Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-17
Brewster's Palm Prints Fail
to Match Those on Slain
Girls Auto, Police Chief
Announces.
AGENTS NOW CENTERING
EFFORTS ON FINDING GUN
Private Says He Admitted Crime
Because He Was Excited and Did
Not Realize Seriousness of Act.
Had Followed Story of Staying
in Newspapers.

The confession of Harold L.
Brewster, Army private, to the
Staying of Mary Baker, whose body
was found just outside the walls
of Arlington Cemetery on April IL,
was repudiated early this morn
ing, following a tour of Brewster
with police and Department of
Justice agents over the entire
route believed to have been taken
by the murderer on the night of
the Staying.
News of the reputation was
followed by the announcement by
Maj. Henry G. Pratt, superintend-
ent of police, that shoe prints
found on the murder car did not
match those of Brewster. The SOL
dier was still in the custody of the
military authorities today, while
the Justice agents concentrated
their efforts on. locating the gun
used in the crime. They obtained
permission from Arlington County
property owners to clear the un-
derbrush from the area where the
murder is believed to have taken
place.
Brewster, after they had reached
Rice Pond on the Government ex-
perimental farm, where he had at
first claimed to have washed the
blood from his hands, turned to
Commemorative Attorney Will
liam c. Cloth of Arlington, County
and stated that he desired to get
away from the crowd" and talk
with the prosecutor and Lieut.. Ed
ward J. Kelly, chief of the Wash
ington homicide squad. Humoring
him, Cloth said, the three stepped
aside and Brewster then declared
that "the whole thing is lie"
Followed Case in Papers.
When questioned as to his reasons
for confessing to the murder, Brewster
is said to have told Cloth that he had
followed the case very carefully in the
newspapers, had been over the ground
a number of times and then, when his
superiors started questioning him, he
became excited and confessed before he
realized the seriousness of this act.
After the confession, he became con-
WINGED that a reputation would not be
believed, and he stuck to his original
story until 1t appeared that the thing
had gone little too far and then
decided to tell the truth about it.
Throughout the tour of the murder
route Cloth claims that Brewster stuck
to his original story, but seemed in an
irresponsible mood and was laughing
part of the time. At one point Cloth
any remorse, and the latter laughed
and replied that he had not.
What do you think is going to hap
jen to you?" Cloth asked him another
time, and Brewster replied, "Oh, either
they will hang me or put me in the
electric chair" He said this also in
. joking way, Cloth said.
Believes Soldiers Denial.
Accompanying Cloth and Kelly last
night were Maj Henry G. Pratt, super
intendent of the Washington police;
Inspector William S. Shelby, chief of
the Detective Bureau; Detective John
Fowler of the homicide squad; Sheriff
Howard B. Fields of Arlington County
and five Department Of Justice agents.
Cloth claims that Brewster appears
TO him to be unbalanced, and he be-
lieves the soldier told the truth when
ne finally denied committing the crime.
The mans superiors. however, are said
to have told Cloth that Brewster never
acted this way until recently.
Cloth was also told that Brewster
made a practice of hanging around
q miniature golf course in Potomac Park
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