Evening star., 1939-05-31
THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON,
Autopsy Ordered
In Canal Death
Mystery
Police Seek 'SmuII
Gonester';; BrowI in
Tuvern Revealed

An autopsy was ordered performed
today on the body of Nicholas John
Di Blasi. ~, Of 5000 Georgia avenue
NV, who was found dead in the
feeder canal near Brookmont, Nd,
about half a mile from the District
line.
Police Chief Charles M. Orme of
Montgomery County ordered the
autopsy in the hope that it might
shed light on the manner in which
Mr.. Di Blast met death. Chief Orme
said there was possibility the man
was murdered.
The body was discovered by q
pair of girl canoeists yesterday
morning in the feeder canal, which
runs between the Potomac River
and the c. & o. Canal. Investigat-
ing, police learned Mr. Di Blasi had
been present during a brawl in a
Glen Echo MD tavern early Sum-
day. After the fight he had left the
tavern in company with another
man and was seen with this man
near the place where the body was
found.
Chief Orme said he was seeking
Mr.. Di Blasts companion, whom he
described as "a small gangster" with
record of petty crime.
when we find this man, think
the case will be cleared up," the po-
lice official said.
A lookout for this man was broad
cast by Washington police today and
was relayed to officers in nearby
States.
The body was found in about
feet Of water about 10 am. yester-
day by Phyllis Carow and her sister,
Barbara. who live at 6l04 Ridge
drive, Brookmont. Police said the
body apparently had been in the
water since Sunday afternoon. Be-
cause of the condition of the body,
police were unable to find any
marks which would indicate whether
Mr.. Di Blasi had been seriously
beaten before his death.
QUILL AAldI Nd WClC W Uc SOuSllt ny
the autopsy doctor, who also was
ordered to determine If possible
whether the man was drowned or
whether he was dead before he
entered the water.
After questioning half a dozen
persons who were present in the
tavern fight at Glen Echo and after
talking to members of Mr.. Di Blasts
family, Chief Orme and Detective
Sergt. Theodore Vollten recon-
structed the events leading up to
the death as follows:
Mr.. Di Blasi left his home about
10 pm. Saturday night telling his
family he was going fishing. He
was driving his own car and police
next found trace Of him around
noon Sunday in the Glen Echo bar
room. At that time, there was a
quarrel among several men in the
place, followed a short time later
by free-for-all fight. One man
was taken to Georgetown Hospital
following the fight to have stitches
taken in his head.
Men Leave in Auto.
About 2 pm. Sunday, Mr.. Di Blasi
and another of the men in the
tavern left together in an automo-
bile, not Mr.. Di Blasts. Witnesses
saw the car run of the road on
Conduit road about half mile from
the canal. Two men were seen to
get out Of the car and later were
sighted within a tenth of a mile of
the place where the body was later
found. Beyond this, Chief Orme
said, police know nothing.
In Mr.. Di Blasts pocket his wallet
was found-empty Chief Orme said
he did not believe there had been
a robbery but refused to state
whether he had uncovered any other
possible motive for murder.
Members of Mr.. Di Blasts family
said he was real estate operator.
Mr.. Di Blasts car was not found
near the canal and police found
that two of his friends at the tavern
had borrowed it. 1t was later recov-
cred in Washington near Eighth and
F streets NV.