The Washington times., 1937-01-19
STATE CLAIMS
SHELLS FOUND
MATCHGUN
ELIMINATION Of Power
Magnate Pondered
By Detectives

1.N.SO.-The .22-caliber bullet
which drilled the heart Of Clar-
ence j. Trader. power king Of
Maryland's Eastern Shore, is iden-
tical with a handful discovered
beneath the pillow Of his widow,
State detectives disclosed today.
The death bullet and the hand
full of matching bullets were to
be laid on the table before her
when States Attorney Thomas F.
johnson questioned Mrs. Trader
a second time about the unsolved
tragedy.
Investigators Of the Maryland
constabulary have called upon j.
Edgar Hoovers Omen for assist
ance, and there is likelihood the
43-year-old utilities operators
body will be exhumed so his right
hand may be subjected to the
paraffin test.
Will Decide Outcome
This would show whether he
fired the small, blue-handled pls-
tol found beside his body last
Thursday night. Trader was right
handed. If the test should be
affirmative, the States attorney
would close the case as a suicide.
If the test should be negative,
johnson said, the theory OF muir
der would appear strong enough
to warrant placing the inquiry in
the hands Of the worcester county
grand jury.
The widow, Mrs. jeanette Ball
Trader, 36, and defendant in a di-
vorce action which called for an
answer today, says Trader killed
himself and that she was locked
in another bedroom Of their house
when she heard the shot.
Children Were Out
None but the eStranged couple
were in the house at Stockton,
nine miles from here, their three
sons, Estel, 81; Richard, II, and
Reginald, 13, being out for the
evening.
It was the youngest boy, Regi-
nald, who came upon the handful
of % longs under his mothers
pillow some days before the shoot
ing. He took them to Traders
stepmother, Mrs. Emma C. Trader,
who lives two blocks away and
with whom the owner Of Stock
tons Electric Light and Power
Company had been making his
home since he charged his wife
with misconduct and named q CO.
respondent.
The day after last Thursdays
tragedy, the stepmother turned
the handful Of cartridges over to
Sergt. Marlin Brubaker and De-
tective John j. Cassidy, assigned
from headquarters in Baltimore,
Md.
More Shells Found
Another cache of cartridges to
fit the death pistol was found in
Traders safe at his office in the
power company but, according to
police, they do not match the bull
let taken from the victims breast
nor the unfired cartridges in the
weapon. They were 20 shorts. +"
Ownership Of the pistol still is
undecided.
The widow, a youthful 14-year-
old belle Of Accomac county, Vir-
ginia, when Trader married her
December %, 1915, said her hus-
band took the gun out Of his
pocket when they were riding to-
gether in his car earlier on the
night of the shooting. She fired
one shot out the window Of the
car "juSt for fun" according to
her story, and then Trader re-
turned the weapon to his coat.
Next Seen on Floor
Mrs. Trader declared the next
time she saw it was when she
rushed into the bedroom and
saw her husband dying on the
floor, the pistol eight or nine
inches from his clutching fingers.
States Attorney Johnso
planned to summon Mrs. Trader
to his offices for reinterrogation
during the day.
Before calling her, he expected
to receive a formal report Of the
autopsy from DR.. Frederick s.
WaeSche and a report from the
Crime laboratory" Of the Federal
Bureau Of Investigation.
Scientists there scrutinized the
death pistol, the death bullet, the
handful of cartridges that once
reposed beneath the widows pill
low, the stained shirt and under
shirt which the dead man was
wearing.
Evidence Of Struggle
The States attorney revealed
for the first time today that
evidences Of a struggle were dis
covered about the second-floor bed
chamber where Trader was found.
When questioned at the scene,
Mrs. Trader said she and her
estranged husband had been to-
gether in the living room down
stairs but not in the room where
he was found.