Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-01-09
KIRK AUTO BLAST
BATTLES PROBERS
Empty Shotgun Shell Is Sole
Clue as Will Fails to Shed
Light on Mystery.
BY w. III. SHIPPEN.
STAFF Correspondent OF The Star.

DA W. EN-
STAFF Correspondent OF The Star.
LEONARDTOWN, Md, January g.
The automobile explosion which killed
Miss Ida Kirk, 73-year-old ST. Marys
County philanthropist, appeared no
nearer solution today, as sorrowing rela-
tives and friends gathered for the fu-
neral in Christ Episcopal Church at
Chaptico, a few miles from the Kirk
homestead on Sunnyside Farm.
While the rural community in which
Miss Kirk lived and died paid tribute
to a generous benefactor, detectives OF
two Jurisdictions sought a clue to the
blast which fatally injured Miss Kirk
and wrecked her automobile Saturday
morning as she was driving on the
highway near Chaptico, en- route To
Washington.
Prosecution Reads Will.
States Attorney John H. T. BriScoe
of ST. MaryS County visited the First
National Bank at Leonardtown TINS
morning and read the will which Miss
Kirk had left in safe deposit box
there. Mr. Briscoe declined to state
how large an estate the will disposed
of, but it was estimated at between
$780, 900 and 100000 by neighbors.
Briscoe said the will left small be-
quests to "a number of persons" but
declined to discuss it further until the
document is probated, possibly to-
morrow.
Miss Kinks companion on the fatal
drive. Mrs Elva Gibson. wife of the
rector of Christ Episcopal Church at
Chaptico. has been unable to shed
further light on the explosion, in which
she was uninjured.
Will Clue Denied.
Rev. Mr.. Gibson was to conduct the
funeral services today, with interment
in Miss Kinks family plot in the church
yard.
Authorities denied today that the will
had furnished any significant clue in
their investigation of what States At
torney BriScoe insists was a deliberate
murder, with time bomb or some other
type of internal machine. However
close examination of the scene and OF
the automobile from which Miss Kinks
mangled body was removed. has failed
TO disclose traces of a bomb.
Miss Kirk spent the night preceding
her death with Mrs. Gibson in the rec
tory at Chaptico. A single shotgun
cartridge from which the powder had
been removed was found in the rectory
yard, near where the automobile was
parked Friday night. This represents
the sole bit of tangled evidence in sup
port Of the bomb theory.
Police today continued to hold for
questioning John Gross, As. colored
stump blower" whom Miss Kirk was
said to have ordered from her kitchen
about week ago, when she found him
conversing with her cook.
Says He Stayed With Friends.
Gross, however, insisted that he did
not go out Friday night, but stayed at
the house of Mr.. and Mrs. John Thomas
Shade, colored, old retainers of Miss
Kinks family. in the servants quarters
behind the Kirk homestead.
Detectives William j. Feehly of the
Baltimore murder squad and Walter
Martin OF that city's identification
squad, spent yesterday questioning ser
wants of the Kirk household and friends
OF the deceased woman, in an effort to
find If she had any personal enemies.
The detective had been requested by
States Attorney Briscoe and were as
signed to the investigation Saturday
night. They learned that Miss Kirk
had benefited hundreds of her neigh
bors and the residents of the COM
nunity She was beloved by all. and her
philanthropic activities had gained her
The name in some quarters of""the angel
Of st. Marys County"
Harry Cough of Waldorf. a merchant
who has had considerable experience
with dynamite, was assisting the inves-
tigatorS today.
Doubts Dynamite Was Used.
Mr.. Cough said the absence of traces
of dynamite fuse led him to believe
this explosive was not used He also
discounted the possibility that Miss
Kinks automobile had run over a loose
bit OF dynamite in the highway. throw
ing it into the mechanism of the car.
He said a spark would not set off
the dynamite which only can be ex-
ploded by a very heavy shock.
Detectives yesterday talked to Dixon
Hill. the overseer of Miss Kinks farm,
who lives at the homestead with his
family. Another resident at Sunny
side Is Nigel II. Dixon, 80, who had
lived with Miss Kinks family since
childhood. and helped the elderly spin
ster manage her affairs.
Miss Kinks associates. however. were
able to throw little light on the investi-
gallOn. Otner tnan the Sllgnt unpleaS-
antness when Miss Kirk ordered Gross
from the Kitchen week ago, they knew
of no incident which might have
aroused enmity toward the spinster
Active in Church Work.
Miss Kirk was an only child. Born
in the rambling old farm house, she had
spent her life in the community and
was one of the most beloved residents
of the surrounding countryside. She
had been active in church circles for
years and was a close friend of Mrs.
Gibson, who came to the parsonage
more than IL years ago when her hus-
band was assigned there.
She was the grandniece Of w. w.
COrcoran, founder OF the Corcoran Gal
lery of Art. A number of first cousins
are prominent residents of Washington,
including Corcoran Thorn. president of
the American Security g. Trust Co.;
Henry S. Matthews, attorney, and Mr..
Matthews sister Miss Emily c. Mat
news, and Mrs Louis Mackall. residents
OF Georgetown. All are expected to at
tend the funeral
nIITI TIlhEDkI