Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-09
PROBE OF MARINES
MURDER BLOCKED
CONSTABLE HOLDS
Blackwell Accuses Garrison
of Interfering With Solution
of Capitol Heights Case.
MAGISTRATE DECLARES
INVESTIGATION FUTILE
Chief Deputy Sheriff Says Slain
Man Failed to Keep Date on
Night of January 16.

The murder Of Pvt. Emanuel Thorne,
25-year-old Marine, whose bullet-rld-
died body was found in a shallow grave
in a patch of woods in Greater Capitol
Heights. Nd. will go down in Prince
Georges County criminal records as
"another unsolved mystery" in the
opinion Of Justice of the Peace Thomas
Griffith.
Although five days have elapsed since
the discovery of the corpse, mVeStl-
gators are no nearer the solution OF the
battling Staying than they were laSC
SATURDAY.. when the body was found,
Griffith declared today.
Blackwell Hits Garrison.
The statement was made after Con-
stable Earl Blackwell had asserted
Chief Deputy Sheriff Thomas Carl
son was interfering" with him in his
investigation The theories OF Garrl-
son and Blackwell have been at Varl-
ance since the beginning OF the PROBE
the chief deputy holding that Thorne
was killed January l6, immediately
after leaving the Marine Barracks, and
the constable declaring the murder was
not committed until March IA.
Blackwell declared he was being so
tied I'D with grand jury work" In the
Prince Georges County court house at
Upper Marlboro that he had little time
in which to work on the Staying.
BIackwell's assertions brought smile
from Garrison, who termed them STUN
and nonsense"
Deputy Interviews Girl.
Expounding his theory of the muir
der. Garrison said he had interviewed
n girl who had q date" with Thorne
on the night he left the barracks.
"They were supposed to go to
dance" the chief deputy related. but
Thorne didn't show up. The girl had
known him for long time, and he mad
never disappointed her before. his
records showed he was always punctual'
and never failed to return to the bar
racks at the time he was expected. The
fart he neither kept the date nor re-
turned to the barracks convinced me ne
was killed either that night or early
the next morning"
Blackwell's theory the Staying was the
result of a drunken brawl was termed
ridiculous" by Garrison. "Thorne was
killed" the chief deputy declared,
''either because he knew too much or
because somebody wanted TO get re-
yenge."
AS for the automobile which Black
well believes was used by the murderer,
Garrison insisted it had nothing what
ever to do with the case" The car
was not found until March is and 1t
certainly could not have figured in
murder which occurred two months be-
fore" Garrison pointed out.
SeIbicky Is Released.
The machine, however, plays an i'm.
portant part in Blackwell's reconstruc-
ton of the crime. The constable be-
lieves Thorne was killed near the woods
in Greater Capitol Heights, and that
his body was taken TO the edge Of the
woods in an automobile, from which it
was dragged to the place of burial.
The woods are in the rear Of the
home of Vincent Selbicky, a member of
the Marine Band, who was released
from Prince Georges County Jail late
yesterday Selbicky, who had been
held since the discovery Of the corpse,
was given his freedom on 81 900 bond
on liquor charge placed against him
following the discovery of quantity
of alleged beer and whisky in his home.
Selbicky's release left the investigators
with no one in custody in connection
with the murder and both Garrison and
Blackwell admitted today that there
was little likelihood Of another arrest
In the immediate future.
Selbicky, in Garrison'S opinion, was
the victim of a deliberate effort by the
slayer TO cast suspicion upon him.
Thorne's body was buried in the woods
In back of Selbicky's home. and folder
of safety matches bearing the insignia
of the Marine Band was placed lin the
slain mans pocket, Garrison declared,
to make Investigators think Selbicky
had something TO do with the murder.