Evening star., 1943-10-28
13-Hour Quiz Wrecks
lonergan's S Defense,
Detectives Claim
By the Associated Press,

By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, Oct. 28.-Detectives
who subjected Wayne Lonergan
26-year-old RCAF cadet, to a re-
lentless 13-hour overnight grilling
about his heiress wife's Staying
claimed today they were whiting
down his story and cutting it to
shreds."
A detective said Lonergan might
be taken to the apartment where
pretty, 22-year-old Patricia Burton
Lonergan was bludgeoned with
bronze candlesticks and strangled
to death last Sunday and there
questioned anew about his move
ments over the week end.
I'VE feel that We have a very
good circumstantial case against
him right now" detective said, "a
case that will be extremely difficult
for any defense to attack, knock
down or shake in any degree"
Sticks to His Story.
The detective said that when dis
crepancies in his story were pointed
out to Lonergan, the husky cadet
smiled or shrugged his shoulders.
Throughout the questioning, the
detective said, he puffed cigarettes
nervouSly.
He has become a chain smoker,
lighting one cigarette from another"
the investigator declared.
Lonergan clung steadfaStly to his
story during the questioning, stoutly
maintaining he had no part in the
Staying of his wife.
Statements Checked.
As Assistant District Attorney ia
cob Grumet went home at 6:l0 am.
E.WTD for some sleep before re-
suming the examination of the 26-
year-old member of the Royal Ca
madam Air Force, he said Lonergan
was "self-possessed" throughout the
night-long session.
The husky young man, who re-
turned from Toronto voluntarily
last night accompanied by detec-
tives, would catch up on sleep in
his Office where there are accommo-
dationS, Mr.. Grumet said.
Detectives are checking statements
brought out during the questioning
at which the young flyer was called
on to face several cafe society friends
of the Lonergans who also told what
they knew Of the case.
No Charges Filed.
No charges have been made
against Lonergan. Mr.. Grumet said
last night that "Lonergan will not
be charged with murder now. He
may be charged later"
The comely Mrs. Lonergan, heir
TO a s5.00O.000 brewery fortune. was
found beaten and Strangled to death
Sunday night in her richly furnished
Beekman Hill apartment.
Her unclad body was discovered
spraWled across a bed, a heavy, an
tioue candlestick nearby.
Summoned to the district attOr-
neys' Office last night were the fol-
lowing persons involved in the in .
vestigation:
Mrs. Jean Murphy Jaburg. blond
former actress, who accompanied
Honergan on a round of night clubs
SATURDAY. night.
Butler Is Questioned.
John F. Harjes, socialite friend of
Lonergan. at whose apartment the
RCAF aircraftsman said he spent
the night after leaving Mrs Jaburg
Emil Peeters. MI. Harjes' butler,
who asserted he served breakfast TO
Lonergan Sunday. !
Thomas Farrell, magazine editor, |
a member of Mrs. Lonergan's party
which visited several night clubs the
night before the Staying.
Jean Goodman, pretty model, who
was Mr.. Farrell's companion Satur-
day night.
Not called for questioning was
Mario Gabbeline, 43-vear-old in |
terror decorator, who escorted Mrs.
Lonergan on the night club visits /
He has been quiZzed on several oc-
caSionS, however, and is being held
as a material witness.
Police Seek Uniform.
Meanwhile. medical experts studied
stains found on some towels in tbs
apartment and detectives continued
their search for Lonergan'S missing
RCAF uniform, said by the student
flyer to have been stolen by the
soldier.
The husky, Canadian born Loner-
gan arrived here late yesterday from
Buffalo, dressed in the same ~blue
pinstripe suit which he wore when
picked up in a second-rate board
ing house in Toronto Monday.
He was Whisked from La Guardia
Field to the district attorneys Of
fee, where he has been held since.