Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-22
BREWSTER SANITY
TEST CONCLUDED
BY ARMY DOCTORS
Soldier, Suspect in Baker
Murder, Is Still Under
Observation.
INVESTIGATORS REPORT
FINDING new CLUES
Private and Slain Girl Attended
Same Dance, Officer Tells
Probers.

With the sanity test of Harold L.
Brewster, Army private, who has alter
nately confessed and denied the killing
last month of Mary Baker, completed,
probers attempting to link the soldier
with the staying today had developed
other additional facts.
First Of these was that Brewster, a
member of the Headquarters Company,
District Of Washington, had attended a
dance, given by the company, at which
Miss Baker was present. The second,
that Brewster, who in his confession"
told of getting mud on his shoes near
the scene where the girls body was
found, showed up at his headquarters
about q month ago with muddy boots.
Finally, that Brewster was in the habit
Of accosting women and waiting In the
neighborhood of Seventeenth and B
streets at the time that corner Is
crowded at 4:30 o'clock in the afternoon
with Government employees released
from their daily tasks.
Was Seen ut Dance.
Mary Baker, whose bullet-riddled
body was found In stream running
through o culvert at Arlington Gene
terry on the morning of April IL, at
tended a dance given by the Nom Com
missioned Off1cers' Club early In the
Spring with Miss Olga Skinner, who
lived with Miss Baker.
Brewster today denied attending the
dance, answering questions in the suriy
manner which has characterized his
attitude for the last three days.
nfa nf he
who attended the dance and who knew
him during the dance and asked IL he
knew any girls with whom he could
<annre. This officer said he did not
know any girls, and Brewster, as far
as the officer knows, did not meet Miss
Baker there.
at the company barber shop, It was
said, Brewster brought his shoes to the
bootblack about FIVE weeks ago to have
them cleaned. The shoes were covered
with mud, it was said.
In q recapitulation of nir actions on
the night Of the crime and his original
"confeSsion, which he has since de-
MED, Brewster told his commanding
officer that when he washed his hands
In Rice Pond after the killing his feet
slipped In the mud and he nearly fell
into the water.
Brewster confessed" to the crime
more than q week ago while being
grilled by his company commander on
another matter, but several hours later,
while being put through recapitula-
ton OF the crime in Arlington County,
Evpudiated his original confession. Two
days after his reputation he added
additional details Of the crime and
talked freely of his actions, but since
has become SurIy. He alternately tells
OF tho details Of the murder and then
denies knowledge Of it.
Doctors Conclude Test.
Brewster is known to have been seen
waiting near the Navy Building at
about 4:30 o'cloc on several afternoons,
and carefully checked accounts Of his
habits have convinced investigators
that for weeks he had been in the
habit OF waiting near the miniature
golf course at Seventeenth and B
streets holding women's coats. His
story OF an inning of an amateur base
ball game on the afternoon of April IL
at Seventeenth and B streets when Miss
Baker last was seen has been checked
and found true in every particular.
On one occasion Brewster kept. a
basket ball score of game in which
the Headquarters Company team
played. and made so many mistakes in
the score that his side lost the game
because OF his errors. That he cannot
read story so as to make sense has
who have examined him.
Army doctors who put Brewster
through mental test concluded their
examination yesterday. They will
keep him under observation for several
days.