The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1929-03-21

Confusion, vagary and sui
len silence today were thwart-
ing efforts of police to obtain
an explanation Of the shooting
affray at the Green Gables
r GA d house early yesterday
morning which sent two men
to the hospital.
Stoically adhering to the code of
don't snitch," the two men in
Emergency Hospital refused to give
the authorities any information,
while others who are known to have
been involved in the battle told
confused and vague stories Of their
participation.
Wounded to Recover
The two wounded men, Charles
Wesley Poutra, So, of the 1900
block of S st. N. W., and Joe
Houser, 80, will probably recover,
according to physicians.
eff I'm going to die, alright,
but I've got nothing to say" Poutra
declared while lying on what might
have been his death bed.
Thoughts of the authorities.
familiar with the workings of the
circle in which those involved in the
affair move. today shifted from the
earlier theory that the shooting was
done by a crowd of gangsters from
Philadelphia. The authorities were
also inclined to doubt the story that
jealousy over a red-haired girl in.
spired the row.
Working ON clues found at the
roadhouse after the affair, Prince
Georges County Policeman F. P
Prince has come to the conclusion
that a girl named Ruth Bradley,
| living in the same apartment house
| in the 1900 block of S st. N. W.,
as Louis F. Behrens, alias John
Bunny was at the roadhouse. In
quiry at the apartment house this
morning brought information that
| no one Of that name lives there.
Bunny's Wife Knows Girl
Bunny, who was badly beaten up
in the fight. and is out on bond
as a witness, said today that he
didn't know Ruth Bradley. Bunny's
wife, who has red hair. said that
she knew the Bradley girl slightly,
and that she didn't know where she
| lived.
! Bunny has told different stories
| of the affair to local police and to
Prince Georges county authorities.
| This morning he admitted that sew
eral statements in his story to the
county. people were in error, but
said "1'll clear it all up some time"
According to Bunny's story to +,
Frank Parran, States attorney of
the county, he and Poutra went out
| looking for excitement" early yes.
terday. Whether they found ex-
element can be judged by the fact
that Bunny returned from Green
Gables with cracked head. and
Poutra with bullet wounds.
No Fight Over Girl
Bunny told Parran that he
danced with several girls at the
roadhouse. Today he said he
didn't dance at ALL and that there
had been no fight over a girl, as
| he had previously told both Parran
and local detectives.
Several of those who were at the
| roadhouse at the time of the fight,
are known to have been interested
| in the liquor racket. Investi-
gators are inclined to believe now
that the fight may have resulted
from business difference.
The rapidly with which several
of those involved can change their
Thames is another matter which is
adding to the confusion of investi.
gators. One woman mentioned in
the case has had three and possibly
| four different names assigned to her
since the inquiry started. Always,
however, she has been described as
having red hair, but whenever a
woman admitting one of these
names has been found, she has
been either a blonde or brunette,
Houser, one Of the wounded men,
according to the police, is under
| stood to have come here recently
either from Philadelphia OF Camden,
N. J. An automobile bearing Penn
sylvania tags, is known to have sped
from the scene of the shooting dur.
| ing the excitement. What connec.
! ton the Pennsylvania car may have
with Houser's former residence is
another matter which is being
| probed.
Should Hpuser and Poutra re.
cover, it was stated this morning,
they will be held as witnesses for
the Maryland authorities.
/