Evening star., 1934-11-15
DisteIhurst Girls kidnapping
and Murder Remains Baf.
fling to Officials.
Determined MANHUNT
BEGUN IN TENNESSEE
Bereaved Father to Confer With
Authorities Seeking New
Evidence on Crime.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
NASHVILLE, Tenn, November
15.-The kidnapping and murder Of
Dorothy Ann Distelhurst presented
a new challenge to the law today
a challenge that was snapped up by
authorities with pledge to an un-
ceasing search for the perpetrator.
The father himself, A. E. Distel-
hurst, stood ready to aid the United
States and Tennessee authorities in
their quest of the killer who alb
Quoted his 6-year-old daughter, put
her to death apparently with one
or more blows to the head, stripped
her body and buried it in shallow
grave.
The body, identified definitely as
that of the missing child, was re-
leased last night to her parents. Dis
trict Attorney General ]. Carlton
Loser said no inquest would be held.
A coroner's jury, be said, could es-
| tablish only the known fact that
Dorothy was murdered by person
unknown"
Abductor's Trail Cold.
WlIH lll6 a.
that led the father to New York
dismissed as the work Of crank,
and the necessity for caution in con-
tacting the kidnaper lifted, officers
swung into action over a cold trail.
I'VE have no lead at all" said the
district attorney general. 1--WE must
start from scratch"
But he promised thorough search
for the person or persons responsible,
vowing that the investigation will be
continued just as long as necessary"
The probability Of an early confer
ence between the district attorney
and the father was divulged by Pat
Beard, close friend of the latter,
who has been active In the hunt for
the child since her disappearance Sep
tember 10.
Beard, who met DisteIhurst at the
airport upon his arrival from New
York yesterday and accompanied him
to the home, said both the district
attorney general and the father de-
sired the conference "as soon as pos
sible." It Was not held Immediately
because Of Distelhurst's worry and loss
Of sleep while he was In New York
trying to contact the supposed kid
napers.
Note Gives No Clue.
The ransom notes which sent him
there, Loser said, mean nothing at
ALL" and were written evidently by
some one in no way connected with
the crime.
Il don't know what they will dis
cuss," Beard said of the forthcoming
conference. II guess Ed (Distelhurst)
either wants to give the officers any
new information he has gathered or
talk over some facts that were over
looked before"
The Rev. DR.. B. B. Pennington.
pastor of the Belmont Methodist
Church, was the, first person with
whom Mr.. and Mrs. Distelhurst talked
after his arrival. Distelhurst had
been away from Nashville since No.
vember 5.
Ionic Hamilton, brother of Mrs.
Distelhurst, said his sister was deeply
shaken by Distelhurst's return.
Their minister" Hamilton said. "is
talking with them about the spiritual
sloe OF death, trying to take away the
horror of what happened
Hamilton said Distelhurst brought
nothing that was new to his wife when
he told her the body had been def
nitely identified as that of their child.
| About noon,' Hamilton said, "she
was firmly convinced it was Dorothy.
For a time this seemed to strengthen
her. The suspense of waiting was
ended, and she recovered from the
first shock. But when Mr.. Distelhurst
came home she broke down again"
Funeral services for the child were
tentatively set for tomorrow.
Members OF the family said the
funeral would be held tomorrow If
Lloyd Hamilton, Mrs. Distelhurst's
brother, returns tonight from New
York, where he went with Dorothy
AIMS father in the hope of making
contact with supposed kidnaners