Science Playing Big Part In Wide Investigations

Chronicle (Levin), 5 March 1949, Page 5

Science Playing Big Part In Wide Investigations

Received Friday, 7 p.m. LONDOrf, March 4. Scotland Yard detectives, after consuitation witn poiice scientists, have aecicied tnat they know the murderer of Dr. and Mrs. Henderson and tne McSwan family of father, mother and son, says the Daily Mail. Ali the victims are believed to have been shot or bludgeoned and their bodies after-' // wards treated with some chemical agent. The man will be brought to London by the weekend and charged in the West London Poiice Court with the murder of McSwan family. Meanwhile the search is going on for the missing partner of the man who will be charged. The partner disappeared ten months ago after claiming the invention of a silent electric drill worth £300,000. He may be another victim. Inquiries are being reopened about the disappearance of the 76-year-old Guy Petter, designer of the oil engine that bears his name. He was last heard of in October at Camberley, Surrey. The Daily Eipress also states that Scotland Yard believes it has collectcd sufficient evidence to ehai'ge a man with the acid bath murders, within a few days. The Express adds that it is believed about £38,000 was made out of the victims. An officia] Scotland Yard statement says: "Widesprcad investigations are being made into the movcments and wlicreabouts of ilr. McSwan. his wife and son, who, the poiice believe, were at oue timc associated in some way with the man in custody. On "Wednesday and yesterday we have lieen making a search of the basement at Kensington which is believed to have been rented at one time by the man in poiice custody. Nothing has been established as the result of the examination of the earth material dug from the area round the basement and tests are continuing today with the view of finding out whether there is human content therein." Senior detectives are confident that when the facts about the disarvnearance of the Hendersons and McSwans are known, a series of murders unequalied for brutality in the history of Scotland Yard, will be proved. It is believed science will bring one of the most brutally sadistic murderers of modern times to trial. The main activity in the intensive hunt for clues yesterday, was concerned with the three McSwans. Detectives believe the McSwans were murdered in the Kensington basement. The method used to lure them there is being spccially examined. The poiice liope to obtain evidence from Mr. McSwan 's deals on the stock exchange and efl'orts are being made to contact the brokers who have done business with McSwan, with the object of obtaining information relating to his friends and confidants. McSwan would have been 71 ycars of age next June. Detectives have established that McSwan junior was 35 to 40. The Daily Telegraph says the poiice invcsi igal mg tiic d.sappearance of the Ilcndcrsons from the Brighton Hotel in February 1948, have confirmed that a few weeks previously the Hendersons had

been in Sussex in company with a. business man. Dr. Henderson owned a dolls' hospital and toy shop in a London suburb, the new owner >of which, Aibert Clark, said he beheved he was next 011 the kil'ler-s list. He had several invitations to go into the country to the plaee where the poiice believe some of the victims have been disposed of.