Evening star., 1936-12-25
G|NGELL ADMITS
PART IN Staying,
POLICE ANNOUNCE
Confession Obtained From
Matthews Case Suspect.
Reed Still at Large.
RETURN OF W. J. KIRBY
SOUGHT BY PROSECUTOR
Montgomery Authorities Will Go
to Charleston, W. Va, Soon in
Effort to Obtain Him.
BY ROBERT A. ERWIN,

STAFF Correspondent of The Star.
ROCKVILLE, Md, December 25.-
Confessions to two brutal murders,
one in Montgomery County, the other
In West Virginia, left the capture Of
William B. Reed, Is, the only obsta-
Gle in the path of final solution of
the crimes, police believed today.
The confession of Lawrence r. Gin
gell, 20-year-old former golf caddy,
to participation with Reed and War
Joseph Kirby, 81, in the fatal beat
ing and shooting of Elwood Matthews,
g.. wealthy Montgomery County
farmer, was announced late yesterday
by States Attorney James n. Pugh.
This followed by less than "a hours
the confession of Kirby to West Vir-
ginia State police at Charleston that
named Reed and Gingell as the slay-
ers of w. Earle Dollman, 34-year-old
Philadelphia salesman and former
West Virginia athlete.
Matthews was slain on the night
Of November 81. His body was found
on a rock in Northwest Branch near
Burnt Mills, Md, land not far fom
his home at Four Corners, on Sunday
afternoon, December l3.
Body Left in Blazing Car.
Dollman was killed and his auto
mobile set afire with his body in it
near Sutton, w. Va, on November 26
Kirby was wounded and captured
by West Virginia police more than a
hoff hof ri
lowed the abduction of bank cashier
Reed and Gingell escaped, police
said.
Gingell's confession. the latest de-
velopment in the Matthews case, fol-
lowed his capture in Washington as
he was walking over Highway Bridge
on his way to Virginia. The confess
sion, signed after he had re-enacted
the Matthews crime at the scene, was
held back for week in the hope
that keeping knowledge of it from
Reed would aid in the latter's capture
Previously, police had been set on
the trail Of Reed and Gingell BY
kirby's confession in the Matthews
case at Charleston.
Seek Return to Maryland.
Today, the problem Of getting Kirby
back to Maryland from West Virginia
confronted Sergts. Theodore Voll-
ten and Leroy Rodgers, in charge OF
investigation Of the case, and States
Attorney Pugh. They plan to visit
Charleston shortly and confer with
authorities there in an effort to Sc.
cure custody of Kirby. The Gingell
confession was made to Vollten in
presence of Rodgers and County Police
Chief j. william Garrett.
Meanwhile, a Nationwide search is
In progress for Reed, against whose
brother Matthews testified in a trial
here two years ago. Reeds brother was
sentenced to 10 years in prison. Reed
has been sought near his fathers farm
home, where he was reported seen last
week.
Gingell has not yet been questioned
IN the Dollman case. He confessed
that he, Reed and Kirby robbed
Matthews on lonely road near -Four
Corners, beat him over the head with
the butts of their revolvers, and that
he and Reed then tied a rock to
Matthews neck and threw him into
the creek, according to the States at
torney.
Gingell, Pugh said, declared Reed
hred three bullets into Matthews body
while the old man screamed for help.
Text OF Confession.
The text of Gingell's signed confess
sion follows:
"On the night of the 21st Of Novem-
Der, 1896, I was staying at camp in
the woods with War Kirby and William
B. Reed. We went to the Indian
Springs golf course to try and find
some blankets, but didn't find any. We
went back to Four Corners. Kirby
went to the gas station and when he
came back said man there was talk
ing lot. Reed said, that's old man
Matthews. Let's hold him up.'
"All of us had guns. I had a As
Army Colt with the number filed off
Kirby had a nickel-plated Iver-John.
son. Reed had a .30-caliber Mauser
automatic. At 8 pm. the Washington
bus passed, and we lay in the bushes
to wait for it to leave. Then Mr.
Matthews came along and the three
Of us came out of the bushes, havins
our guns drawn. We said to him
Stick them up Mr.. Matthews said
Please don't rob me, you boys shouldn't
do that
"All three of us grabbed MIR. Mat
thewS and made him 60 along with
us. We went down an old dirt road
leading from the Bladensburg road t.
the Northwest Branch. ABOUT 10'
yards down, Mr.. Matthews tuSSled ant
threw his money away. Reed becam,
angry and struck him over the heae
with the butt of his revolver 9TH,
autopsy on Matthews body showed 6
finch cash on his head. I picked ur
the money. It amounted to $39, ant
later we divided it among the three ol
Us. Mr.. Matthews continued struggling
and all three Of us started hitting hin
with our fists. This caused Mr.. Mat.
thews to become partly dazed and WI
took him down the road till we came u
the creek.
Laid Him ON Rock.
There we laid him on a rock and
Reed said, Go get rock Kirby got g
rock. It weighed about so pounds
Then Reed said, Get his suspender,
and tie them around his neck This
did, and tied the rock to him. w;
searched his pockets but could not fine
any more money.
"Mr. Matthews again began strug.
Cling. Reed said, Let him have It.
I gave him q shove and he went inte
the water. After he hit, the rock came
loose and he cried, Help! Please save
mel Reed pulled out Mauser 80
caliber revolver and shot him three
times. Reed said, I want to get the
old - because he sent my brother
to prison for 10 years. Matthews sank
beneath the waters and that was the
last time saw him.