The Washington herald., 1918-05-18
Gamble AND NEWMAN,
SOLDIERS, ARRESTED
Found in Richmond, Where
They Are Said to Have
Confessed.
DETECTIVES WILL BRING
THEM TO CAPITAL TODAY
Chauffeur Took Men and Two Wo-
men in Car: Fatal Assault
Followed.

As Washington police made an all
night hunt with searchlights in the
woods near Alexandria for the dead
body Of John p. Weres, n years old,
271O Bladensburg road northeast, two
soldiers. Charles E. Gamble, q years.
and Robert Newman, q years old,
far away in q Richmond police sta
ton house. are said to have confessed
TO one of the most brutal murders that
the District has ever known.
Headquarters Detectives Grant and
Armstrong had been sent to Rich
mond. Over the long distance tele-
phone they told Inspector C. L. Grant.
chief of detectives, that both men had
confessed to the murder.
werres was employed at the Gov
eTnment Printing ONCE and drove .
''jitney" on H street northeast after
Office hours. He left his home last
Friday telling his wife that he had
ar engagement with two soldiers and
two women for an evening trip In his
car.
Drag Body Away.
According to the alleged confession
made by the soldiers, Werres had
kept the engagement, but an argu-
ment was started after they had
crossed the Highway Bridge. when
Werres refused to drive them any
further.
They are said to have admitted to
the detective that they hit him over
the head with a bottle and rendered
him unconscious, and that when ne
revived. a second blow was struck,
and his body was taken from the ma
chine and dragged about fifty feet
into the woods, where they left it.
The soldiers then proceeded in his
machine and went to Richmond.
The two soldiers were arrested in
Richmond last Saturday for violation
of traffic regulations. Both of them
were in civilians clothes, and, accord
ing to the police. two blood-stained
uniforms were under the rear seat.
The men were then held as deserters
and placed in the guardhOuse at
Camp Lee, Petersburg, Va.
Follo'yiHg their arrest. the auto
nlobiI, I~as identified as belonging to
We Pes. The Virginia authorities
.cc.Jnmunicated with the local police.
strong. with warrants charging them
with grand larceny. left yesterday for
the Virginia camp to investigate the
case.
A close questioning Of the soldiers
resulted in the alleged confession.
Both men talked freely and are said
to have told everything they knew
Of the murder.
Both prisoners will be brought to
Alexandria today.
Up to a late hour last night Werres'
body had not been recovered, al
though several searching parties
were securing the woods In the vicin-
ity where the soldiers say the mur-
der was committed.
wife COlIapses-
When informed Of the murder of her
husband, Mrs. Werres collapsed. and
a physician had to be summoned. Her
condition 10 critical
The two soldiers were Of Company
A, SOlst Engineer Corps. detailed at
Glenburnie, Anne Arundel County,
Md. which is about twenty miles
from Washington.
At the time Of their arrest, two
women were with them. but they were
not detained by the police, and have
disappeared One Is said to live In
a suburb Of Washington.
Maj. Pullman. who was directing the
searching parties. was confident last
night weres' body would be found
before dawn.