Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-08
TUCKER, IN CAPITAL,
ASKS TO Be SHOWN
He KILLED WOMAN
Man Who "ConfeSSed" Kirk
Murder Now Denies Sign
ing Any Statement.
ASKS IF FINGERPRINTS
ARE INFALLIBLE PROOF
Expresses Sincere Belief in Guilt,
Then Says He Did Not
Commit Crime.

George P. Tucker, 80 years old, who
was returned here last night from Los
Angeles, after processing the belief that
he murdered Miss Emma Kirk during a
mental lapse five years ago. asks only
to be convinced of his guilt before sign
ing complete confession of the crime.
A transcript of fuckers statement,
made during a two-hour questioning at
headquarters, was being prepared for
submission to the prisoner at the Dis
trict Jail. He has indicated, police say,
that he will sign the statement.
The young man will be arraigned,
! probably next week, after the District
attorneys Office can review the case.
Ofhcials would not predict when they
would seek to bring Tucker to trial
under the murder indictment returned
some time ago.
Denies Signing Statement.
Tucker insists he hsa signed no state
ment either in Los Angeles, where he
voluntarily surrendered, or en- route by
train to Washington in custody OF
deputy marshals from Los Angeles.
This was due, t. prisoner said, to
recurring doubt tt 1t he committed the
crime At times tucker expresses a
sincere belief in his guilt and at others
he doubts it apparently with equal sin
cerity.
He said he made the original confess
sion because he was obSeSsed with the
conviction that he was murderer and
ridden by fear that he might commit a
similar crime. this time on some one
near and dear"
The prisoner related fantastic
story of mental delusion. which have
troubled him since his skill was frac-
tured while driving a racing car in
Salem, Greg, in 1928.
Describes Night Club.
Police say he was able, however, to
give an accurate description of color
ed night club which he profeSsed to
have visited near the umbrella shop at
80 r street, where the garroted body
CT the 63-year-o!d spinster was found.
At the same time Tucker pointed out
to Inspector w. S. Shelby, Capt. Ed
ward Kelly and Sergt. John Flaherty,
who examined him, that he had no pos
sible motive in committing the crime.
Tucker obviously was perplexed when
shown how identical was the impression
OF his own left thumb with another
left on the eyeglasses Of the dead
woman.
Hears Method Is InfaIIible.
He asked if identificat ton by this
n-thcd was infallible aid when in
formed it was, replied: If that is So,
my belief must be true. That Is why
I am here
Tucker was shown police photographs
of the body and room in which the
murder was committed, but said he
could recognize nothing familiar. He
handled the photographs with steady
hand.
The prisoner showed some irritation
over reports that he was picked up by
Los Angeles police while walking the
streets mumbling that he had muir
dered a woman in Washington.
Tucker explained he voluntarily ap-
preached a traffic officer, who was busy
putting tickets on parked automobiles.
Tucker asked the officer, he said, If he
wished to make several hundred dol
lars" and then expressed his belief of
having committed a crime.
The traffic policeman called a com
panion and Tucker was escorted to de-
tective headquarters where he repeat
ed his story.
Acquaintance Found.
Several persons have been found here,
Shelby said, who knew Tucker while
the latter was in Washington, just prior
to the murder Through them police
were able to establish fuckers presence
here two months before the murder,
but not at the time it was committed.
Police do not consider it necessary to
have fuckers acquaintance identify
him at this time. An effort may be
made later to find woman in Cali
fornia-Beatrice Kolick-said to have
seen a man leaving the vicinity of the
Kirk home near the time of the murder.
The woman moved from Washington
several years ago and friends here have
been unable to tell police what city
she moved TO on the West Coast.
Tucker said he remained in Washing
ton almost year after the crime and
remembered having confessed it to an
acquaintance here, whom he refused to
name. He admitted his confession"
may have been colored by newspaper
accounts of the Staying.
The prisoner was calm and self-as-
sured as the Southern Railroad train
drew into Union Station. He was dressed
in a brown suit, and his hair-growing
thin on top-was neatly combed
He had a pleasant trip, he said, play
ing BLACK jack" with his captors most
of the way These were United States
Deputy Marshal Henry Lessner and
Nat Bernbaum, attached to a Los An
ge!es bond Office
Fellow passengers were not aware
that Tucker was a prisoner until ap-
prised OF the fact by the boom of flash
lights as the party alighted about $50
O'Clock at Union Station.
Sergt. Johr T'aherty Of the homicide
squad escorted the prisoner to detective
headquarters. Tucker was taken to the
District Jail later