Evening star., 1933-08-16
MULL|GAN IS FIRM
|NDENy|NGPART IN
SCHRODT Staying
Companion of Ex-Actress
Lays Funeral Plans in
HyattsviIIe Cell.
SUSPECT SOLE HEIR
IN WILL OF "SISTER"
County Police and Baltimore Aide
Question Cottage City Couple
on Death.
BY a STAFF Correspondent Of The Star.

BY q Stah Correspondent OF The Star.
HYATTSVILLE, Md, August 10
Maintaining his innocenSe through
hours of questioning by police authori-
ties. John Cornelius Mulligan, Wash
ington jewelry firm collector, charged
with the murder of Mrs. Ella M
Schrodt, today retained two lawyers and
laid plans in his cell in the lookup
here for the womans funeral
Meanwhile the authorities discovered
that Mulligan had been named sole
heir in the will Of Mrs. Schrodt. The
document describes Mulligan as the
brother Of the testator
Mrs. Eta Newkirk of Baltimore, who
introduced herself to local authorities
as Mulligan's sister, told Prince Georges
County officials she was the only
relative he has in the world" Magis-
trate Robert E. Joyce of Mount Rainier
said she told him Mrs Schrodt was not
Mulligan'S sister. Mrs. Newkirk also
said her mother had died recently.
Ryon and HassaH Retained.
Mulligan retained Attorneys j. Wilson
Ryon and Albert R. Hassall, prominent
Hyattsville criminal lawyers, to defend
him. Ryon was special prosecutor in
the Brady bombing case and has de-
tended scores of persons on murder
charges.
After conference with the prisoner,
Attorney Ryon announced that Multi
gan would pay for Mrs Schrodt s
funeral, which will be held tomorrow,
with burial in Fort Lincoln Cemetery.
Ryon also said he had requested
police to release Mulligan in the Gus
tody Of police that could attend the
services States Attorney Alan Bowie
was undecided this afternoon, how
ever, whether the request would be
granted.
Acting on information given by the
prisoner, police last night found Mrs.
Schrodt's will in the bureau of the home
she shared with Mulligan at 1906 Rhode
Island avenue. Brentwood Md. They
also found s58 in the house. but re-
ported diamond scarf pin missing.
Mrs. Schrodt'S estate is estimated at
several thousand dollars. 1t includes
an insurance policy money in several
banks and an equity in the Rhode
Island avenue property. according to
police.
Couple Is Quizzed.
In addition to questioning Mulligan,
county police and Lieut.. William Feeh-
ley, ace OF the Baltimore city homicide
squad, last night spent several hours
questioning Cottage City couple, who
were friends of Mrs. Schrodt, and Wis
1ted her home shortly before her BODY
was found yesterday morning. Police
lntimated they obtained valuable infor-
nation from the couple, but refused to
divulge its nature
Mullgan, police say, insists he knows
nothing of the crime. He claims he
slept on the front porch until about 3
am. yesterday when he went inside the
house and found Mrs Schrodts BODY
IN bed, deep cash over the right
temple
When County Policeman Claude
Reese and Chief of Police Eugene
Plumer of Mount Rainier arrived at
the house they claim to have found
evidence that blood had been washed
from the bed room floor and other
suspicious circumstances
An autopsy performed yesterday by
DR.. Harry Nalley disclosed that Mrs.
Schrodt died from a fractured skull
and cerebral hemorrhage.
Police are of the opinion she was
struck by a bottle. which may have
been thrown. Several bottles. some
containing alleged liquor. are said to
have been found in the house, and re-
suited in Mulligan being charged with
illegal possession.
A coroner's jury assembled before
Justice of Peace Joyce in the Mount
Rainier town hall last night for an in
quest into the woman's death but
States Attorney Bowie informed
the court 1t would require two weeks to
properly investigate the case. and &C
cordingly the inquest was continued un-
til August 20. A throng which packed
the building to hear the testimony went
home in disappointment.
Police have been unsuccessful in their
search for relatives of Mrs. Schrodt, a
former actress. Her husbands last
known address was Baltimore