Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-04
BaIIstic Report Fails to Con.
meet Bullets With Lang
don'S Pistols.
PATR0LMAN CAN GAIN
RELEASE IN 40 HOURS
Expert Ascertains Both Shells
Found Bore Identical Plunger
Marks.

Ballistics investigation early today was
reported to have robbed police of all
material evidence against Patrolman
Robert F. Langdon, attached to the
| fifth precinct, leaving authorities
frankly waiting for q break" in the
mysterious shooting Of 19-year-old
Beulah Limerick.
Capt. Edward J. Kelly, assistant chief
OF detectives, said Langdon, who has
been held for questioning in the case,
would be detained "as long as possible"
But unless evidence on which to base
| a formal charge is obtained within AZ
hours, the policeman can demand re-
| lease.
A report on two pistols taken from
Langdon after he surrendered shell
he said he found in the house where
the girl was found dead last Wednesday
was received by Capt. Kelly from Lieut.,
John F. Fowler, the departments ball
listicS expert, and William N. Souder,
Bureau of Standards ballistics expert
The report failed to identify either gun
as having fired either of the bullets,
Capt. Kelly said.
A .25-caliber shell found by Iangdon
himself in the death room which he
was sent to guard Thursday morning
before he was detained flor questioning,
| and which he gave the police inyesti-
| gators, was not fired from either of
Langdon's guns, Fowler reported.
The slug which snuffed out the life
of 19-year-old Beulah Limerick was
so battered it could have come from
any .25-caliber gun, according to
Lieut.. John Fowler, the Police DEPART
ment's firearms expert, who examined
the death bullet and compared it with
two guns owned by Policeman Robert
F. Langdon of No. 5 precinct.
In discussing the contents of the re-
port with newspaper men at headquar-
tiers last midnight, Capt. Kelly said
that the bullet located by Langdon in
the flooring of the death room bore
been fired from either of two exploded
shells found In the room.
Shell Found In Teacup.
One of these shells was found IN a
teacup In a kitchen adjoining the room,
and the other not far from the cot
1 where she had lain, IN a position to
indicate it had not been moved after
1t had been elected from the automatic
held over the girl.
Fowler, according to Kelly, ascer-
| tanned that both shells bore identical
| plunger markings, and it was fairly well
established they were exploded from the
same gun. The gun, Kelly said, now is
the object of a police search. None Of
| could have shot the bullets found in the
floor or exploded the shells, according
to Kelly.
Meanwhile, Capt Kelly said, another
policeman, the third to be questioned
yesterday, was grilled last night. He
told officials he had met Miss Limerick,
former theater usher, year ago; had
gone to party at her home and had
not seen her since. He was not ar
rested.
1--WE viii hold every one as long as
possible" Kelly said, but We are
frankly waiting for a break"
Held for Investigation.
Langdon was booked at headquarters
! for questioning last night by Sergt.
| John Flaherty, chief of the homicide
marked excused from duty on the
records of No. precinct.
Langdon's wife consulted Attorney
Harry T. Whelan yesterday afternoon.
The attorney represented Langdon
when he was freed by a District SUI
preme Court jury year ago on a
charge of transporting 10 gallons Of
alleged liquor.
Mrs. Langdon explained she had
visited the attorney to learn if there
was some way to escape the publicity
attending her husbands arrest.
Langdon'S wife expressed confidence
in her husband and said she was GER
tain the police investigation would
clear him.
Seek Source of Bullets.
Inspector Shelby said yesterday after
noon police wanted to know whether the
death bullet was fired from either of
Langdon'S guns and whether the two
shells had been exploded by the same
gun or by either of the Langdon guns.
One bullet was recovered from Miss
Limerick'S brain at an autopsy per-
formed Wednesday night by DR.. A. Nc
Gruder Macdonald, deputy coroner. It's
presence was discovered by an under
taker preparing the body for burial
early Wednesday night, some six hours
after the girl had been pronounced dead
OF natural causes.
The other bullet. police say, was
turned over to them by Langdon him
self, together with an exploded shell.
Langdon, on duty from midnight to 8
m last week, was assigned to guard
Continued on Page 2, Column 81
-s-