The Washington times., 1920-01-18
Witnesses Disagree in Descrip-
tions of Burglar Who Shot
Policeman.
OFFICER DIED DRAWING GUN
Comrades Think McKimmie's
Weapon Caught In
Holster.

With a meager description as
their only clue, policemen and de-
tectives today are making a city
wide search for the slayer of Po-
liceman Oscar A. McKimmie, of the
Second precinct, who was shot and
almost instantly killed last night
while pursuing a burglar, believed
to have been a negro, at Tenth and
o streets northwest.
Heard Cries for Help.
McKimmie was walking south on
! Tenth street, from o street, just after
o'clock, when he heard cries for
help from the residence of Mrs. Solo
mon Solet, 1916 Tenth street, who had
discovered the burglar in her home
AS McKimmie approached the house.
the burglar ran out. Before the
policeman could draw his revolver,
the burglar had fired two shots.
One of the bullets entered McKim-
mics chott near the heart. and he
fell TO the, ice-covered sidewalk. He
was taken to Garfield Hospital in
passing automobile, where he was
pronounced dead.
, Slayer Makes Escape.
The burglar following the shooting
fed through an alley near Tenth and
n street northwest, and escaped.
A few minutes after the shooting
policemen from the Second precinct
and several headQuarter detectives
were on the scene.
The police learned that Ellis Solet.
twelve years old, met a negro in the
vestibule of his home about q half
hour before the shooting
''Is this 1913 Tenth street," the ne
gro asked when the boy approached.
I Young Solet replied that the ad-
dress Of the hosue was 1916 Tenth
street and the negro replied that hC
was looking for 1913 Tenth street.
Pointed Pistol Mt Woman.
A few minutes before McKimmic
was shot, Mrs. Solct discovered the
intruder in her home. On entering
the front room of her home, Mrs.
Solet discovered several articles of
jewelry were missing. Turning to-
ward the door, Mrs. Solet beheld the
hand of man suddenly thrust
| through the narrow epiLing OF the
door and displaying a pistol.
Rushing to the front window, Mrs.
Solet screamed for help, while the
burglar ran down the steps and out
the front door. 1t was then that NC
Kimmie, who was attracted by Mrs
Solet's screams, started in pursuit
and was shot.
The burglar, according to the de-
scription furnished to the police, Is d.
dark skinned man between twenty
six and twenty-eight years old. He
of medium physique, smooth shaven,
and wore a brown cap and long dark
overcoat. Several witnesses to the
tragedy told the police they were OF
the opinion the slayer was negro.
while others said he probably was an
Italian.
McI<immie on Force Years
McKimmie has been n member of
the Police Department for three years.
The news of his death was kept from
his wife, who Is soon to be mother
, again, and three children. McKim-
mie was twenty-seven years old anG
lived at III Jefferson street, Bright
wood Park.
That the death OF the policema7
possibly was caused by the catching
OF his revolver on his holster, IL
the belief of many OF his fellow o.
ficers. An examination of the bod.
at Garfield Hospital disclosed that
McKimmie had removed his glove
from his right hand in preparation
for drawing his revolver. When
picked up to be taken to the hospi-
tai his right hand grasped the wes-
pom, which was half drawn from its
holster.