Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-25
Jury CLEARS TWO
IN SPARKS DEATH
Coroner's Body Finds Evil
denCe insufficient to Hold
Woman's Companions.
ny a stan correspondent Of The star.

~ STAFF Correspondent of The Star.
BLADENSBURG, Md, August as
Although q coroner's jury last night
failed to hold William p Dermott ano
Howard r. Boulder responsible for the
death Of Mrs. Ann Noble Sparks. the
men are still being held in jail pending
a conference between Deputy Sheriff
Thomas H. Garrison and States At
torney Alan Bowie.
Charges OF robbery and attempted
assault still face the men, although the
coroner's jury verdict, which is not
binding on the States attorney, frees
them OF murder charges previously
lodged against them, Mr.. Garrison said
Lack of Evidence Cited.
Boulder is represented by Attorneys
Robert W. Mccullough and Joseph D.
di Leo, while Attorneys Albert r. Has
sail and Harold Brody appear for Der
mott.
After nearly an hours deliberation
the jury last night declared. I'VE do not
see mt to make any charges against
Dermott or Boulder, mentioned In this
case, for lack of evidence"
Mrs. Sparks died in Sibley Hospital
two weeks after leaping from an auto
mobile on the Defense Highway to es-
cape an attempted assault by two men,
according to testimony offered at the
inquest. When she ran from one car
she was hit by another coming in the
opposite direction and operated by
Jesse M. Cobb of Bladensburg The
jury exonerated Mr. Cobb of all blame
Detective Testifies.
Detective Sergt. Howard Ogle of
Washington told the jurors Mrs. Sparks
gave him two statements, saying in the
first that no attempt was made to at
tack her, but contradicting this in a
later statement. In both statements,
however, she failed to identity the men
who were In the car.
According to her story, 90 told the
jury by Ogle, two men In q car picked
her up In northeast washington, went
70 house to get some drinks and then
drove out into Maryland.
Ogle also told Of meeting William H
Jordan of Wheaton, Nd. at the hos
pital. Detective Ogle said Jordan vol
unteered to produce the companions
OF Mrs. Sparks on the night of the ac-
cident
Watch Reported Recovered.
He found Boulder and Dermott. the
detective said, but took the law into
his own hands and beat them IN re-
venge for the injuries to Mrs, Sparks
pocketbook and q $500 watch in Boul-
dens room. This led to the robbery
charge.
Both Boulder and Dermott deny any
attempt TO asss llIt the woman. Serrf.
Ogle testified. They claim they went
20 sleep In their car and when they
awoke Mrs. Sparks was gone.
Mr.. Ogles also told the jury that Jor-
dan had been Keeping company with
Mrs. Sparks for two years and claimed
he intended TO marry her this Fall.
That Is why he took such an active
part IN the case" Ogle said.
sJnmped From Car"
Sheriff w. Curtis Hopkins said that
Mrs. Sparks made essentially the same
statement 70 him as she did 70 Sergt
Ogle. He emphasized however, that
she said she jumped to get away from
Deputy sheran Garrison told the
jury, Dermott had declared sshe was
sorTy y say ne was with the woman
out IN Maryland
Mr.. Cobb told how Mrs. Sparks ran
directly In 1rcnt Of his car and was
struck even though he ditched his ma
chine m an effort 10 avoid her. He
said o handkerchief was tied about
her mouth and this statement was
verified by Mrs. Eloise McCauIey and
Howard w. Rinker.
Mrs. McCauley's husband, joseph II
McCauley, drove Mrs. Sparks 70 the
hospital
Exonerated by Woman.
Policeman Ralph Brown declared
the woman exonerated Mr. Cobb in q
statement to him. and Policeman VIII
liam =. Clifton told Of his preliminary
Investigation Of the case
DR. Richard Edgar Dunkley Of the
hospital staff described the woman's
injuries, while a statement from DR..
A. Magruder Macdonald, deputy cor
onerof Washington, attrfbutsnR her
death TO q crushed chest, blood clot
on the lung and multiple fractures,
was read by States Attorney Bowie.
Justice Of Peace Robert z. AItemus
presided at the inquest, with Thomas
Mohler as foreman Of the Jury.
Dermott, who lives at Bowling Green.
Va, is In the Marlboro jail. Boulder.
who resides In Washington, is being
held IN the District JAN. Both men
are % wears old