Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-17
DESTROYED NOTES
LINKED TO DEATH
sc. H. D." Urged Accused
Professor to Get Rid of
Wife, Coroner Says.
BY the Associated Press.

/ BY the Associated Press.
/ HAMPTON, Va, September 1T.-Cor-
oner George K. Vanderslice said in Cir
cult Court today that he believed a mo-
tive for the drowning Of Mrs. Jenny
Graham Kane revealed in letter
signed e H. D." Suggestion that Prof.
Elisha Kent Kane of the University of
Tennessee, get rid of his wife. He said
he believed the letter was written by a
Betty Dodd and that it had probably
been destroyed.
The coroner, appearing in opposition
to bail for the professor, who is held for
murder, did not explain how the con-
tents Of the letter was known to officers,
who the woman was or why he identi-
fed her as the writer of the letter. He
said however. that he had other letters
with the same signature, suggesting
travel in out-of-the -way-places in Eu-
rope and the doing of unusual things.
Decision Due Tomorrow.
Judge C. Vernon Spratley, before
whom the application for hail was
brought, said he would announce a de-
cision at 1l.30 o'clock tomorrow. De-
fessor was being unjustly deprived OF
his liberty during prolonged coroner's
inquest
The coroner did not say where the
letters were mailed, but just before the
inquest was resumed this afternoon he
allowed newspaper men to read the Sig
nature of letter postmarked from the
liner America on September l. 1t was
ended. Il still hold you very dearly in
( ~ ~ tfras oddrneeeh n
Prof. Kane.
Believes Death Was Planned.
This evidence, with other testi-
| mony," the coroner said, seems TO
/ indicate the death of Kane's wife was
| of a premediated, carefully planned,
deliberate character"
| He said neither the letters he had
nor their contents had been introduced
/ in testimony before the inquest, but
were made part of the record to be
! filed with the court.
J Judge Spratley commented that the
/ introduction of such testimony was not
necessary.
| The prosecution had called the cor
oner before the hearing to present TO
/ the court the grounds OF the Common
wealth for holding Kane.
! Percy Carmel, defense attorney, said
/ he was seeking bail pending the COM
| pletion Of the long drawn out coroner S
/ inquest. Hek said Dr. Kane. father OF
/ the defendant would have to leave
/ Hampton and that he desired to go on
+ his sons bond before leaving.
! Commemorative Attorney Roland D.
I Cooke told the court he had Kane ar
/ rested to assure his remaining in the
/ vicinity. When the arrest was made
I Sunday afternoon. he said. Kane had
( packed his luggage and was ready TO
leave for another State.
j Mr.. Cooke also said officers found and
obtained possession of jewelry valued at
thousands of dollars which belonged to
Mrs. Kane.
Father Takes Stand,
/ A theory that heart trouble contrib
/ uted to the death of Mrs. Kane was SET
/ forth by DR.. Evan ONeill Kane, father
1 of the accused man and surgeon, who
testified at the inquest last night he had
treated Mrs. Kane for heart trouble
which had bothered her for seven years
He suggested that heart trouble
might have caused her to slip from q
rock and drown while she was helpless
Coroner Vanderslice previously had
said that he was convinced Mrs. Kane'S
death was due to drowning and the only
question was whether or not it was
homicidal.
Defense attorneys said that evidence
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