The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1935-05-04

the criminals TO JuSClce DIS pun
But sometimes the criminals
escape. The hunt goes on, but the
prey slips through.
Since January, 1881, Washing,
ton has had five major unsolved
murders out of approximately $40
or a yearly average of IS. This
does not include the famous
Mary Baker murder case, which
Washington police insist hap
pened in Virginia, and the Allen
B. Wilson murder, which occurred
in Maryland.
BeuIah Limerick
Perhaps the most outstanding
murder was that Of Beulah Linn
erick, pretty, %, a former usher
cite in a local movie theater.
On December 30, 1880, two
paragraph story announcing the
death of Miss Limerick appeared
on the local pages of the news
papers. Within four hours every
paper from Washington to New
York City carried headline stories.
Detectives rushed to the house in
Southeast Washington where she
died, and more than 200 people,
friends and acquaintance OF the
dead girl, were rounded up for
questioning. Her brother and a
roomer in the house were arrested
and locked up as murder suspects
Who killed Beulah Limerick?
And why? Nobody seems to
know. After an investigation OF
nearly three years the motive,
first thought to be jealousy, has
not been definitely established.
Had it not been for the alert
ness Of an undertaken, Beulah
Limerick might have gone to her
grave as having died natural
death. A Casualty Hospital am
bulance doctor who was called
in by her brother when he failed
to awaken her from what at first
appeared to be a normal sleep,
pronounced her dead Of pull
monary hemorrhage." The cor
oner was notified and certifi-
cate of death from natural
causes was issued. The body was
taken to an undertaking estah-
lishment.
A short time later pandemon-
ium broke loose.
Cold Trail
On the top Of her head, where
the hair is thickest, a tiny bullet
hole was found. The undertaken
notified the coroner. An autopsy
was performed, and Beulah Linn
erick was found to have died
from the effects of a 25-caliber
bullet fired at close range.
Sirens open, homicide bureau
men rushed to the Limerick
home-but the trail was cold.
They locked up her brother and
the roomer-who told straight
forward stories and were eventu-
ally released. Members of the
Sky High Whoopee Club-to
which Beulah belonged-Were also
questioned, but could throw no
light on the killing.
Before the case was finally
marked "unsolved" a police Off
Ger was involved, the chief OF
the homicide squad nearly lost
his job, witnesses gave conflict
ing testimony, and almost every
one who had either known or
heard Of Beulah Limerick was
dragged into the investigation.
Mrs. Elizabeth Jaynes
Shortly before midnight, April
8, 1881, two masked bandits en-
tered the Garden T Shoppe, 1900
block Columbia Rd. N. w., held
up and shot the cashier, Mrs
Elizabeth Jaynes, and escaped
with 500 in cash.
Mrs. Jaynes, who did not real
lie she had been shot until two
hours later, talked freely to po-
lice and reporters. Later she com
planned of pain in her abdomen
She was taken to a physician
who found she had been shot
Rushed to Garfield Hospital, she
died a few days later.
Five Georgetown University stu
dents were arrested and quizzed
on the robbery but later released
Two former employees, one a WON
an, were arrested and later held
for action of the grand jury when
1t was learned they had conspired
to rob the tea shop. However, il
was never proved they had actual
1y carried out their plans, so event
ually they were released.
Paul Riedel
One Of the weirdest Washing
ton murders that has baffled pc
lice for three years was that of
Paul Riedel, bakery owner, who
was shot and killed as he stood in
the door of his shop in the 5000
block Mt. Pleasant st. N. w., or
the night of February 6, 1882.
Four bullets were fired into the
body Of Mr.. Riedel by phantom
sniper." who two days before haC
wounded four citizens as they
Strolled through the northwest
section of the city. The gunman
thought by police to be a maniac
because Of the ruthless and ap
parently meaningless manner il
which he shot down innocent vic
tins, escaped in an automobile
bearing Maryland tags.
Shortly before Mr.. Reide1 was
killed, the phantom Sniper," de
Scribed as being about Is years
old. with fair complexion ane