The Washington times., 1936-07-23
OFFICIALS QUIZ
EVERY HOTEL
EMPL0YE
Information Secret As
Probe Centers on
HosteIry
By JAMES L. :KILGALLEN

4SJ OEA4NAA10 LIZ AAAA1OEAAAG1N
ASHEVILLE, N. c., July %
Q.N.S0.-An arrest which will
solve the murder of Helen Clev-
enger, New York University coed,
slain in Room 224 of the fashion.
able Battery Park Hotel a week
ago today, is imminent.
So declared Sheriff Laurence
e. Brown in the most positive
statement he has made since he
and his deputies began their in
vestigation into the strange slay-
ing of the 1S-year-old honor
student who was beaten and
shot to death.
The arrest will be made within
two days, he declared last night.
Who will be arrested he would
not indicate, but when he was
asked If it would be the MUIR
derer, he replied:
"Call him what you want, the
criminal or the murderer-Suit
yourself"
SPOTLIGHT ON HOTEL
Everybody "from the cook to
the manager" in the Battery Park
was being questioned in the mean
time. The spotlight was turned
directly upon the hotel.
Fifty-eight employees have been
questioned and their statements
taken, the sheriff said, and today
he resumed the Quizzing Of IS
more.
Two of six persons so far taken
into custody "for questioning"
have been released. Both were col
ored bellhops.
The other four are Mark Woll-
ner, 35-year-old German-born con-
cert violiniSt; his girl friend" /"
Mildred Ward, 10, who corrobo-
rated his alibi; Daniel Gaddy, pri-
vate detective and night watch
man at the hotel, and L. D. Rod
dey, colored elevator operator.
A few days ago the authorities
released Joe Urey, colored bellhop,
when they became convinced he
knew nothing of the crime. Last
night Sheriff Brown released Ed
ward Fleming. another colored
bell boy, when he. proved his inno-
cence.
In view of the sheriff's state
ment concerning the contem.
plated arrest, it was generally be-
Meved Wo1lner's release is only a
question of time. Wollner has in
sisted he was in bed at the Ward
home, where he roomed, at the
hour Of the Staying, and Miss
Ward and her mother, Mrs. ESsie
Ward, a widow, corroborated this
statement.
Gaddy Status in Doubt
Gaddy'S status was somewhat
in doubt. The sheriff has stated
the night Watchman is not a Sus-
pect, but he said he believed
Gaddy could tell more than he
has thus far.
Sheriff Brown said Fleming had
cleared himself in an hours quiz
zing. The sheriff had been told
by Fleming that he had never
seen Miss Clevenger, but through
other witnesses the sheriff estab-
hshed that on the day Miss Clev-
enger and her uncle, Prof. w. L.
Clevenger, of North Carolina State
College, checked into the Battery
Park Hotel, Saturday, July II,
Fleming had called at the girls
room for some clothes she wanted
pressed.
When the sheriff asked him why
he denied he had ever seen the
girl he explained he was scared.
What the sheriff will do about
the other four prisoners still in
the Jail he declined to say today.
Wollner's good spirits have not
once deserted him since his in
generation last Saturday night
He has eaten heartily and made
no protest against his detention.
Gaddy Is Nervous
Gaddy, on the other hand, has
been nervous and jittery, accord
ing to the jailer, and spends con-
siderable time sitting on his bunk
with his head in his hands. He
has refused to partake of prison
fare and eats only sandwiches sent
by his wife.
Miss Ward, "the alibi girl,
philosophically accepts her de-
tention in the women's quarters.