Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-19
CROWDER PICTURES
s. CANAL DROWN|NGS
Another Woman WimbIey Is
T Said to Have Wed Re-
q Gently Faces Arrest.
fcontlnued Prom FIrst Paee.)

ecr1OeQ Wfab JOOk place. -.
He pointed out spot on the south
bank Of the canal near tree, where
he said, he stood and which police esti-
mated was 80 feet from where the canoe
capsized.
when the woman and little girl fell into
the water?" asked Springmann.
Denies Hearing Splash.
mo" crowder replied. 1.-THE first
knew they were in the water was
when Winbley shouted"
Springmann picked up large rock
and threw it into the water. 1t made
q loud splash.
"a deaf man could have heard that, y
Springrnann said. do you mean to
tell me that you couldn't hear the
splash of two bodies hitting the water?'
YES Crowder faltered; yes,
guess / did hear the ripple as they
hit the water"
WimbIey Heard Noises.
Police said that Wimbley. who was
several hundred feet from the scene OF
the drownings, told them he had heard
q splash; that it was the splash which
flrst attracted his attention.
Crowder then told how Mrs. Wimbley
and the child got in the canoe, Wilma
sitting ut her mothers feet, and padded
After measuring the width Of the
canal and its depth the detectives and
their prisoner left the canal, Crowder
being taken back to the third precinct
station house.
Told Of Drowning. -
Miss wilson told police she saw
winbley when he returned from the
canal Thursday afternoon, after his
wife had drowned She quoted him as
saying to her, according to Springman
''My wife and baby have Just
drowned. That is, my wife from Balti-
more"
Wimbley previously had told police he
has q divorced wife and two children
In Baltimore. The drowned cniio, Wilma
was q daughter of Mrs. Wimhley by q
previous marriage.
AS the inquiry into the circumstances
surrounding the deaths of Mrs. VIM
bley and her daughter wore on through
the third day, added importance was
attached to the $4,000 accident in
surance policy which, police said, VIM
bley took out on his wife less than two
months ago.
Admits Taking Out Policy.
Detectives and handwriting experts
were awaiting today receipt from New
York insurance company Of q copy OF
the policy to compare the signature It
contains with that Of the drowned
woman.
Wimbley, police said, served . SEN
tence for forgery at Atlanta penttentiary.
lie admits taking out the $40 600 policy
last July, naming himself as beneficiary.
Springmann pointed out. however
that by his own statements Wimbley
until Tuesday had not seen his wife
since last December
Investigating other insurance angles
detectives found there was 81 900 life-
insurance policy IN force on Mrs. VIM
l3ley, naming her husband as beneficiary
and q $500 policy on the child made
out In WimbIeyss favor. They are also
investigating q rum0r OF q burned auto
mobile and insurance collected later.
A separate Investigation Of the double
drowning. which climazed celebration
in honor Of Mrs Wimbley's 26th birth
day anniversary, is being undertaken by
investigators for the insurance company
which underworld the $4,000 accident
policy. Police declined to name the
company.
Detective Goes TO virginia.
Another lead which police officials be-
the trip Of Detective Sergt. Dennis J.
Murphy to Dendron, Va, home Of Mrs.
Wimbley. Murphy left here yesterday
afternoon to find out Just what hap
pened when Wimbley came there Tues
day to bring his wife back to wash
ington.
At the time Mrs. wimbiey ana Wilma
were up the canal, her parents received
letter from Wimbley, telling them he
was planning the fishing party for her
birthday and that IN let her have her
luck. even If we get wet" He explained
In the letter that the weather was
threatening, but that Elizabeth had not
been fishing "this year." and he wanted
TO take her on her birthday. The letter
follows:
Hello, Dad, Mamma and Kiddies
We are wondering how You al are thu
morning as we are fine.
Elizabeth Is cleaning up and getting
ready to go fishing to celebrate be-
birthday. Wilma is trying to ten M
something about Elsie ian adopeet
daughter Of the father Of Mrs. VIM
bley's first husband) cutting her foo
in the garden It Is looking like rain
but Elizabeth says that fish bite nfaci
better when 1t Is cloudy. She has no
been sailing or fishing this year, al1t
this is her birthday.
Letter Signed Howard 8
"she is going to celebrate IL on. tn
River unless it storms. I have beer
swimming some times, but have no
been fishing since I went with he
Uncle Bin and Uncle Dick down Oh
Stony Greek.
81 think III let her have her luck
even II we get wet.
well, by by to all. Write real sooI
and tell John that If he don't go Il
school next time we come down an
II he will I'll bring him whole cartol
Of cigarettes TO smoke-10 packages. E
"Your loving son Howard.
Detectives said Howard APPARENT,
was a new name for Wimbley, who thu
far has been identified under the names
( John @. Dickerson, Harry G. Dickerson
John T. Dickerson, Harry c. Dickson
as well as WimbleY.
Beneath the signature was o most
script In the handwriting Of Mrs. WiTnb
ley and signed Elizabeth. which read:
We'll, / am celebrating my twenty
sixth birthday. Howard Is going to tax
me fishing on the river. was weighe'
and I tipped the scales at only ~
pounds. You ought to be here to g
fishing"
Disclosure that Mrs. Wimbley cam
into 5000 compensation from the. Beth
lenem Steel Co for the death Of he
first husband, Wesley Traylor, who In
hailed poisonous fumes while workin
as an oiler in the companys Sparrow
Point, Md, plant, was made today b
the drowned woman's parents.
Married September (, 1880.
Detective Sergt. Springmann said
has definitely been determined tina
Wimbley had obtained nearly all tn
money" from his wife, although tn
-. I'D ~,ssF< s,1u