Evening star., 1950-03-15
Ke||eys Free on Bail
For Grand Jury Action
In Death Of Baby Girl

Robert Patrick Kelley and his
Austrian-born wife were free on
$4,000 bail today to await grand
jury action on a murder charge
in the death of their four
months-old daughter.
After spending Monday night
and most of yesterday in jail, the
couple left District Court arm-in-
arm yesterday.
Their lawyer, Donald H. Dali
ton, said they went directly to a
neighbor's home to be reunited
with their other child, Eliza
beth, 2.
Mr.. Dalton said the father
picked up the sleeping child and
put her in her mothers arms.
Mrs. Kelley, he said. Rugged and
kissed the drowsy little girl.
Held by Coroner'S Jury
The Kelleys were held for grand
jury action by a coroner's jury
Monday after Mrs. Kelley testified
she dropped the baby Eileen
shortly before the child's death
Saturday.
Deputy Coroner Christopher j.
Murphy testified at the inquest
that an autopsy showed the baby's
fatal skull fracture occurred "a to
48 hours earlier and that the
force of one fall from the moth
er's arms would not have been
sufficient to cause the fracture.
After the Kelleys were commit
ted to jail by the coroner, police
put a charge of murder on their
books.
Police pointed out today that
they never arrested the Kelleys.
They explained the husband and
wife were interviewed only at
home and not at police headquar-
ters and came to the inquest &C
companied by their attorney.
Once the coroner's jury held
the Kelleys responsible for the
death and they were committed
to jail, police said, the only charge
police could put on the books was
m der. Degrees of murder
charges, it was explained, are de-
termined by the grand jury in
case of Indictment and not by
police. ~
Kelley Grim and Drawn.
At $40 pm. yesterday, the Kel-
leys were brought from the Jail to
District Court in a marshal's van.
Kelley, who is a major in the
Air Reserve was handcuffed to a
deputy. His wife was allowed to
ride on the front seat between
two deputies.
Hatless and pale, the 21-year-
old wife greeted a friend with a
half-smile. Kelley, looking grim
and drawn, stared straight ahead
as he walked into the marshal's
Office.
After they left court and Joined
their child, only their lawyer knew
where they spent last night. Their
home, frame row house in CT
housing development at $50 Hem
lock street NV, was deserted
early in the evening.
Meanwhile, friends continued
TO rally to their support. The
29-year-old Kelley is deputy
operations officer of the District
Air Guards 18th Fighter Group.
He has been studying aeronauti-
cal engineering under the CT bill
at Catholic University.
Many Offers to Help.
Both the Air Guard and the
university reported they were
flooded yesterday with offers to
help the pilot-student. The Rev.
John M. Walsh, the university's
dean of men, said teachers and
students called to ask him to let
them know if they could do any,
thing for Kelley.
The Air Guard said offers of
help came from officers and en-
listed men. Half dozen lawyers,
1t was reported, offered their
services. So did students and pub
lie relations men. Among them
was the commanding officer of the
113th Fighter Group, Col. Ladder
B. Mackall, who is associated in
the firm of Steptoe & johnson.
The Johnson in this firm is Sec
retary of Defense Johnson.