Evening star., 1953-11-18
Body Of Se|ph,
Shot in Head,
Believed Found
Slain Man in Woods
Listed Tentatively as
Missing Messenger

The body of a young man
tentatively identified as that Of
a finance company messenger
who vanished October 9 with
more than $4,000 in cash was
found in the woods near David
sonville, Md, yesterday.
Police said a bullet had been
fired into the head, apparently
after the man had been knocked
unconscious. The bullet, which
appeared to be a .32-caliber. was
found during an autopsy at the
Baltimore city morgue.
Capt. Richard Felber. chief of
the homicide squad, said he is
personally convinced the body is
that Of Thomas N. Selph, jr., %.
of 209 Atlantic street Sc.
Object of Wide Search.
Mr.. Selph had been the object
of a Nationwide search since
discovery of his blood-stained
automobile in Barnard Hill Park,
a few blocks from his Office, the
day after he disappeared.
Mr.. Selph's father went to the
morgue last night to view cloth
ing and other effects taken from
the body. Police said the visit
resulted in mo positive identifi-
cation"
Today. however, Mr.. Selph
was quoted as saying: There
is no doubt that it is my son."
Mr.. Selph said the two rings were
similar to those owned by his
son.
One was a gold signet ring
set with black onyx, bearing a
gold initial IS" The other was
a plain white gold wedding band.
Capt. Felber and an aide,
Detective Carl A. Rudbeck, went
this morning to the spot where
the body was found to search for
further clues.
Found by Cab Driver.
Anne Arundel County police
said the deteriorate6 body, dis
covered by Washington cab
driver, appeared to have been
at the scene about a month.
I'VE have reason to believe he
was murdered and the body
dumped there" said Capt. Will
bur C. Wade, of the county
police.
District and county police met
at the scene today and decided
to conduct a joint investigation.
Washington Police Chief Robert
V. Murray said jurisdiction can
be decided after the slayer is
caught.
A signet ring, a wedding band
and clothing on the body ap-
peared to fit the description of
articles worn by Mr.. Selph when
he vanished. No wallet or pa
pers were found. but Capt. Fel-
Der said he is hopeful that such
articles might be found at the
scene.
Tokens in Jacket.
Three Washington street car
tokens were found in a Jacket
pocket Detectives said the f.
nance agency for which Mr..
Selph worked furnishes employees
with tokens when they make
business trips, even when they
use their own automobiles.
The body was found near an
old logging road off Central
avenue just across the Prince
Georges County line. The cab
driver who discovered it, Elmer
A. Basinger, 54, of 600 Fifty
seventh avenue, Capitol Heights,
Md, was en- route to a beach
cottage and had stopped his car
on Central avenue and walked
into the woods.
Identification experts from the
Federal Bureau of Investigation
are being asked to determine if
f1ngerprints can be obtained
from the left hand, which was
beneath the body and not as
exposed to the elements as the
right hand.
Clothing Described.
Police description of Mr..
Selph at the time of his disap-
pearance said he wore a green
dress shirt. dark trousers and a
maroon corduroy sports coat.
Anne Arundel County police
said the body was clad in gray
pants, tan shoes, dark socks, a
(See SELPH, Page A-20)
k/s