Evening star., 1932-01-09
SLAYER CONFESSES
BEATING WOMAN TO
DEATH WITH POKER
Killed Mrs. Hendricks When
She Barred Home to Him,
Prisoner Says.
CORONER BEGINS PROBE
OF BASEMENT CRIME
warder L. Tilburg Arrested at
Home on Massachusetts, Ave
nue. Soon After Murder.

Speedy Justice for Warder L. Tilburg
81 confessed slayer of Mrs. Jeannette
Hendricks, 40, seemed likely today as q
coroner's jury began an inquest barely
"a hours after the woman'S body was
found in the basement of her rooming
house, at 2318 Eighteenth street.
The decision to hasten disposition of
the case was made by Deputy Coroner
A. Magruder Macdonald following con-
sultation with Sergt. Harry K. Wilson,
newly appointed chief of the homicide
squad.
A confession, in which Tilburg is said
10 have admitted beating Mrs. Hend-
ricks to death with a poker after she
refused to permit him to call on her
again. was made shortly after midnight,
police said.
Arrested at Home.
Tilburg, an ex-soldier, was arrested
about two hours before by Sergts. Will
son, Floyd Truscott and Dennis j. Muir
ply.
The detectives found Tilburg asleep
at his home, in the 800 block of Massa-
chusetts avenue. When they awakened
him, they reported, he jumped from his
bed and exclaimed:
"Yes, did it, and I'll tell you all
about itl'
Tilburg was taken to headquarters,
where the confession was obtained.
IT killed that woman" said Tilburg,
"and am willing to die for 1t. All I
want is for her to have decent burial"
After spending the night in q cell
at the fifth precinct police station, TIL
burg was returned to headquarters this
morning and subjected to thorough
re-examination.
Taken to Hospital
He was so nervous, however, that the
interrogation was abandoned and he
was taken to Emergency Hospital for
treatment His condition, according to
Sergt. John Flaherty, former head Of
the euuad, was due to the fact he began
drinking Immediately after the killing.
Inspector Frank S. w. Burke, chief
of detectives, and his assistant, Capt.
Bernard Thompson, refused to make
Tilburg's confession public in advance
of the inquest. However, the gist OF its
contents was sketched to reporters by
Sergt. Wilson. ..
Tilburg is said to have admitted
spending the night at Mrs. Hendricks
lodging house During the course of
eral quarrels. Then, about 6 o'clock
yesterday morning, after drinking some
coffee together, they went to the cellar
TO fire the furnace.
while we were there" Tilburg Is
quoted as saying, "she turned to me and
said, This is the last time I'll let you
come in my house"
Her remark made Tilburg so angry,
he is reported to have confessed, that
he seized the poker and hit her with it.
Roomer Finds Body.
Mrs Hendricks body was found about
six hours later by a roomer, Wiss Cole
man. Going to the basement to put
some coal In the heater, Coleman dis
covered her lying in pool of blood,
with her head battered. She was clad
in a nightgown, kinomo and pair of
cloth slippers.
The poker and blood-stained shovel
were found in the cellar by police, who
were summoned by Coleman. The
poker, like the shovel, was covered with
blood. brick column few feet from
Mrs. Hendricks head also was splat-
tered with blood.
Two other roomers, Miss Ella Bozdale
and Peter Dietz told Investigators they
heard Mrs. Hendricks scream, but paid
III dbONLeAO1l bCN0hoC b4AC S4AC "CAS AASN
repeated.
Returning to her room about IL
O'Clock last night, Miss Bozdale said,
Mrs. Hendricks called from her bed
room, Come on in"
Worked in Lunch Room.
Inside, Miss Bozdale said, she found
Tilburg. Mrs. Hendricks, according to
Miss Bozdale, explained that Tlburg
was trying to induce her to marry him.
Mrs. Hendricks ridiculed the idea, Miss
Bozdale added.
Until last Saturday, Tilbury was en-
ployed at lunch room in the 200 block
of UpShur street. He was discharged,
however, and had since been seeking
employment.
Tilburg, according to the roomers,
had been paying attention to Mrs. Hen
bricks for about a year. He quarreled
with her frequently, they said, because
he thought she had engagements with
other men. She is said to have hus-
band living in Baltimore, and efforts
are being made to communicate with
him.
Detective Sergt. James Kenny's men,
ory caused Tilburg's arrest When in
formed of the Staying. Kenny recalled
that about a year ago, when he was
attached to the third precinct, Mrs.
Hendricks complained to him that
man named Tilberg had been annoying
her. Kenny advised the woman to
swear out warrant but she failed to
do SO.
Kenny told Sergt Wilson Of the in
cident and the roomerS were asked If
they knew Tilburg. When it was es-
tablished that Tilburg had visited Mrs.
Hendricks the night before she was
lyF1 cd h,-Ao ocf
Tilburg was arrested on a larceny
charge in Baltimore in 1880 and served
three months in the Maryland House
of Correction.
At the time he was in Baltimore, he
Is said to have been employed as a cook
In several restaurants.