Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-07-08
Police Question 80
In Kidnap-Murder Of
Baltimore Girl, I
BY the Associated Press

:. MIAMI, Fla, July SHOWING
swiftly to solve the brutal kid
nap-murder of little Judith Ann
Roberts, 7, homicide detectives
questioned more than 80 men
and today still held seven for
further questioning.
1t. Chester Eldredge. head of
the Homicide Bureau, said. how
ever, his men were without
definite" suspect.
The police still had about 40
men listed for rounding up and
questioning, all known sex per-
verts and child molesters. The
body of blue-eyed Judith Ann
was savagely beaten and raw
ished when found yesterday a
few blocks from Miami's City
Hall at Dinner Key.
1--WE will work around the
clock until this vicious killer is
in JAIL" said 1t. Eldredge said.
A report that the FBI was
calling signals in the case was
denied by Edward j. Powers,
special agent in charge of the
Miami Office. He pointed out
that the FBI lacked jurisdiction
because the body was not taken
across State lines and there was
no ransom demand.
One Seized in Bar.
One suspect seized in a South
Miami bar when the bartender
noticed blood spots on his cloth
ing was among those still being
held. Laboratory tests were being
made of his clothing. He denied
being in the area of the crime.
Judith Ann, daughter of
James Roberts. a Baltimore
lawyer and labor leader, was
raped and murdered and her
body left in a palmetto thicket
off fashionable South Bayshore
drive, a few miles south of
downtown Miami.
Five hours earlier she had
been taken in her sleep from
the home of her grandparents,
Mr.. and Mrs. Harry Rosenberg.
about 212 miles away in Miami's
Southwest section.
The child had been strangled,
beaten on the head with an in
strument and criminally as
saulted. A nightgown had been
ripped from her body.
One piece of the garment and |
q handkerchief were tied tightly
around her throat. What ap-
peared to be a Venetian blind /
cord held her hands tied behind |
her back. Her eyes were swollen !
shut.
Talked to Gardeners.
The victims sister, Betty. 81
told police that a "colored man.
had talked to her and Judith on
the street Tuesday, A neighbor /
said she saw two colored garden
ers talking to the children on
several occasions. va
She said the men were work.
ing on the Rosenbergs' lawn and
another in the neighborhood
while the children were playing |
in the street in their bathing
suits. /
Detective Eldrege said officers
were checking alibis, but de-
clined to amplify.
The children and their parents |
arrived Sunday night from Bal /
timore for their annual two weeks
visit with the Rosenbergs, par
ents of Mrs. Roberts.
Door Left Unlocked.
The father was on a night
club tour with Mrs. Dorothy
Lawrence, 81, client'and friend.
when Judith Ann was kidnapped |
about l am. Mrs. Lawrence
came, to Miami with the Roberts
family and said she planned to
get a divorce here.
The killer apparently entered
the Rosenberg home through a
front door which was left I'M
locked because Mr.. Roberts did
not have a key. Then, police
theorized, the kidnaper went to
the bedroom where he took the
car key from Mr.. Rosenberg's
trousers. took Judith Ann from
the couch in the living room
where she was sleeping. and
left.
He drove off in the Rosenberg
automobile and the sound of |
the machine roaring away awak-
ened Mrs. Rosenberg, who no.
ticed the front door ajar and
awakened the others. They
searched the neighborhood,
thinking the child had wand
cred off. before notifying police.
Mr.. Roberts returned home
about 2:45 am. |