Evening star., 1933-01-16
KIRK BOMB INQUIRY
WITHOUT SUCCESS.
Bureau of Mines Laboratory
Inadequate for Minute
Tests Required.
BY staff Correspondent of The Star

BY STAFF Correspondent OF The Star
LEONARDTOWN, Md January 10
ST Marys County authorities investi-
eating the bomb murder Of Miss Ida
Kirk have failed In their efforts to
Identify the type of explosive used
through tests at the Bureau of Mines
in Washington of fragments of the
automobile in which Miss Kirk met
death on January T.
States Attorney John H. T. Briscoe
OF st. Marys County, and Lawrence
eau. firearms expert of the Maryland
State Police Department, brought pieces
OF the explosion debris Thursday to D.
c. E. Munroe, chief of the explosives
division, Bureau of Mines.
Equipment Is Lacking.
Dr. Munroe advised them the parti-
cleS were in such condition that care
full microscopic and chemical analysis
were necessary and that the Bureau OF
Mines has no laboratory here In which
to conduct such an examination. The
officers carried the articles away with
them after discussing circumstances OF
the explosion with the Government ex-
pert. Il is understood Mr.. Munroe did
not give any opinion as to the origin
of the blast.
Analysis of the residue left by the
explosion on the roadway and the car
has been made extremely difficult be-
cause of the fact that heavy rains oc-
Cured before scrapingS OF the remains
were taken. The residue of dynamite
and similar explosives is soluble in
water. experts point out, SO that most
of the matter that could have provided
chemists with a clue to the nature of
the explosives used was washed away.
Meanwhile servants and other aSSo-
ciates of the 73-year-old spinster were
questioned with regard to rumors that
Miss Kirk had considerable trouble
maintaining order in the servants quar-
ters at her homestead near Chaptico.
Fired Pistol From House.
Investigators received information
that Miss Kirk had fired a pistol from
an upper window of her home to force
colored people gathered In the servants
quarters to quiet down" late at night
Two witnesses still were being held
John Gross, As. colored stump blower"
whom Miss Kirk ordered from her
kitchen. and Paul Thomas, % colored.
who was once arrested on a charge Of
having stolen sl00 from the elderly
spinster.
Detectives spent several hours late
Saturday night grilling Mrs. Minnie
Shade elderly colored retainer of Miss
Kinks. who had been a cook in the
household for years. The Shade woman
was allowed to go home after the inter-
rogation.
Still seeking a motive for the crime,
detectives of the Baltimore homicide
squad went to Baltimore Yesterday to
interview friends of the deceased
woman whom she had visited In that
CITY
Briscoe explained that a previous
chemical examination of the parts by
Gau was not specific enough and he
wished to learn il dynamite or nitro
glycerine was used.
Would Narrow Search.
Proof that the latter explosive was
used would eliminate a number of pos
sible suspects and narrow the search
for the man who planted the bomb.
Authorities have learned that Mrs.
Joseph Gibson, wife of the pastor of
Christ Episcopal Church at Chaptico.
with whom Miss Kirk spent the night
preceding her death, did not expect
Miss Kirk to stop overnight. They
say someone with intimate knowledge
OF Miss Kinks movements must have
planted the bomb In the automobile
while it was parked in the rectory yard
Mrs. Gibson still was confined to
her home today, suffering from Sc
verely bruised right foot Shc was
Miss Kinks companion when the auto
mobile exploded on the highway near
Chaptico
Detectives spent several hours late
Saturday questioning Nigel Dixon. 80,
protege Of Miss Kinks, who had lived
at her home since boyhood and had
received number of gifts from the
spinster. including half Of her farm and
an expensive automobile.