Evening star., 1928-12-04
FIVE YOUTHS HELD
IN B|TNER'S DEATH
One of Suspects Declares
He Killed Garage Man
Accidentally.

Five young colored men were held
for the grand jury this afternoon at
an inquest into the death of Philbert
H. Bitner, 90 years old, of 817 Sheridan
street. who was shot down Thanksgiv-
ing night, shortly before midnight, at
the Lord Baltimore gasoline filling sta
ton, at Sixth street and Rhode Island
avenue, of which he was the manager.
Those held by a coroner's jury were
James Elmer Crawford, II years old
932 Florida avenue, who confessed in
a written statement read at the inquest
to have fired the fatal shot: Carl Terry,
% years old, and Milton Edward Terry,
18 years old, brothers, both of 635 T
street; Benjamin A. BranSon, 26 years
old, 209 Florida avenue, and Fletcher
Mckinley of 1918 Ninth street, who was
taken into custody by police last night.
Written statements by Milton and
Carl Terry were also read to the jury.
Milton Terry denied being at the gaSo-
line station when the shooting occurred,
and the testimony of the others cor
roborated him in this.
Caught In Repair Shop. fa.
Mckinley was said by police to have
been given the gun that fired the shot
killing Bitner. He was arrested last
night at an automobile repair shop in
Georgetown by Policeman j. E. Burke
Of the seventh precinct.
Branson was unable to be present
Sunday night he is said to have at
tempted suicide in his cell at the tenth
precinct station house by diving from
his cot to the cement floor. He is now
in Gallinger Hospital recovering from a
spraiued neck vertebra. The story of
what occurred as related by Crawford
and Carl Terry follows:
Crawford, the two Terrys and Bran
son took an automobile belonging to
northeast, from Thirteenth and U
streets, where it was parked, and went
riding. They had been drinking and
Milton Terry became sick. He was
taken home and left there.
Claims Accident.
Near the filling station their gasoline
supply was found to be low. BranSon
gave Crawford five-dollar bill as they
drove into the station and told him to
get some gasoline. Crawford and a
companion got out of the car Craw-
ford says the man with him became
unruly and he pulled out a gun to
frighten him. He says the gun acci-
dentally went off, one of the bullets
striking Bitner in the back and passing
through his body.
The other bullet was later found by
police lodged in the wall of the filling
station Office. The bullet which struck
Bitner was discovered lying on the floor
William I. Street, an accountant liv-
ing at the Embassy apartment, who
was passing at the time, told of seeing
the shooting. He said he saw the two
shots fired and then two men run out
OF the Office and jump on the running
board of the car.
He also declared that the engine of
the car was running while the two men
were in the Office. Particular stress
was laid upon this last bit of testimony
by Assistant United States Attorney
Neil Burkinshaw, who apparently in
tended to attempt to show that a rob-
berry had been planned and the car
made ready for quick getaway.
Three Others Still Held.
Three other men arrested by the
homicide squad under Lieut.. Edward j.
ing to pay the manager of a Mount
Rainier, Md. filling station for the use
of a jack, are still being held, but no
effort was made to connect them with
the shooting
Detective Sergt John Flaherty told
the jury that the two Terrys and Craw-
ford have been positively identified by
Julius Goode, tailor at PSI Florida ave-
nue.. and his assistant. Walter Fields, as
three of the men who held up the tailor
shop Wednesday night and got away
with $500.
They have not yet confronted Bran
son, but as soon as his condition per-
mitS he will be brought before them in
an effort to prove that he also was one
of the bandits.