Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1937-05-20
CLUES IN KEENE'S
]. BOAT CABIN SPUR
J. HUNT FOR WOMAN
, Chamois Pouch, Gloves and
Letter-Purse Believed
important Find.
Unidentified MAN
NEAR TRAGEDY SCENE
Realty Dealer Had Been "Treated'
to Beer and Followed Stranger
Before Vanishing.

Armed with new information that
strengthens the foul play theory in
the mysterious disappearance OF
Charles F. Keene, 63-year-old Wash
ington real estate dealer, investigators
today pressed their search for woman
they believe can aid in clearing up the
case.
The hunt for the "key witness"
'Mrs. R. L. Loper,' who occupied a
cabin next to that of Keene on the
steamer District of Columbia, from
which he disappeared last Thursday
night was pushed after detectives
found evidence that some one besides
Keene had been in the real estate
mans state room.
Articles in Keene's Cabin.
These clues included a chamois
pouch, new pair Of glace gloves and
black leather letter-purse, none Of
which belonged to Keene. but were
found in his cabin.
. Authorities also have learned that
an unidentified man, who treated"
Keene to bottle Of beer on the boat
late Thursday night, had been seen
later walking toward Keene's cabin
with the real estate man following
q few minutes afterWard.
Another new development was the
discovery that Keene at various times
had carried valuable jewels on his
person, although he is not believed
to have had any when he left Wash
ington to follow up real estate deal
in Norfolk.
Missing Beret Puzzles.
A missing brown beret, which Keene
wore on the boat, also puzzled police,
as did the real estate mans broken
wrist watch and glasses, found on the
floor of his disordered state room.
Detectives said they could not figure
how Keene could have kept his beret
on II his watch and spectacles were
smashed during struggle with an as
sailant in the cabin.
Maryland State detectives, who have
assumed jurisdiction in the case, but
are cooperating with Washington
police, returned to Baltimore last night
with the new evidence.
They planned to come back tomor-
row, however, for hearing in the case
to be held by the Bureau of Marine
Inspection and Navigation at the
Labor Department.
The additional clues were uncovered
after detectives talked at length with
the steamer crew and members OF the
family Of Keene, who lived at the
Fairfax Hotel, 2l00 Massachusetts,
avenue.
Seen at Refreshment Bar.
The strange man IN the case, police
were told, was seen to walk up to a
refreshment bar on the boat and
order bottle of beer. When Keene.
wearing tan topcoat and the brown
beret, came to the bar moment
later the stranger handed him the
untouched bottle of beer and then
ordered a soft drink for himself. A
short while later the men left, one a.
a time, both walking aft toward
keene's cabin.
Police were informed that Keene
was seen later Thursday night on the
4ol ~dAd ucSh, "Ileu 4lc WAS Cdlk1ug
with man, and again in the salon,
when he was chatting with another
man.
The investigators said they learned
Keene In the past had attempted to
sell precious stones for a friend and
that at times he carried jewels with
him, usually in his vest pocket. A
him large unset pearl and on an
other occasion large ruby, set IN dia-
monds.
The chamois bag, although not
recognized by Keene's family, may
have belonged to the real estate man,
police pointed out, but they could not
account for the presence of the letter.
purse or the gloves, neither of which
had ever been seen by the missing
mans relatives