Evening star., 1948-09-17
West Virginia
Probe Of Porter
Death Sought
Lawyer Pushes Effort
To Obtain Papers Of
Ex-Putterson Adviser

Harold A. Kertz, counsel for
Countess Felicia Gizycka, said today
he plans to ask West Virginia
authorities to make full investiga-
ton of the death of Charles B.
Porter, former treasurer of the
Washington Times Herald.
Mr.. Porter plunged to his death
from the sixth floor of a Clarksburg
-(W. VaD hotel Tuesday in what
West Virginia authorities described
officially as suicide.
Mr.. KertZ was one of the attorneys
who filed petition in District Court
here yesterday asking for the ap-
pointment of q collector for Mr..
Porter's estate because of possible
bearing his papers may have on the
Patterson will contest case.
To Ask Governors Action
He and Attorneys Randolph E.
Paul and William A. Roberts acted
for Countess Gizycka, daughter of
Mrs. Eleanor Patterson, late pub
Usher of the Times-Herald. The
countess is contesting her mother S
will which disposed of ansestate of
an estimated SIG 500, 900 and left the
newspaper, her largest single prop
erty, to seven Times-Herald execu-
ktives.
Mr.. Kertz said he would make his
request to Gov. Clarence w
Meadows by telegram probably this
Afternoon.
Meanwhile, Mr.. KertZ said, every
effort is being made to obtain ac-
cess to Mr.. Porter's papers without
waiting for court action on the
petition.
Vital Evidence Stressed.
Mr.. Porter at one time served as
financial adviser to Mrs. Patterson
and the petition filed yesterday said
it was believed that at the time OF
his death he possessed highly i'm
portant written evidence" regard
ing Mrs Patterson's will.
The will made by Mr.. Porter four
days before his death named Mrs.
Sibille Campbell of Is Dupont Cir
Gle. former housekeeper for Mrs
Patterson, as executrix. Three suit
cases containing papers Mr.. Porter
had with him at the time of his
death were collected Wednesday by
representative of the Times
Herald and turned over to Mrs
Campbell.
Several days probably will elapse
before the District Courts acts on
the petition. Under the law, Mrs
Campbell has five days to file an
answer after being notified, or eight
days If the notification is made by
letter. .....
Pearson Urges Inquiry.
Mr.. Porter originally was one OF
eight executives listed to inherit
the newspaper, but his name was
later, debated. t.-
Yesterday, Drew Pearson, colum-
mist and former husband of Coun-
tess Gizycka, called for full in
vestigation of what he described as
the strange" circumstances sur
rounding Mr.. Porter's death. He
said Mr.. Porter was one of the few
men familiar with Mrs. Patterson's
financial affairs.
Mr.. Pearson also asked District
police to, make thorough investi-
cation of the death of Miss Betty
Hynes. Times-Herald society editor.
She was found dead Tuesday in
her apartment here.
Issdes in the will contest were
joined yesterday when executors of
Mrs. Patterson's estate filed an an
swer to Countess Gizycka's petition.
They denied her accusations that
Mrs. Patterson was of unsound mind
and had been subjected to undue in
fiuences in the making of the will.
A speedy court determination of
the case was asked by the executors,
William C. Shelton and Frank C.
Waldrop, two of the newspaper ex-
ecutives who inherited the paper,
and Joseph Brooks, New York at
torney.