From the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Wednesday, 9/13/1944, p. 8, c. 1

Finding of Revolver Gives First Clue in Krengel Case; No Fingerprints Discovered

Police detectives unearthed the first clue in the slaying of John Ernest Krengel, when they found a .22-caliber revolver yesterday at the Tredegar Iron Works, which they said may have been the weapon with which the 69-year-old patternmaker was killer.

Detective Chief O. D. Garton would not divulge the spot where the gun was found, but he added that it was not any place near the scene of the slaying. He intimated, however, that the gun had been at the iron works for some time.

In order to determine whether the gun was the one used in the killing, two bullets were shot from the revolver into a cotton stuffed testing box and sent to the FBI laboratories in Washington for comparison with the bullet removed from Mr. Krengel’s brain. The FBI has not yet completed its ballistics report on the bullet.

No Fingerprints

Chief Garton indicated that the fingerprints on the gun were not of major importance, since the gun was in such a location as to be handled by several people. As yet no identifying fingerprints have been found.

The will of Mr. Krengel, who was noted for the large sum of money which he always carried with him, was probated yesterday in Chancery Court, and one of the items in the will was concerned with neither money nor property, but flowers.

The seventh item directed his grandnephew, Phillip Edmund Landrum, Jr., one of his heirs, “to put flowers on my grave and the grave of his grandmother, Ella Ophelia Krengel, every Sunday, weather and other conditions permitting, during his entire life; the flowers to be at least one bunch for each grave.

“Should he fail to do this, then I direct the income from one of the pieces of property be used for this purpose in so far as it is necessary.”

Pieces of Property

Mr. Krengel left three pieces of property to his grandnephew, including real estate at 207 South Pine St.; 428 South Pine St., and 521 South Laurel St.

To his wife, Mary Ann Krengel, he left his property at 209 Sout Pine St. Mr. Krengel’s estate was valued at $11,500, of which $3,500 is in personal property and $8,000 in real estate. There was no mention of money in the will.

At the time he was killed last Tuesday, September 12, it is believed that he was carrying between $1,000 and $2,000. No billfold was found on Mr. Krengel’s body when it was discovered by police last Wednesday stuffed between shelves in the pattern supply building.

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