Evening star., 1937-06-02
Sheriff William H. Dryden
examining keys and 1Domdn'S
mesh bag taken from leather
bag tied to Keene'S neck.

ment stand on the boat. Only a
nickel was found in his cabin.
If this is murder, then robbery is
the only motive we have so far" Mad
dirk said
Thinks Death Was Immediate.
DR.. Norris said there would have
been very little blood from the bullet
wound
If he had been lying on the bed
when he was shot, only a little spot
of blood. perhaps as big as quarter,
would have trickled down on the
sheet" DR.. Norris said. If he were
lifted there might have been more
blood. 1t would have been impossible
for a man with wound like that to
walk. I think he died instantly"
Keene evidently was killed about
las am. on May IA. when the steamer
District of Columbia was off Point
Lookout, Md 1t was at that hour that
William H. Bowen, 38. of 1869 Oates
street northeast, Washington, night
Watchman on the ship, heard what he
believed was shot. Keenes cabin
was dark, Bowen said. and although
he walked back to the after deck he
saw nothing suspicious and was lulled
into the belief that the noise he heard
was steam cracking in the radiators.
Smith said that if the body had
been thrown from the boat near
Point Lookout it would have drifted
to the spot where he found it, miles
off Smiths Island Smiths Island is
10 miles out in the bay from Crisfeld
The body was attired in a shirt
vest, trousers and socks. keene's shoes
and coat were found in his cabin.
Smith towed the body to the island,
which is isolated from all communica-
ton with the mainland. Magistrate
Bradshaw convened the coroners
jury Monday night and, after exam
lining the body, II fishermen unhesi-
tatingly returned verdict of murder
First word of discovery Of the body
did not reach Sheriff Dryden until
yesterday morning, when the fishing
fleet from Smiths Island put in here
Smiths Island is In Somerset County,
as is Crisfield.
Jury's Findings Weighed
Maddrix said little weight would be
placed on the verdict of the coroner's
jury because the fishermen acted
without sufficient evidence or knowl-
edge of the background of the case
He predicted that eventually the case
may be laid before the Somerset
County grand jury
Sergt. Brubaker said his search for
the mysterious, taciturn "red-faced
man." last person seen with keene,
has been futile. J. M. Eby. manager
OF the refreshment stand on the Dis
trict of Columbia. said the red-faced
man appeared at his stand shortly
before midnight on the night Keene
disappeared and ordered a bottle Of
beer. When he placed the beer on
the counter. Eby said, Keene, who was
wearing red beret, walked up. With
out word, the red-faced man showed
the beer to Keene. ordered soft drink
for himself, and then walked away.
leaving keene at the stand.
Eby thought the redfaced man
might have been a resident OF the
Old Soldiers Home at Hampton, Va
Brubaker said he has talked to five
residents of the Soldiers Home who
were on the boat the night Keene
died and who disembarked at Old
Point Comfort. None knew Keene or
had talked with him, Brubaker said.
Investigators admittedly are puz-
zled by the testimony of Mrs. r. F..
Loper of Virginia Beach, who occu-
pied the cabin adjoining Keenes. She
said she is an unusually light sleeper,
but she heard nothing unusual in the
cabin adjoining hers. The investiga-
tors are convinced the report of a
shot fired In Keene's cabin would
have awakened even heavy sleeper
in the adjoining cabin.
A crytic note found in Keene's
vest pocket also is puzzling investi-
gators. Written in pencil. it said:
"All over $50 is yours-F. B. c."
Cards of several real estate men
were found in the pockets, and on a
scrap Of paper were penciled the
names, Sen Reynolds, the Shoreham,
George Marshall and Mr.. Mcdonald" ;"
Contents of the brief case, in ad-
dition to the auto tools and the silver