Evening star., 1938-05-17
BY w. II. SHIPPEN, JR.

The twelfth juror still was being
sought this afternoon at the trial Of
former Policeman Robert F. Langdon
on a charge of numbering l9-year-old
Beulah Limerick, party girl of pro-
hibition days, who was shot to death
on New Year Eve, 1880.
The trial Unexpectedly was ad-
journed for several days today when
Is prospective jurors failed to supply
the final member of the panel. All
were excused when they pleaded either
to personal convictions as to the guilt
or innocence of the defendant, or
stated they held conscientious scruples
against capital punishment.
The prospect that the jury will be
locked up for fortnight or longer
possibly is contributing to the diff
Guilty in obtaining IL men. Approxi-
mately 80 veniremen have been ex-
cused from service on the jury since
the trial opened yesterday.
The partial jury of II men re-
turned to court this morning after
being locked up last night by order
of Justice Daniel w. O'Donoghue.
The holding together of a tentative
jury overnight is a procedure almost
unknown in District Court.
The II men selected. any Of whom
may be challenged or excused before
the jury is sworn, were William l.
Jarnagin. Navy Yard mechanic; Ulys-
ses I. Brown, colored; Ernest Rice,
life insurance salesman James B.
Cattell, department store floor man
ager; George Farrell, furniture store
clerk; William Swormstedt, Federal
employe; Edward F. Walton. COM
mercial artist; William O'Bear. jr..
employe 6f a heating appliance firm:
Edward E. Perry. engineer; Marion
Hannum. hardware salesman, and
Joseph Howard.
Mrs. Langdon to Testify.
The Governments star witness was
expected to be Mrs Rose v. Langdon,
estranged wife of the defendant,
whose requestioning in the mystery
was followed several months ago by
a murder indictment against Lang
! dor. Assistant United States Attor-
| ney John j. Wilson has summoned
80 other witnesses. while Defense At
torney j. Russell Kelly expects to call
a score of men and women to the
stand. some of them already under
summons by the prosecution.
At request OF Mr.. Kelly and his
brother. William Kelly. Justice O'Don-
oghue asked prospective jurors If they
would be prejudiced against the de-
| fendant if testimony reveals that he
dealt in whisky while a member of
the police force in the days Of prohi-
bition. The veniremen also were
asked if they objected to capital
punishment. About half of the rs
men and women examined yesterday
were eliminated when they answered
in the affirmative. Three panels were
exhausted at the first day. and court
adjourned shortly before pm. when
no more prospective jurors remained.
Each side had used most of its 20
challenges when the trial resumed
this morning. 1t was estimated the
trial would last at least fortnight.
Her Brothers Included.
Witnesses include three men held
with Langdon by a coroners jury.
whose findings were ignored by a
grand jury.
Also on the Government list were
Beulahs two brothers, Vernon and
William Limerick; her mother. Mrs
Dora Limerick, and two sisters. These
were among some 10 witnesses who
testified at the protracted inquest in
January of 1881.
The pretty usherette and party girl.
whose diary named many men ad-
mirers, was shot through the head
on the night of December 81, 1890.
by murderer who plugged the wound
with Strands of her bobbed brunette
hair. The body was found in the
girls semi basement bedroom at No.
18 Nineteenth street Sc. The frame
house where the girl lived has been
destroyed.
Mrs. Langdon came here from New
York to testify. Her temperance in
the case disclosed the fact that 1t.
Floyd Truscott and Detective Sergt.
Earl Hartman had been investigating
the mystery in secret for almost two
years.