Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-18
Harry C. WimbIey's Account
of Tragedy Being Checked
by Detectives.
TWO COMPANIONS ALSO
BEING oUIZZED BY POLICE
Mrs. Elizabeth Traylor Wimbley
and Daughter Lose Lives While
on Picnic on c. G. o. Canal.

While police were holding Harry G.
Winbley, 80, and two other men to-
day in their investigation Of the mys-
ferrous drowning yesterday afternoon
Of Wimbley;s 26-year-old wife and her
3-year-old daughter, Capt. Edward J.
Kelly. assistant chief of detectives, an
nounced that 1t had been definitely
determined that wimbley. two months
ago, took out a $4,000 accident policy
on his wife.
The police are also trying 20 locate
IS, 900 worth of bonds which Mrs.
Wimbley Is said to have purchased
with money which she obtained from
compensation payments for the death
Of her first husband in an accident.
Police announced they had sent TO a
New York insurance company for the
accident policy. The policy Is expected
here tomorrow morning.
Detective Dennis j. Murphy Of The
Police Homicide Squad will leave here
today for Dendron, Va, to question
members of Mrs. Winbleys family and
neighbors
Murphy said he wished to know lust
what happened when Wimbley Jour
neyed to the Virginia town Tuesday
and brought his wife back here the
following day. She and her daughter
drowned the next day.
The insurance angle In the case was
developed by Detectives Murphy and
Truscott through correspondence seized
from Wirnbley, according TO Capt. Kelly.
Other insurance leads are now being run
down by the two homicide squad de-
tectiyes.
Police announced wtmbIy has a
criminal record on file at headquarters,
but refused to make it public.
A colored man with q bird dog was
also being sought today as the key Wit
ness to the drowning Of Mrs. Elizabeth
Traylor Wimbley and Wilma Tfaylor,
during picnic on the chesapeake 81
Ohio Canal celebrating the mothers
Goth birthday anniversary.
Mrs. Wimbley and the child plunged
into the canal when q canoe from
which they were fishing capsized.
The woman's husband, two eompau-
Ions, John Cr0wtiEr arad William u
Juugreus Al. al OF Dos q street. were
being held today ct the seventh rreciEct
st the direction Of Coroner j. Rau1siey
Nevitt pending an investigation 0f TIE
Crowder was taken 70 head
quarters for questioning.
An inquest into the deaths was post
ponea, possibly until Tuesday, until De-
tectives Murphy and Truscott Of the
homicide squad could complete the in
Quiry An autopsy was being performed
this afternoon.
Probe Husbands story.
The investigation Is being conferred,
according to Detestive Murphy, on the
story told by Wimbley, and corroborated
by Crowder, that the two men were
Gown at the bank of the Potomac River
looking at a bird dog belonging to q
colored man when Mrs. Winbley and
Wilma fell into the water
Murphy, after thorough investiga-
ton of the scene Of the drowning,
asserted today neither Winhley nor
Crowder could have seen the canal from
the point they said they were standing
examining the bird dog.
Wimbley said ne happened to glance
toward the canal" and saw his wife ttist
as she fell into the water
MY God" he said he remarked to
Crowder, Elizabeth and the baby have
gotten In the canoe and turned over"
Running to the canal and discsrding
his coat, he said, he plunged into the
muddy water, diving beneath the sur
face in vain attempts to rescue Mrs
Wimbley. Crowdsr, meanwhile, dove
in in search Of the child.
CIutching Fishing Pole.
Their efforts to retrieve the bodies
proving unsuccessful, Crowder went
ashore to telephone for hslp. while
Wimbley righted the canoe and renewed
his search. Seeing a fishing pole pro-
jecting from the water, ne pulled II up
The other end was clutched in his
wife's hand
wimbley said he lowed her ashore
and applied resuscitation methods 1T
once. Meanwhile, the Fire Rescue
Squad, summoned by Crowder, had,
through some misunderstanding, gone to
the wrong address. When c;1ey orrived,
an hours work on Mrs. Wimbley proved
Of no avail. She was pronounced dead
by DR.. j. Rogers Young Of Casualty
Hospital
Shortly afterward the body Of the
Continued on Page 2, Column IL
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