Evening star., 1936-07-21
SHERIFF PREDICTS
BREAK IN PROBE
|. OF COED Staying
Hints He Expects Soon to
Crack Wide Open Mys-
terry Murder.
VI0LINIST IN CUSTODY
FOR NEW QUESTIONING
Second Pass Key to Hotel Room
Held Most Important Clue
in Case.
BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND
Blond, 1S-year old Helen Cleu-
enger IUas slain by mysterious
assaildnt Wednesday night in her
room at fashionable ASheuille,
N. c., hotel. She WdS shot tUith
.32-cdliber gun after hGUing been
stabbed in the face.
Witnesses told police man
dashed from the hotel into a thun-
derstorm shortly after the time the
murder t0as believed to hare oc-
cured.
Py the Associated Press.
ASHEVILLE, N. c., July 2l.-SheriH
Laurence E. Brown hinted today he
expected soon to crack wide open"
the mystery Staying of Helen eleven
ger, 18-year-old New York University
student.
The sheriff said important develop
ments had been uncovered, but he re-
fused to discuss the nature of the new
information.
He said he probably would question
Mark Wollner. 35-year-old interna-
tionally known concert violinist, ex-
haustively today.
Wollner was held for the third day
''for investigation
The sheriff described pass key to
the hotel room where the pretty New
York girl was slain as the most i'm
portant clue toward solution Of the
case.
The key was found in the lock on
the outside of the door to Miss Cleven-
gers room, while the regular key,
blood-stained, was found behind a
radiator.
No Specific Charge Placed.
There was no specific charge against
Wollner, whose studio is across the
street from the fashinable hotel where
the girl was criminally attacked, mutt
lated and shot to death last Wednes-
day night.
Since he was questioned first upon
his incarceration Saturday night, the
musician has had contact with no one
except the jailor, who brings him his
meals. He has been allowed no visitors
and has seen no newspapers.
The sheriff said he had questioned
Wollner only about his whereabouts
the night Miss Clevenger was slain.
He quoted the prisoner as saying ne
was at home all night.
Wollner's story, the sheriff said.
was corroborated by Miss Mildred
al doiJ61tar nf the
musicians landlady.
Brown declared he had eight wit
nesses who reported seeing Wollner
at various hours last Wednesday night
and early Thursday morning.
Miss Ward Also Detained.
Miss Ward was being detained for
questioning, as was Daniel H. Gaddy.
the hotel night watchman.
The sheriff said he did not believe
| Gaddy had a direct connection with
the murder, but that "he may have
| forgotten some of the things that
| happened in the hotel that night"
w. H. Rhymer, music store propri-
etor and close friend of Wollner.
called on the sheriff last night and was
refused permission to see the violinist.
Wollner was takenI into custody at
Rhymer's home.
I'm ready, if necessary" Rhymer
said. ito put up $4,000 bond for
Wollner's release. He is innocent,
and his detention has done him ir-
reparable harm"
The sheriff said fatty that he
planned to hold Wollner under the
present status as long as necessary.
Rewards Total $1,000.
Meanwhile. $1,000 in rewards was
offered for the capture of the killer
5000 each by the city, county; State.
Asheville Hotel Mems Association, and
the North Carolina Hotel Mems Asso-
citation.
Law officers are not entitled to the
rewards.
The sheriff stated the hotel engi-
neer told him he had all the pass keys
(see COED, Page A-4)
PLANES, RADIOS AID