Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-03-25
Sergeant, "Hard Pressed for
Money" Is Hunted
as Suspect.
LEFT BARRACKS MARCH 3;
HOME TROUBLES BLAMED
Belongings Yield Letter Paper CAL
most Identical" With Lewis
Notes, Says Burke.

A Marine Corps sergeant who is a
deserter from the Marine Barracks here
is being sought by police as the ex-
tortionist who has written threatening
letters to Mrs Alice Roosevelt Long
worth, widow Of the late Speaker of the
House Nicholas Longworth, and Sir
Willmott Lewis, Washington CORE
spondent Of the London Times, 1t was
learned late today.
The sergeant left the barracks March
and has not been heard from since.
Capt. George Spots, adjutant at the
barracks, said he understood the de-
sertion was caused by domestic troubles.
Hard Pressed for Money"
Inspector Frank S. W. Burke, chief of
detectives, declared the man was known
to be hard-pressed for money and said
everything points to him as the writer
Of the letters"
The sergeant is reported to have a
wife and child living in Washington, but
since his desertion from the barracks is
understood to have seen neither Of
them.
Searching the belongings of the
Marine sergeant, detectives found letter
paper almost identical" with that on
which the two letters to Mrs. Longworth
Lewis were written, Inspector Burke
disclosed.
A typewriter believed to have been
used in the writing of the letters was
found today by detectives in a down.
town office building, where 1t is believed
to have been taken by the man when
he left the barracks.
The typewriter will be compared by
experts OF the Bureau of Standards
with the letters received by Mrs. Long
worth and Sir Willmott.
An arrest is expected momentarily
by Police Chief Pelham D. Glassford
A constant police guard has been in
stalled in the home of Sir Willmott,
1905 New Hampshire avenue, as a re-
suit Of two threatening letters and mys-
terious telephone call received there this
week. A guard placed around the home
OF Mrs Longworth, who received On en-
tortion note three weeks ago has been
removed at her request
Lewis Son Threatened.
The letters to Sir Willmott, the latest
of which was received yesterday. de-
manded the 81 800 under threats against
his 5-year-old son, Willmott. jr The
note to Mrs. Longworth, however, con-
tanned no direct threat against her
daughter Paulina, Detective Chief Frank
s. w. Burke said. Nevertheless, Mrs.
Longworth has instructed servants in
her home to keep the child under con-
slant watch, it was learned.
Similar extortion letters also have
been received within recent weeks by
Ben Lyon, movie star, who was here
two weeks ago; banker, whose name
police refused to reveal, and about a
dozen other persons prominent in the
| Capitals social and political life, ac-
cording to Inspector Burke. All are be-
/ lieved by police to have been inspired
by the kidnapping of the infant son OF
Col. and Mrs. Charles A. Lindbergh.
Letters Similar.
Great similarity has been noted in the
letters to Mrs. Longworth and to the
Lewises. Inspector Burke asserted, and
they have been sent to the Bureau OF
Standards for minute inspection In
effort to determine whether they were
sent by the same person.
Although every detective and police
man on the force has been instructed to
be on the lookout for suspicious looking
persons, the detective chief said there
was little in the way of clues to work on
! The man whose arrest Is expected
soon is known to Inspector Burke and
Police Chief Glassford, but his identity
is being withheld.
The letter received by the Lewises
Yesterday, which was addressed to Mrs
Willmott Lewis" followed a phone call
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