Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-20
ConfeSses He Upset Canoe,
But Not on Pre-arranged
Signal After He Had Con-
spired With Her Husband.
MADE TRIP TO VIRGINIA
TO KILL ENTIRE FAMILY
Tells Officers They Planned to
sandbag Victims and Then Burn
Home, but Got Gold Feet
Both Men Will Be Charged With
irst-Degree Murder.

Harry G. Wimbley and John
Crowder plotted the murder Of
Wimbley's wife and her 3-year-old
daughter, Crowder confessed to
police last night.
Crowder admitted, the police
announce, that he overturned the
canoe in which Mrs. Wimbley and
the child were fishing in the O. Il
o. Canal last Thursday, but
claimed that it was upset acci-
denSally as he got into it.
Both winsbley and Crowder win Be
formally charged with first degree MUIR
der in connection with the double
drowning, Capt Kelly announced after
making public Crowder's confession.
Crowder said he and Mrs. Wlmhley
and the child were fishing from canoe
on the canal when Wimbley Ynotioued
him to overturn the canoe, according
TO Capt. Edward J. Kelly, assistant chief
Of detectives.
Did Not Fellow Signal
Crowder did not follow the prear-
ranged signal. Kelly said he told police,
but instead padded the canoe back to
shore. AS he pulled in to the shore
he said he was confronted by Wimbley,
whom he quoted to police Is Whisper
why the hell didn't yOu turn Il
over?"
They came ashore, Crowdsr said. ana
after few minutes Wimlnley again sssg-
gested that he take them out fishing Ia
the canoe.
As he got into the canoe afEsr Mrs.
Wimbley and the child, Cr0Wder said.
his knee struck the canoe and 1t turned
over. pitching the woman and child into
pitched into the water. He said he
dived again and again for the woman
and child, but was unsuccessful IA ind.
ing their bodies
Crowder also admitted, according to
police, that he and Wimbley plotted to
sandbag to death Mrs. Wiunbley and the
child, and Mrs. Wimbley's parents, Mr..
Tench home In Dendron, Va.
Planned to Fire Home.
After killing the family. Capt. Kelly
said Crowder related, he and Wimbley
planned to set fire to the Tench home.
So carefully plotted had been their
plan, Capt. Kelly said, that the pair
had stopped en- route to Dendron last
Tuesday and bought five gallons Of
gasoline with which to set fire TO the
home in an attempt to wipe out his wife
and daughter.
The pair got cold feet" on the burn.
ing plot, Kelly said, and decided in-
stead upon a plan to drown Mrs.
Wimbley and the girl.
Crowder told police Wimbley prom
ised him after the bodies Of his wife
and stepchild had been recovered that
he would take care of everything and
fix it up with the police and news
papers"
The burning of the Tench home at
Dendron, Crowder quoted Wimbley as
saying, would mean the payment OF
double indemnity on the 1000 acci-
dent policy he had taken out on MRS.
Wimbley. He said he would take care
of Crowder according to the lattersa
statement to police
Crowder told police. Capt. Kelly said,
that Wimbley assured him that If the
plot was contaminated "tf1e Insurance.
would take care OF both Of U.s."
Met WimbIey in Hospital.
Crowder's confession to police. rs re-
lated by Capt. Kelly, follows:
''Crowder said ne had known VIM
bley since August, 1929. He said he
had met him at Walter Reed Hospital.
where Wimbley used to come TO see
him. Up until recently he hadn't seen
Wimbley for q year.
cat that time, September IL, 1891, he,
Crowder, was living at 102 e street.
He had left st. Georges Island, Nd, on
September 8 and went to 802 Twen-
tietf street where he Spent the night
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