Evening star., 1937-06-29
Butler GIVES CLUE
IN DEATH OF GIRLS.
Servant Reports Blood
Stained Young Man Tried
to Sell Car for SIS.
yy the Associated Press.

1NGLEWOOD, CALL, June ~
Search for sex flend" who luree
three small girls from park, attacked
and choked them to death, centerec
around fashionable Beverly Hills toda,
after a butler reported a frantic
blood-stained young man tried to sell
him an automobile for SIS.
The butler, in fashionable home in
Bel-Air, residential district adjoining
Beverly Hills, said the youth appeared
desperate when he rang the door bell
last night
I've got to sell my car" the butler
quoted him. I've got to sell it. III
take SIS and you can have it." When
the butler hesitated the man added
quickly: "All right, I'll take $40"
When the butler went into the house
ostensibly to get the money he tele-
phoned police and the stranger fed.
Several hours after the garroted and
bruised bodies of Melba Marie Everett,
g. her sister, Madeline Everett, Z, and
jeanette Marjorie Stephens, 8, were
found in Baldwin Hills gulch yester-
day, an order was issued for the de-
tention of Othel Leroy Strong, 90
From Sheriff L. C. Huntamer of
Olympia, Wash, however, came the
information Strong was working at a
tie mill near there and has been alb
solved of any connection whatsoever
with the killing of three girls at In
glewood, Calf"
Sheriff Huntamer said he learned
Strong had not been out of that
vicinity for some time.
Suspect Is Held.
The Washington disclosures followed
an announcement by officials in San
Diego that man had been captured
at nearby Del Mar after fleeing from
train. Deputy Sheriff Jack Cornell
at first said the man answered the
description of Strong. This identifi-
cation was quickly discarded.
He was held on a vagrancy charge.
Another suspect, Otto R. Rasmus-
sen, 23-year-old longshoreman, was
questioned after his arrest at Los An
geles on charges of attacking Miss
Carol A. Sims, 20.
District Attorney Buron Fits
quoted Miss Sims as saying Rasmus-
sen told her he had killed three peo-
pie already" Rasmussen denied the
statement
Last Saturday morning the three
little victims were playing in Centinela
PARK, close by their homes. Then they
left some of their playthings and ran
across the grounds, calling out they
were going to hunt rabbits. BY night,
county Autopsy Surgeon DR.. A. F.
wagner reported, they had been at
tackled and murdered.
Police Chief O. E. Campbell said
strong evidence had pointed toward
Strong, former sailor, who had
amused children in the park with
card tricks and by tying knots in a
rope.
AS two manaeled suspects were uues-
tloned, an angry crowd formed and
threats OF lynching were heard.
Mrs Merle o. Everett, mother of two
OF the girls, collapsed and was placed
IN the care of physician when she
HASA VA tAiS1l oCdlllS.
MIR. and Mrs. Floyd Stephens par
ents OF the other girl likewise were
torn with grief
From Sacramento, Gov. Frank Mer-
ram called upon all law officers and
citizens to aid lin the apprehension of
this killer
Olive Everett, II, sister of two of the
slain girls, had identified a photograph
OF Strong, selecting it from Others
Campbell said
Reward Urged.
IhatS the man VINO came up to us
IN the park Friday and asked us to 90
hunt rabbits with him." she said. They
had refused then.
Olive said he told her that if she
would get some rope he would show
her more tricks.
i got the rope for him at the hard |
ware store Olive told police.
The county commissioners recon-
suitable reward for the
Blayer's capture.
Edward Knott, an iceman, told DO
lice he had seen a man of Strongs de-
scrlption about 4 pm. Saturday near
the Baldwin Hills in battered old car
with three young girls.
Two sets of automobile license
plates, one from Arizona and the
other a 1886 California pair, were
found near the bodies of the three chill
dren. Officers began checking regis
tration on these.