Evening star., 1946-06-29
Deqnun
Continued From First Page. J

was "feigning irrationality. The
questioning, usually bringing either
no replies or unintelligible mutter-
ings, ran through the night and
until $50 am. today.
Believed Shamming Delirium.
Police Sergt. Hanrahan said Hell
rens made rambling remarks" to
him but the onicer said he believed
the youth was shamming delirium.
The brutality of the kidnapping
and Staying Of the little Degnan
girl shocked the Nation and threw
a scare across Chicago. The police
force was increased by 1000 men
and night beats" through the
residential district were re-estab-
lished. The girl was stolen from
her bed in her North side home
January 7, by an abductor who left
behind q ransom note demanding
$4,000. Parts OF her dismembered
body were found the same night in
sewers in the neighborhood.
Her father, James E. Degnan, then
an OPA official. made a series of
radio broadcasts pleading with the
kidnaper to return his daughter un-
harmed and promising there would
be no prosecution if this were done.
AS Heirens slept late this morning
before efforts to question him fur
ther were resumed, John Coghlan
attorney for the Heirens family, ap-
peared at the Criminal Courts
Building. He told newsmen he was
waiting for the youths parents to
decide whether an effort should be
made to obtain his release on a writ
of habeas corpus. No charges have
been placed against the young man
Won't Attempt Action Now.
Mr.. Coghlan said later no effort
to obtain the youths release would
be made today.
HeirenS' fearful mother, Mrs. Mar
garet Heirens, 40, visited him at the
hospital last night. She said he had
suffered a severe head bump when
he was months old, falling from a
highchair and down four or five
cement steps.
Meanwhile, police physician S
report, Mr.. Tuohy said, showed an
X-ray examination had disclosed no
evidence of skull fracture resulting
from the flower pot blow. Police
physicians also reported the youth s
pulse was normal.
Knocked Out by Detective.
Police Capt. Michael Ahern of the
Rogers Park district said Heirens'
violent efforts" to resist capture led
to the detailed investigation that
was made of his case. The youth
was pummeling one detective when
another knocked him out.
I'VE got absolutely nothing from
Heirens," Mr.. Tuohy said. mo
complete statement; no denial. He
has feigned irrationality."
These (fingerprints) points may
mean that there was a distinct SINH
larity of whorls, loops and other
lines in the fingerprint," Mr.. Tuohy
said.
In meeting Heirens, Mr.. Tuohy
said he told him:
I'VE are convinced that the finger
prints on the Degnan) ransom note
is your print"
The new turn in the investigation
of the Degnan case came yesterday
shortly after Richard Russell Thom-
as, AZ, an ex-convict held in Phoenix,
Ariz., repudiated a story he told
there that he was the kidnap- slayer.
Guns Found in Room.
Police officials disclosed that they
had searched Heirens' dormitory
room on the midway campus and
found three guns, a detachable
surgical knife, detachable surgical
saw, a hypodermic set, cameras,
jewelry, $2,100 in War Bonds and
numerous other items which they
valued at $3,421.
Mr.. Tuohy said Heirens had been
definitely linked with several Chica-
go burglaries and that police had
established that his fingerprints
correspond with those found after
an assault on 1t. Evelyn Peterson,
26, Army nurse, who was attacked
in an apartment last October 5.
Heirens, who will be 18 next
November IS, was captured by police
in the Rogers Park district after
detectives said they found him
prowling in an apartment building.
The youth, 6 feet tall and weighing
180 pounds, resisted arrest, they said,
but he was knocked unconscious
when TRAFFIC Policeman Abner Cum
ningham struck him on the head