Evening star., 1933-01-11
EXPLOSIVE EXPERT
TO EXAMINE WRECK
/. OF KIRK MACHINE
States Attorney Denies
Dynamite Was Found
Near Scene of Death.
BRISC0E ALSO DOUBTS
WOMAN CARRIED PISTOL
Investigators Still Believe Bomb
Was Attached to Cars
Mufler.
BY STAFF Correspondent of The Star.

~ q IVAN OF Inc star.
LEONARDTOWN, Md, January IL
An expert on explosives was on his way
here from Baltimore today to examine
fragments of the bomb-torn automobile
In which Miss Ida Kirk, 73-year-old st.
Marys County philanthropist, met death
near Chaptico Saturday.
Investigators called the Baltimore
man in an effort to determine the ma
ture of the explosive used by the as
sassin.
Rumors that two sticks of dynamite
were found in the underground along
side the highway on which Miss Kinks
automobile was wrecked were current
mere today. John H. T. Briscoe, States
attorney Tor st. Marys County, said
the dynamite was brought to his Office
for examination yesterday. and he de.
nleo the explosive was found by the
ROADSIDE. He said the dynamite was
merely used with the object of recon-
structing how the bomb might have
peen made. He added the dynamite
came from a regular box" of a local
merchant.
Automobile Guarded.
The Kirk automobile has been brought
TO Leonardtown and placed under lock.
pending the arrival of the Baltimore
expert.
Briscoe described as unfounded re-
ports that pistol was found in Miss
hrks car after the explosion. The
states attorney, who also was Miss
Kinks personal attorney, said he had
never heard OF her carving a GIN in
her automobile
Nigel H. Dixon, 80, a protege of Miss
kirke, who had lived at the homestead.
Sunnyside farm, since boyhood. came
70 Leonardtown yesterday and discussed
the case with Briscoe and detectives
Tor more than an hour. The latter said
no new leads were developed by the
conference.
Miss Kinks viii, which Is reputed Ia
dispose of an estate valued at mora
than 100000, was fled yesterday. but
under Maryland law the document aid
not become public record until the
benehciaries could be notified. 1t was
SAID unofhcially the will benefits "a
large number Of persons" and offers
no oefnite clue in the investigation.
Suspect Dynamite Theft.
Authorities were investigating the
possibility that the person who planted
ene pomo stole the dynamite from q
t,lgnWay construction crew which Is
using the explosive to blast out old
cuiverts in road-widening work.
check of the few dealers Win
handle dynamite and construction
crews In the neighborhood has failed
70 disclose any theft of explosive.
Mr.: Briscoe said he was convinced
tne bomb was made from dynamits
Wncn had been fastened near the
mu1ner OF Miss Kinks automobile and
oetonated by a percussion cap either
aeeacneo 70 the exhaust pipe or to the
power 1use touched of from the
Shell May Be Clue
This theory was strengthened bv the
discovery Of shotgun shell SATURDAY.
near the spot where Miss Kirk had left
ner automobile overnight. She had
parked her car In the rectory ward of
the Christ Episcopal Church at Chap
tlco, spending the night with the wife
OF the rector, Mrs. Joseph Gibson. Mrs.
Gibson was with Mrs Kirk when the
jured.
Briscoe said powder extracted from
the shell probably was used as a fuse.
detectives Arthur Martin and Will
nam Feehley of the Baltimore police
returned to the vicinity of Baltimore
Yesterday to question friend of Miss
Kirk regarding rumor that the spin
ster feared certain residents of the
vicinity.
Authorities are seeking an unidenti-
ned man who was seen on the nicht
preceding Miss Kinks death, running
from the rectory yard. Deputy Sheriff
Richard Long Of st. Marys County was
returning to his home about midnight
Friday when he noticed a man Standing
beside the highway near the rectory
and acting In a suspicious manner. Long
stopped to question the stranger, but
he disappeared. Long did not pursue
him, but reported the incident when he
learned Of Miss Kinks death the next
day.