Evening star., 1937-06-04
D. D.C.BUS|NESSMAN
SOUGHT BY POLICE
IN KEENE MYSTERY
Suspicious Actions on
Learning Body Found Put
Probers on Trail.
'TIP,0FF' SAYS SUSPECT
WAS FRANTIC AT NEWS
Widow Scouts Suicide Theory, Dis.
closing Keene Expected Big
Sale Fee Soon.
BACKGROTND-

DnS IA oIto - IL
Charles F. Keene. sr., 63-vear old
Washington real estate man. arch
itect and art expert panished May
II from bloodstained cabin aboard
Norfolk bound steamer District OF
Columbia. Monday a fisherman
found Keene's body floating in
Chesapeake Bay OF Smith Island.
Md. He had been shot in the
throat, the bullet penetrating his
brain. Jury OF Smith Island fisher
men, after an inquest, returned Der.
dict OF murder.
Search for Washington business
man who reacted suspciously when he
learned that the body of Charles F.
Keene sr., had been found in Chesa-
peake Bay with a bullet through the
brain and weighted suitcase tied
around his neck. will be launched here
today by Maryland and Washington
detectives, 1t was revealed at police
headquarters.
Chief Of Detectives B. w. Thompson
said police were tipped off" to the
strange actions of the business man by
an informant whose identity he would
not disclose The man became ex-
ceedlngly nervous and frantically
sought all available information about
ho Of ~
year-old real estate broker, police were
told.
Detective J. J. Cassidy of the Mary
land State police force planned to con-
fer with Inspector Thompson at head
quarters this morning. The detective
chief said he would assign local detec-
tives to cooperate with Cassidy if he
desired them.
Cassidy also planned to visit Mrs.
Clemence Cook Keene widow of the
murdered man, at her apartment in
the Fairfax Hotel, 2l00 Massa chusetts
avenue. He will show her the brief
case and the incongruous collection of
articles it contained and ask if she can
identify any Of them.
Suicide Theory Secuted.
Maryland police have refused to ac-
cept As final the murder verdict re-
turned by the coroner's iurv on
Smiths Island Md, isolated fishing
community in lower Chesa peake Bay.
where Keene's body was brought after
it was found Monday by Edward
Smith, fishing boat captain. They
are continuing TO investigate the pos
sbility of suicide.
Mrs. Keene, who is convinced her
husband was murdered. scoffed at the
suicide theory and revealed that her
husband expected to earn a large fee
through the sale OF a collection OF art
masterpieces in the near future. Al
ways of a cheerful nature. her hus-
band had everything to live for, Mrs.
Keene said.
keene was commissioned to sell the
art collection by Tazewell T. Thomas,
Baltimore attorney. Keene was al
lowed a drawing account and was to
receive his expenses as well as COM
mission for disposing of the art col
lection, Thomas said.
Mr.. keene called at nv office about
a week before his death" Thomas said.
He was bright and CHEEKY. Certainly
ne did not act like a man contem-
plating suicide
Murder Evidence.
Proponents of the murder theory
emphasize the following:
DR.. w. F. Stout of Smiths Island,
first medical man to view the body,
insists Keene was struck terrific
blow over the left eye at least As
minutes before the fatal bullet was
fired into his brain.
The condition of Keene's stateroom
indicated there had been a struggle.
His suit case had been emptied and
'See KEENE, Page A-3.)