Evening star., 1933-11-02
MAN QUESTIONED
IN LONG DROWNING
Boy TeStifieS Lawrence H.
Miller Told Him Never to
Mention ChiId's Name.

A middle-aged plumber was brought
INTO the inquest into the mysterious
drowning of 13-year-old Francis Long
today after a 14-year-old boy had told
coroners jury the man had asked
him never to mention his name in con-
nection with the case.
George DeZerne a Central High
School student, testified that Lawrence
H. Miller, 1101 L street, cautioned him
against bringing his name into the
investigation
George, who lives at 902 M street,
said he had accompanied Miller on a
boat trip on the Potomac River Sunday,
October %. The next day, he said,
he told Miller he had been called upon
by police for information regarding the
Long boys death and the unemployed
plumber told him:
Don't ever mention my name in
connection with that boy"
Admits Statement.
Called to the stand Immediately after
ward, Miller at first denied having
made such statement, but later, under
cross-eXamination by members of the
of1er any explanation, however
Miller told the jury he had taken
boat. but, with the exception of the
Dezerne boy, knew none of their
names.
Jurors asked. that you may have had
Francis Long out without knowing that
was his name, isn't it?"
Miller denied this was possible, as
serting all the boy who had accom-
panied him on boat trips were con-
Siderably older than Francis.
Many Witnesses Heard.
Throughout the early afternoon there
was constant procession of witnesses,
including many of the drowned boys
friends and acquaintances, but none
of them was able to throw any appre-
ciable light on the case.
A boy who looked like" the Long
boy. visited the water front on the
day of the newspaper carrier boys dis
appearance, 1t was testified by DR..
Frank S. Flynn. retired Army physician,
owner of a $4,000 yacht. anchored in
Washington Channel. Flynn, who lives
at AS Second street southeast, said
three boys approached him on October
10, the day on which Francis disap-
peared from his home, 1918 Tenth
street. and inquired about the avail
ability of small boats along the water
front
time, he testified, but after Francis
body was found floating in the channel
on october Is, he saw photograph of
the youngster in The Star and decided
to report the incident to police.
y didn't pay much attention to the
boys" he said, but the picture in The
Star looked like one of them. He was
tall lad with dark hair
Tells Of Finding Body.
toat moored near the foot Of Four
teenth street southwest. told the jury,
oyer BY Acting ting a ma
christopher J. Murphy, OF the finding
OF the body. On the night Of the boys
disappearance, he said he found ID gre green
ne1 Five days later he added. he dis
covered the body floating ''at exactly
the same spot"
Altogether DR. Macdonald summoned
% witnesses. including Francis parents,
Mr.. and Mrs. John j. Long. Mrs. Long
testified her son left home about $50
pm. after telling her he was going to
collect on his newspaper route.
Il feel certain" she said, that he
didn't go down there alone-that's the
only thing I'm sure Of"
Mr. and Mrs Long have held from
the beginning their son was murdered.
Through an attorney. they recently Of
fered reward for information concern
ing the case.
The police Investigation of the death
was outlined to the jury by Detective
Sergt. Jerry F4aherty of the homicide
squad.