Evening star., 1936-07-17
SUSPECT HUNTED
|. IN HOTEL Staying
Of GIRL STUDENT
Coroner's Jury ReCeSSeS
Without Making Finding
as to Her Death.
SHERIFF SEEKS MAN
WHO RAN INTO STORM
Blond, 10, Stabbed in Face Before
Being Shot With "Un.
usual" Gun.
Py the Associated Press.


ASHEVILLE, N c., July IA
coroner's jury viewed the mutilated
body of 19-year-old Helen Clevenger
of New York today and recessed until
2:30 pm. without making any finding
as to her death in her hotel room early
yesterday.
Sheriff Lawrence E. Brown and his
deputies intensified their investigation,
but persisted in their refusal to theorize
regarding the Staying of the pretty
blond, who spent most of her life in
Washington, D. c.. where her family
lived from 1915 to 1928
They questioned Prof. w. L. Cleven-
ger of North Carolina State College,
the girls uncle, at length as to any Of
her connections which might have q
bearing on the case, but declined to
reveal the results. Clevenger, who
found her body about $3.50 am. yes
terday when he went to her room from
his own just around the corridor cor
ner, retired to the home of a friend
and was not expected to appear at the
inquest.
OfncerS, refusing to reveal anything
other than general facts which were
exposed yesterday a few hours after
the 1e-year-old New York University
honor student was found shot and
stabbed, said this is the most compli-
Gated case to come before the DEPART
ment"
Man Dashes Into Storm.
A mystery man." whom several per-
sons saw but did not identify, was
sought as the one who dashed from
the fashionable hotel into an early
morning thunderstorm at about the
time physicians said the girl died on
her knees.
Officers said almost any one could
have gained unnoticed the floor on
which her room was located. The
room was four actual stories up-the
lobby, the mezzanine, the first floor,
then the second. 1t was number 224,
many feet from flight of stairs and
second from window at the end of
the corridor.
The body, with the face deeply mutt
lated by series of vicious jabs from
some sharp instrument and with a
bullet hole ranging downward through
the left portion of her chest, was at an
undertaker's today.
An examining physician who re-
fused to permit use of his name said
an attempt had been made to GRIM
inally assault the girl-but a full re.
pert was expected from Coroner George
+. Baier, jr., today.
Bullet From Unusual" Gun.
Baier said the bullet was from an
unusual type of gun, probably of a
foreign make"-the sole clue so far re.
vealed. He said the bullet appeared TO
be slightly smaller than an ordinary
80.
The coroner said a pair of scissors
could have been used for the repeated
stabs in Miss Clevenger's face, but no
such instrument was reported located.
Nor was the gun found.
Police fixed the time of the Staying
at about am. yesterday.
The body was found in green-striped
pajamas, the feet crumpled under the
girls back.
Durmah Jones, colored bellboy, said
he saw man run from the mezzanine
floor about l am. while he was in the
darkened service room in the lobby.
He said the fleeing man vaulted the
porch banister to the street and dis
appeared in the storm.
The bellboy gave only a scant de-
Scription of the man. He said he ap-
peared to weigh about $50 pounds and
was about five feet eight inches in
height.
He could not remember how the
man was dressed, but was certain he
wore no hat and that his hair was
disheveled.
Robert Simpson. elevator operator,
said he took no one to the third floor
near the time of the Staying and did
not bring any one down.
Several guests told of hearing a
woman'S scream at about / am.
E. B. Pittman, an employe of the
State banking department, had the
room opposite Miss Clevenger's and
told investigators he stepped into the
hall when he heard the shrek.
He said he saw a man standing
with his back to the door of the girls
room. which was partly open. Pitt
(See SHAVING PAGE 81