The Washington times., 1934-05-25
SLAIN TEACHER
LIVED IN FEAR
. OF. DEATH
Continued from Page -
Seventh st. N. W., and a second
cousin Of the dead teacher.
PhOned Her Niece

Seventh st. N. w., and a second
cousin Of the dead teacher.
PhOned Her Niece
Mrs. Sheads, who lives with her
husband in the 1900 block Kan
SaS Ave. N. W., said that her
19.year-old daughter. Lynina, was
called by Miss Sheads shortly be-
fore 8 p. m.
They talked about unimpor-
tant matters, she said, until 8:55,
when Miss Sheads suddenly put
down the receiver on her end of
the phone without saying good.
by.
Testimony of neighbors in the
Balfour was to the effect that
screams were heard about an
hour before the murder was dis
covered, shortly before II p. m.
Mrs. Sheads asserted that her
second cousin, whom she has not
visited in eight years, kept no
valuables, not even jewelry in
the house.
This upset q theory Of robbery
as the motive already difficult
to establish because if the apart
ment had been ransacked it
would be hard to discover
evidence of it, since the turni-
ture had been disarranged while
a painter had been at work.
Anartment Searched
Meanwhile, police were today
making an intensive search Of the
apartment, No. So. on the fifth
floor of the Balfour, in the hope
Of discovering additional clues.
Detective Sergt. C. N. Strange, OF
the Homicide Squad and Detec-
tive Sergt. v. H. Larsen OF the
Identification Squad, lead the
search.
Belief that the murderer had
stolen a receptacle" was secuted
when it became known that Capt.
Edward Kelly, of No. 3 precinct,
had found at the head of the bed
an envelope containing directions
to notify John L. Sheads If any
thing happened to her.
The receptacle" first entered
the picture when an apartment
resident on the same floor told
police Miss SheadS had spoken
to her about it three days ago.
The unknown criminal may have
entered the front door, it was
learned. Several residents heard
him leave by way OF a fire es-
cape, entered by the bedroom of
Miss Sheads' apartment, but no
one heard him go up.
May Have Been Known
In that case he may have been
known to her, because she had
recently become suspicious at al
lowing any one to enter whom
she did not know.
Statements of neighbors that
Mrs. Sheads feared being muir
dered" were secuted by Mrs.
Sheads, who said that the slain
woman had frequently talked of
death, such as that resulting
from a stroke, but had never
mentioned murder.
First clues in the case came
last night shortly before 10 o'clock,
when several residents of the
Balfour heard screams. They in
cluded Frederick j. Shirk, Clifton
Hatch and Mrs. Georgia Dowell.
A painter, working at the bottom
of the single elevator shaft, also
heard the screams.
John Bethea, q, colored eleva-
tor operator, who lives in the
basement of the Balfour, was
summoned. With the painter, he
made an investigation of all floors
up to the fourth, since residents
were of the impression that the
screams came from below that
floor.
Finding nothing, Bethea went
back to his work. An hour later,
footsteps were heard on the fire
escape, one entrance to which
leads directs .ato Miss Shead's
bedroom, by Fred E. Shirk, of
apartment S, a Treasury Depart
ment employe, and by Mr.. Hatch,
who occupies apartment 25.
; Make Second Search
Bethea was again summoned,
this time ascending the fire es-
cape. where he found the window
to Miss Shead's bedroom opened.
AS he descended, flaShlight blaz-
ing. he was seen by Motorcycle
Policeman M. G. Randall. Randall
was admitted to the apartment
by q pass-key, and the alarm
sounded.
A vacant apartment next door,
in which a window giving access
to Miss Shead's apartment had