullet and two exploded
shells, found in the Nineteenth street
house, together with the guns which
police seized, will be turned over to
Lieut.. John Fowler, the departments
ballistic expert, for a comparison
The girl, who formerly was an usher
at Polls Theater and later kept house
at the Nineteenth street address for
her brother Vernon, and roomer,
Richard S. Reed, was secretary of the
Sky High Whoopee Club
Funeral rites were held for her yes
terday afternoon at the undertaker's
where first evidence of
her violent death was uncovered. Only
the family and intimate friends were
present.
The body will be taken for burial
today to Popes Greek, Md. The hour
of the interment was not announced.
COrOner's Jury Sworn.
A coroner's jury was sworn in at the
undertaker's place yesterday, to meet
at some undetermined time, when the
case Is ready for presentation.
From evidence uncovered so far de-
tectives believe the girl was shot while
she slept with her face to the wall.
A blanket and quilt, supposed to have
been pulled half over her head, con-
tanned holes as If a small bullet had
was slightly powder stained.
The other occupants of the house,
Capt. Kelly said occupied sleeping quar-
tiers two floors above the girls basement
room. 1t was possible, he said, for q
light calfber gun to be exploded down.
stairs without its being heard upstairs.
Miss Limerick'S brother, Vernon, and
Reed were In the house on the night of
the girls death. Both denied hearing
the report Reed went out, he said,
without noticing anything suspicious,
something wrong with his sister.
Vernon Limerick Still Held.
Police say they are satisfied the girls
family is withholding no information.
Vernon Limerick, however, still was be-
Ing held today at No. precinct.
Reed, also, was under arrest, as was
William Edward Paddy of the 200 block
Of Fourteenth street northeast, Miss
Limericks escort to a dance, which her
club was giving in Capitol Heights,
Md, on the night preceding her death.
Vernon Limerick told police Paddy
was the last person he saw with his
sister when he retired about midnight
They were talking, he said,
In the girls room.
Langdon was acquitted in District
Supreme Court about a year ago on
Of transporting liquor.