Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1950-05-17
Effort 10 Identify
Redhead Fails;
Suspect Held
West Virginia Victim
Enormously Named
As D. {. Waitress

w. Va, today held suspect in the
'strsngulation murder of red
haired woman who was identified.
apparently in error, as Washing
ton waitress,
While guessing game con-
tinued as 10 the woman'S identity.
police questioned a Morgantown
wv. Va man said to have ex-
pressed unusual interest in the
murder.
Police said the man had an al
bum of love letters and large
number of photographs of women.
some of which strongly resembled
the slain woman.
FingerprintS Fail to Tally.
A belief that the woman was
Mrs. Ida May Sheehan. a waitress
here. was diScredited today when
the Washington police identifica-
ton bureau said fingerprints Of
the dead woman did not tally with
those taken of Mrs. Sheehan in
l943.
However, David Hadeed, a res
taurant owner at 2029 K street
NV, where Mrs. Sheehan for
merly was employed, said he will
60 to Berkeley Springs today TO
view the body. He said newspaper
pictures he saw of the dead wom-
an resembled Mrs, Sheehan.
Mrs. Sheehan's fingerprints.
made in connection with her en-
ployment, at first we're reported
as similar to those OF the victim.
But later today. Identification ex-
perts said those sent here by West
Virginia police in no way tailed
with those on file.
State police said the slain wom-
an was identified" as Mrs. Shee-
han by two District women and q
man who viewed the body last
night at Newton D. Baker Vet
Grams Hospital near Martins
| burg.
Identity of the slain woman has
been a mystery since the nude
body was found at the bottom Of
. 40-foot embankment by a Po-
tomac River bridge approach at
Hancock, Md. More than 1000
persons have attempted to iden-
tify her.
State police picked up the sus-
pect for a misdemeanor.
Suspect Told of Seeing Body.
State Trooper L. X. Fulks said
the man had aroused his land
lady's suspicion by mentioning
that he had seen the body the day
before it was reported to police by
a mushroom picker.
Later. when questioned by po-
lice. the man saH he was lust
kidding"
Police also found long human
hair on the mans clothing,
which were sent to a crime lab
oratory. Trooper Fulks said they
were black hairs.
Story Incorrect, Police Say.
The suspects story of how he
ran across the body indicated he
could not have seen 1t from the
route he said he took
Police said the suspect was in
the Berkeley Springs neighbour
hood about the time the Staying
occurred.
Adding to the mystery was an
other positive" identification and
the fatal shooting of a man near
Berkeley Springs. Police did not
believe the shooting was linked to
the murder.
r. H. Grossnickel. a bus driver,
viewed the woman's body yester-
day and said he knew it to be that
of passenger who boarded his
bus at Columbus. Ohio. leaving at
Hancock at 1875 am. May 5. four
days before the body was found.
Fairfax Man Found Shot.
Yesterday a middle man
was found dying on Route 522
near Berkeley Springs. He was
shot in the head. apparently
with a .22-caliber rifle found
nearby.
A social security card found in
his pocket identified him as Ern-
est r. Leach of Fairfax, and a
postoffice box number bore the
address of Mrs. Clara Sauls of
Fairfax.
Mrs. Sauls said that George r.
Leach, an unemployed tree ex-
pert. had roomed at her place for
five years. Last Sunday he said
he was taking his car to Falls
Church for gasoline. but he never
returned.
Mrs. Sauls said the description
Of the boarder matched that of the
man shot TO death in West VIZ
ginia. An inquest was scheduled
at Berkeley Springs today.