The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-06-06
BY JOAN YOUNGER

New York, June 6-(UP)-A leg of lamb and hungry show produc- CT may have cleared the stage for the hotel suite murder of wealthy Albert E. Langford, police said today as they continued to question social and theatrical hangers on.
 Police, still without clew, sought to establish a motive of robbery or blackmail. Their interest centered in little black book containing the names of hard-pressed theatrical figures to whom Langford's wealthy wife had given money in the past and some who had pressed her for more.
 From them police hoped to obtain lead to the identity of the two men who called at the luxurious, $377 50-a- month, seventh floor suite at the Park avenue hotel Marguery Monday night, demanded an audi ence with Mrs. Langford, and when she refused, left their calling card .38 caliber bulletin Langford's s brain.
 Police learned that the unknown callers might have encountered other visitors if it had not been for the leg of lamb. British-born Mrs. Vel ma Kempton said she and her fi- ance, Frank Teller, a play producer, intended to have dinner with the Langfords. When Teller appeared with leg of lamb, the two of them left the Langford apartment for that of Mrs. Kempton to cook the lamb.
 Police questioned 70 persons yes. terday in connection with the slay- ing, and called seven of them back today. They were Mrs. Langford, Mrs. Kempton Teller, Langford's brother, Howard, two Negro maids and Mrs. Langford's secretary, Doris Rosenthal.
 Police said they also would like to question Eddie De Lange, Holly wood bandleader, and Reed Lawton, who is in Chicago with road com- pany of the operetta Naughty Mar ietta". Police said both were former PASoS6So oA AVA4o. 6a1lSlOlu
 The questioning moved today from the seven-room apartment to the 51st street police station .Langford's s Pekinese, Winnie, who discovered the slayers in the hall, was left alone in the apartment.
 Five floors above, Mrs. Langford's s father, 93-year-old Joseph Bell May CT, retired New York State supreme court justice and public utility mag nate, remained unaware of the fatal shooting. It was the 5000 a month allowance he gave his daughter that permitted her to live in luxury and act as patron to struggling artists. The brother of the slain man, Howard Langford, was asked by re- porters while leaving the apartment if he had any clews to the staying.
 Langford looked at them coldly, said, haven't we got enough trou- ble?' and strode down the hall.
 The questioning of friends of Mrs. Langford, now 65, once the toast of young actors, the fiancee of motion picture star and stage asplrant herself, turned back the pages of the entertainment world a quarter of century.
 One of the persons questioned yesterday was Evelyn Nesbit, a former show girl whose jealous hus- band shot and killed Stanford White at the opening of the Madi- son Square Garden roof 39 years ago.
 Police found Miss Nesbit, now 59, in tavern near Carnegie Hall, stronghold of dignified art. They questioned her on her Association with Mrs. Langford. Miss Nesbit, who once poured beer in pianos at stag parties, came to police head quarters wearing brown fur jacket over blue dress and maroon turban. She was leading 8 coker spaniel on a. leash.
 Detectives said they learned that Miss Nesbit had been with Mrs. Langford on one of two occasions when the patroness was compelled dier who finally has to take all the ohjoctivac