Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-06-22
BYRD AIDES WIFE
NEAR DEATH AFTER
5STORY PLUNGE
Young Lawyer Found in
Apartment of Former
Model Is Quizzed.
WHISKY BOTTLES ARE
FOUND IN APARTMENT
Evidence Of Scufie Reported.
Woman Who Leaped Is Wife of
Lieut.. Comdr. Robert English.

Mrs. Lucille T. English, former
Hollywood artists model, who married
the commander of Rear Admiral Rich
ard E. Byrd's flagship shortly before
the expedition sailed for two years in
the Antarctic, lay-near death at Emer-
gency Hospital today while police ques-
toned q young attorney found in the
English apartment at Embassy Tow
ers from which the wife plunged five
stories shortly before pm. yesterday.
The attorney, Harold Wayne Starr,
26, formerly with the N. r. A., was
being quizzed regarding four SO CALDER
pistol cartridges found in his pock-
cts, and as to his story that he went
to the English apartment at 1920 Full
Ter street to discuss District divorce
laws with the young wife:
The 28-year-old woman, regarded
as one of the most beautiful in the
Navy set here, probably will be per-
manently crippled if she RECEIVERS from
a broken back, several fractured ribs,
a broken jaw and crushed chest. She
remained conscious today, however,
mumbling a name which attendants
could not identify.
Husband Away.
Her husband, Lieut.. Robert Eng
lish, captain of Byrd's flagship, the
Bear Of oakland, was away from home
when the tragedy occurred.
In the apartment police found two
whisky bottles, one empty and the
other partially filled. There was evil
dence of a scufle, and one high-ball
glass partially filled was smudged
with rouge, as if Mrs. English had
been drinking from it.
Starr was being questioned by
Headquarters Detective A. M. Tolson
of the homicide squad and detectives
from the tenth precinct.
Mrs. English presumably fell from
her kitchen window, landing on the
front lawn in a hedge which partially
broke her fall. This circumstances
probably saved her from instant
death.
Plunged from Ledge.
Several witnesses told of seeing
Mrs. English climb out of the win
dow as if she were trying to crawl
along the ledge to an awning in an
adjoining window. They said she
screamed when she saw she could not
reach the awning rod and plunged to
the ground.
Clifford W. Brown, 2425 Ontario
road, an employee of the Italian En-
baSsy, Just across the street, said Mrs.
English seemed to be trying to go
along the ledge from one window to
another when she missed her hold
and fell. He said he saw the head
and shoulders Of q man in the win
dow Just as the woman fell.
Scattered among the hedge and on
the sidewalk near where Mrs. English
fell were several rings and other
jewelry and .38-caliber pistol bullet.
Police said they found a .38-caliber
pistol hidden under mattress in the
English apartment and four other
cartridges of the same cahber in
STAIRS pocket. witnesses to the fall
said Mrs. English had her rings in
her hand when she fell.
Starr told police Mrs. English called
him to the apartment as legal ad-
wiser and that he was accompanied by
man whose name was not divulged.
He said when they arrived at the
apartment Mrs. English mixed drinks
and that they had three.
According to his story Mrs. English
asked him on what grounds she could
get q divorce in the District and he
told her ne was not familiar with the
District divorce laws.
Some time after they arrived, Starr
said, his friend left and he (Starr),
remained with Mrs English, who went
into tht kitchen of the apartment to
mix two more drinks. Then he heard
a scream, he said, and rushed into
the kitchen and looked out the win
dow and saw Mrs. English on the
ground below.
Evidence Of Struggle.
One bullet was picked up by small
boy near the spot where Mrs. English
fell. Starr said he had wreSted the
other bullets away from Mrs. English
when he saw them in the roll Of her
stocking.
Lieut.. English told police he owned
the pistol found under the mat
(see ENGLISH. Page 81