From the Richmond Times-Dispatch, 9/14/1944, p. 4, c. 7

Workers Boost Krengel Case Reward Sum

Employees of the Tredegar Company added $225 yesterday to the $500 reward previously offered by the company for information, which might lead to the apprehension of the slayer of John Ernest Krengel.

The reward of the employees, like that of the company, will stand for six months as of September 5, Roth rewards are posted with Major E. H. Organ, chief of police.

Yesterday marked the ninth day since the killing of the aged pattern maker. Detectives spent the entire day in rechecking the pattern supply building in which the body of Mr. Krengel was found. Searchlights were used in going over the three floors of the building in an effort to find some possible hiding place for the weapon, or Mr. Krengel’s billfold. Detective Chief O. D. Garton said that there were “a thousand and one hiding places where the weapon could have been concealed in the supply building.”

Dust Too Thick

Another try was made for fingerprints, but detectives said that the dust was too thick to find any that might be used in the identification of the killer.

Chief Garton was a bit doubtful as to the discovery of the possible weapon used to hit Mr. Krengel in the head. He explained that there were a number of blunt instruments scattered about the supply building, which could have been used.

The Detective Bureau is now awaiting the report of the FBI on the comparison of the bullet taken from Mr. Krengel’s brain with those shot from a .22 caliber gun found by detectives at the plant on Tuesday. Detectives said yesterday that the gun which they uncovered had been at the Tredegar plant for a long time and there is no certainty that it is the one used in the killing.

Meanwhile, Chief Garton said that detectives were continuing to question employees in order to find someone who might know of some fact in the killing or robbery of Mr. Krengel.

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