Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-19
SEARCH FOR BAKER!
DEATH GUN GOES ON
Soldier Suspect Undergoes
Mental Test by Board of
Army Officers.

lCon0nued From first PaEel
him, claims that on the night Of April
heard three shots fired at brief inter.
walls. They sounded as though each
successive shot was closer than the
f1rst, indicating that they were fred In
an automobile that was approaching.
She was In bed at the time, but got
up and looked down the driveway lead
ing to the main road and saw an au-
tomobile passing at rapid rate of
speed. A short time later she heard.
the squeak of brakes and a woman
alone!"
The last shot that she heard fired,
Mrs. Davis declared, would have been
about opposite the northeast corner of
Merrell's property. She also claims
that the squeaking Of the brakes
would have indicated that tie auto
mobile was coming to q stop at about
the culvert where Miss Bakers body
was found.
Merrell says that Mrs. Davis has
always insisted on this version Of the
case, but that he has until this time
treated 1t lightly, believing the sounds
she heard to have been the back firing
Of an automobile rather than pistol
shots.
II any action is taken against Brew
ster:, washington police authorities said,
it would have to be done by Arlington
County officials. According to the SOL
dier's statements, 1t was pointed out,
Miss Baker met her death on the dirt
portion Of the cemetery road, which Is
under the Jurisdiction Of Arlington
County.
Some Elements of Fact.
The Washington police frankly admit
that they believe Brewster fabricated
the story Of his connection with the
crime, although 1t has some elements of
realistic fact. Maj. Henry G. Pratt, su-
perintendent Of police, pointed out that
everything the soldier has told thus far
he could have learned from newspaper
accounts or by having talked with some
one who was familiar with the details
OF the crime.
The confession Of Brewster. which
renewed public interest in the Staying
OF Miss Baker, again attracted scores
OF amateur sleuths to the culvert near
the Sheridan gate Of Arlington Gene
terry, ana as result the Detective
Bureau received this morning q half
a dozen more handkerchiefs which the
private investigators said they found
yesterday in the vicinity Of the cemc-
terry wall and the Arlington expert
mental farm Of the Department Of
Agriculture. Inspector Shelby added
these handkerchiefs to q collection
which came into his possession after
the finding OF Miss Bakers body, none
OF which, however, produced o clue for
the authorities.
Breaks Down and Weeps.
Many Of the details of the tragedy
hitherto unpublished and known only
TO the authorities have been recounted
BY Brewster during his ramblings, one
investigator declared today. These
facts have been volunteered by the
prisoner during lucid intervals In what
have been termed his flights Of fancy"
After his first confession" Of the
murder, 1t was learned today, Brewster
broke down and wept and professed his
sorrow at having brought disgrace on
his outfit" At the height Of this dis
play Of emotion he is said to have told
his COMMANDING offcer he could see no
prospect but the electric chair. He
begged the officer to stand by him."
Yesterday, however, he told the sentry
on duty outside his room that "they
haven't anything on me" and inquired
where he could get bis gray suit dyed.
While admitting having gun, which
he avows he bought In Georgetown. he
insists he did not shoot Mary Baker.
Brewster was shown .32-caliber auto.
matte and he took it and showed fa-
miliarity with this type Of firearm. He
Is said to have remarked 1t was like the
gun he had on the afternoon Of April
II.
Describes Clerks Coat.
Asked to describe Miss Bakers coat,
Brewster readily said 1t had fur collar
and cuffs. He said he threw the clothes
away In bundle.
The woman's body was bleeding from
wounds in the neck and side, the soldier
asserted, but he "could not remember"
how the wounds were inflicted. He said
he lifted tn body out Of the car and
declaration that the body landed with
the face up, Brewster is said to have
later explained he saw g newspaper pic
ture Of the body lying that way. When
found, however, the body lay face down.
ward in the stream.
1t has been ascertained that Brew
ster exhibited string Of white beads
at the barracks prior to April II, say
ing he obtained the beads from candy
girl at burlesQue theater. A string
Of white beads was found with articles
Of Miss Bakers clothing in man
hole not far from the scene OF the
crime.
How Brewster, II innocent. was able
to pick the exact spot in Potomac Park
habit Of pairing her car, and the
precise spot on the cemetery road
where her car was found abandoned
after the tragedy, ia puzzling ofncia1.
The soldier took one Of the invests
gators to the latter place without hest.
tation, turned toward Fort Myer. turned
back toward the Mount Vernon ROAD
and led the agent to the nee
pond on the experimental farm. Be-
fore reaching the pond Brewster de.
scribed . little path" leading to 1t ana
declared he followed the path that
night" and washed his hands In the
water. He said he nearly fell into
the pond while leaning over It.
Familiar with Roads.
Brewster says he worked IS O section
hand on either the Rock Island or New
York Central Railroad prior to his last
enlistment In the Army. He II not sure
which road employed him. A former
co-laborer on the railroad, he added,
told him after the murder where the
Baker girl parked her car In Potomac
Park.
The private has been detailed fire.
quently to ride horses from the COM
pany stables to Fort Myer for an Army
major, and Is familiar with the roads
in the vicinity Of the fort and the
cemetery. 1t Is declared he has ridden
through the Sheridan gate to the fort
on numerous occasions.
It was while taking some horses 10
Fort Myer one day after the murder,
Brewster claimed in regulating his
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