Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-19
Arlington County Police Cut
ting Weeds and Underbrush
Near. CuIvert In Hunt for
Missing Weapon.
ACTION HELD UP PENDING
EXAMINATIONS OUTCOME
Investigation Continues in Quest
Of Evidence to Corroborate State
ments Made by Pvt. Harold 7.
Brewster, Suspected Of Staying
Girl Navy Clerk.

An intensive search for the gun
used in the Staying of Mary Baker
was renewed today by Arlington
County officials and Washington
police as Harold T. Brewster, the
soldier who last week admitted
that he killed the girl, later re-
pudiated the statement and again
reofflrmed it in part, was being
subjected to a psychological ex-
animation at Walter Reed Hos
pital.
Early this morning Arlington
County police under the direction
Of Sheriff Howard B. Fields be-
gan cutting down the heavy I'M
derbrush and high weeds along
the Cemetery road in the vicinity
of the culvert where Miss Bakers
body was found, hoping that 1t
would yield the long sought
weapon. Brewster, in his signed
confession said he threw a gun
away not far from the culvert
after he had disposed Of the body,
although he steadfastly denies
that he fired the shots which
killed the woman.
In the meantime, Inspector William
q. Shelby, chief of the Washington de-
tectiye bureau, detailed several MEM
bers of the homicide squad to try and
locate 10 persons who sold 80 CALDER
reyoivers to different secondhand stores
Ia the District since April IL, the date
of Miss Bakers murder. These wea-
mons have been turned over to the de-
fe-+ive bureau by the secondhand
stores, hut the detectives have little
hope that they will yield q clue. They
cannot conceive that the man who
murdered Miss Baker would have been
bold enough to sell the gun in Wash
angton, knowing that the authorities
were exhausting every resource to 10
cate the murder weapon.
Brewster was taken to Walter Reed
Hospital for examination by q board OF
Army psychaitrists after repeated ques-
ttoning convinced the INVESTIGATORS that
he showed signs Of q mental abnormal.
ity. The soldier has puzzled the au-
thorities by his alternate admissions
and denials which become more in
volved with every interrogation. Later
he was returned to the barracks at
Eighteenth and B streets.
Seek Further Evidence.
Further action with respect TO
Brewster, Il was announced, viii await
the outcome Of the sanity examination.
Even then, 1t was said, 1t Is unlikely
that any charge will be placed against
the soldier unless some evidence is de-
veloped to corroborate statements he
has made to the investigators.
For this reason the quest for the gun
was undertaken with renewed impetus.
The weapon Is looked upon now as the
most Important key 70 the solution of
the crime. The investigators point out
that 1t would be q simple process to
check the bullets fred from q gun with
the two removed from Miss Bakers
body. Neither would it be very diff
cult, it was said, to trace the owner
Of the weapon.
Meanwhile o new version OF the
shooting was related by w. A. Merrell
who lives Just of the ''oil plant" road
and directly opposite the point 81
which Arlington County employees and
Department Of Justice agents are con.
Quoting a search for the gun.
Merrell says that his daughter-in-law
Mrs. Mabelle Davis, who resides with
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