Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-03
Abandoned Car Is Found.
Witness Tells Police At
tackerS Visited Him.
VICTIM LIES IN COMA
WITH SKULL FRACTURED
Investigators Discover 81 Bill on
Auto Seat-Robbery Be-
ieved Motive.

With Harry Martin Melton, 44-year-
old taxi driver, of the 700 block Of
Tuckerman street still unconscious in
Emergency Hospital, police of Prince
Georges County, Nd, today redoubled
their efforts to apprehend three men
and a woman who are believed to have
been passengers in his cab just before
he was attacked
Melton's skull was fractured in two
places. The assault occurred on lonely
road west of Hyattsville early yester-
day morning.
Tells Vague Story.
Shortly after noon today Melton
showed signs of regaining conscious
ness for the first time since he was
beaten, and Headquarters Detectives
Carlton Talley and c. j. P. Weber hur-
ried to his bedside to question him as
to details of the assault. Melton, how
ever, could give them only disconnected
and inconsistent information.
The detectives were unable to get any
definite lead out of Melton on which
to conduct search for his assailants
because the injured mans brain had
not cleared sufficiently for him to re-
call any details. He told a vague, RAM
bling story in which he contradicted
himself several times and then seemed
to lapse into semi-consciousness again.
had only a fighting chance for recov-
cry.
Melton staggered to the home of VIII
liam s. Stevens, Wine and Rheem ave-
nues, where he sought help. Stevens
hurriedly dressed and drove the man
to the hospital. Melton lapsed into I'M
consciousness on the way, so that po-
lice have no first-hand information as
to now he was attacked.
Abandoned Cab Found.
Sergt H. G. Machen and Constable
Andrew F. Gasch who we're called to
investigate by Justice of Peace Herbert
j. Mo1at, after Stevens had informed
him Of the affair, found the abandoned
taxicab about half a mile west Of the
town limits of Hyattsville.
The police also learned that three
men visited the home of John White,
colored, who lives near the spot where
the taxi was found, and asked for q
man named Vincent Powers, who form
erly lived there.
White told the trio that Powers had
moved away about a year ago. The
colored man told police he watched the
three walk away. A short distance
down the road, he said, he saw them
meet Melton and attack him. White
started to the scene, but by the time he
reached the road Melton had staggered
out of sight and the three men had
vanished.
Police are working on the theory that
robbery was the motive for the attack
A dollar bill was found on the front
seat of the taxicab, while the meter
registered So A piece of bloody lead
pipe was found on the rear seat It is
believed this was the weapon used to
assault Melton.
Flower Pot Discovered.
Fragments of flower pot were also
found in the cab, but these were ex-
planned by Detective Sergt. Carlton
Tally, who learned that Melton had an
swered call in the $500 block of Uni
versity place and taken some passen-
gers who were carrying flowers and
ferns from q birthday party.
Later, Talley says, Melton answered
a call in the 400 block of Chaplin
street. This proved q false call. and
1t Is believed he picked up the passen-
gers who are presumed TO have as
saulted him while returning from this
call.
Melton formerly worked for a local
ice cream company and had been en-
ployed by the taxi company less than
"a hours. He is married and has sew
eral children.
Sheriff Early today assigned County
Ohcers Reese and Brown to assist In
the case. They expected to take Q
suspect into custody this afternoon.