Evening star., 1945-06-09
|bIackmaiI Indicated
AS Mrs. Langford
Posts $4,000 Reward
BY the Associated Press.

1or SlayerS Oh Albert Il. Lang1Ord
was given added impetus today as
his widow posted a $4,000 reward
for information leading to the arrest
and conviction of the killers who
came to the Langford apartment
Monday night.
Police, meanwhile, still sitting for
clues in the voluminous records
Mrs. Langford kept of money gifts to
aspiring young male artists, elimi-
mated robbery as motive for the
killing.
1.-THE investigation, a high police
official said, "is proceeding on the
theory that attempted blackman
was the motive"
Woman Heard Shot.
Police also disclosed today they
had witness who may have heard
the shot which killed Mr.. Langford
at the door of his suite.
They announced that on the
night of the Staying they inter-
viewed a woman, identified as a
Mrs. w. Brinkerhoof, who occupied
quarters directly opposite from the
Langford suite. They said she told
them of hearing muff1ed sounds
which she described as pop pop"
Mrs. Langford previously told po-
lice she heard only a thud and
then found her husbands body with
a bullet wound in the head.
Mrs. Langford, her voice broken
by frequent sobs, told the Associated
Press yesterday that she was Of
fering $4,000 reward to find the
murderer of my darling husband"
Widow TERRIBLY Excited"
"I buried my husband" she said
in a voice filled with uncon-
trolled emotion. Il miss him ter
ribly. If you can find the person
who did it, you can have the $4,000
please advertise that"
The announcement came few
hours after Mrs. Langford, wearing
silver fox fur jacket over black
mourning clothes, had attended fu-
neral services for Mr.. Langford and
later had issued a statement de-
scribing her friendship with various
men and denying that she gambled
at cards for high stakes.
Howard Langford, Pelham IN. ",
brother of the slain textile executive.
-
ward was made suddenly upon the
family's return from funeral serv-
ices. He described Mrs. Langford
as terribly excited
Denies Running Games.
Episcopal services without eulogy
were held at a funeral home.
Burial followed In Woodlavn Gene
terry.
The 63-year- executive was
shot to death when, police said they
were told, he denied two men ad-
mittance to the apartment after
they had asked to see his wife, and
she had refused their request.
Police said Mrs. Langford fire.
quently visited night clubs and was
heavy loser at cards both at bridge
clubs and in her home. In her state.
ment yesterday the widow said:
Mrs. Langford had never run card
games in her life and never played
in blackjack games and never went
to night clubs in the last five years,
except for dinner"
The district attorneys Office said
Mrs. Langford told them she spent
more than 100000 in furthering the
career of Reed Lawton, a night club
and operetta singer, who police say
she once accompanied on an ex-
tended trip to Canada.
Met 1S Years Ago.
Mrs. Langford was not a night
club frequenter," said the widows
statement, except when Mr.. Lawton
and she tried to sponsor an engage
ment."
The statement added: Mrs, Lang
ford has never travelled with any
man alone in her life. She has
made trips with her chauffeur. her
chauffeurs wife and a chaperon."
She said she met her husband ls
years ago and that they married
years later after her first husband
and his first wife had died.
I'VE renewed our acquaintance
and decided that we were meant for
each other" Mrs. Langford said in
her statement. which frequently
switched from the first to the third
person in reciting events.
Of her husband, Mrs. Langford
said: "He never accepted a dime
from me-"
Cites Patronesses.
Mrs. Langford also mentioned
Rafael Diaz, the late tenor of the
Metropolitan Opera Co. The two
men who accosted her husband re-
portedly said they wished to speak
to Mrs. Langford about Diaz.
She said she gave Diaz sin 10
years about $1,000 for tickets to con-
certs," and added: "Mr. Diaz had
many rich patronesses who
gave him great deal more than she
(Mrs. Langford) ever did"
Meanwhile, police said they would
like to question baroness and an
Indian named Chief Redwing, de-
scribed as her assistant. Lawton
was quoted by police as saying the
baroness promoted the Langfords'
marriage in the hope of obtaining
money from the slain husband for
arranging the match.
Fort Myer Man Questioned.
Lawton was questioned and also
handsome, 6-foot Army lieuten-
ant who said he had known Mrs.
Langford for about II years and
called her "auntie."
The lieutenant, 3s-year-old Allen
Preston Lewis, is an infantry officer
assigned to Fort Myer, Va. He said
he met Mrs. Langford through her
nephew, the late John L. Mayer,
Owensboro, KY.
cat Fort Myer it was said that
Lit. Lewis is the mess officer at
the officers club. Nothing could
be learned there relating to his
connection with the police in