Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-25
SOLDIER DILEMMA
IN MURDER CASE AS
PROBE CONTINUES
Harold Brewster Can Neither
Be AbsoIved Nor Accused
in Baker Death.
TWO POINTS STAND OUT
AS INVOLVING SUSPECT
Search for Revolver Goes on in
Effort to Clear up Staying
Mystery.

Harold L. Brewster can neither De
absolved nor directly linked with the
staying of Miss Mary Baker, investi-
gators admitted last night following q
seven-hour grilling. Brewster. an Army
private, has alternately confessed ana no
denied he killed the 28-year-old Navy
Department clerk.
brewster, who first told authorities
that he knocked the woman unconscious
and drove her to deserted section OF
Military road, revealed at the cross
examination that he does not recall
whether he drove on with the woman or
not.
Investigators, who early in the probe
cast Brewster aside as q suspect, last
night declared they thought he had
some connection with the killing and
said they had no intention Of slacken-
ing their investigation into the soldiers
conflicting stories.
Not Enough Evidence.
There are two points in Brewster's
varied stories that convince authorities
he knows something or took part in the
crime. However, police said they have
not sufficient evidence to obtain muir
der warrant.
The first point is he unhesitatingly
took the detectives to the exact spot
where Miss Bakers car was parked on
the afternoon prior to the killing and
where he admits meeting her.
The second is that several soldier
friends of the suspect tell convincing
stories to investigators that they saw
Brewster at a dance held at the bar
racks of the headquarters company
when Miss Baker was in attendance.
The soldiers say they saw Brewster
dance with several young women at
the dance. but say they did not see
him dance with the slain girl.
Brewster was confronted yesterday
by a fellow soldier who, police say. had
observed the suspect on several &C.
one in front of the Navy Department
Building, where the Baker girl was
employed.
The authorities would not reveal what
occurred when the soldier confronted
Brewster but indicated that the soldier
said he witnessed the suspect In the act
Of forcing his attentions on women In
the vicinity of Seventeenth and q
streets where Miss Baker was last seen
alive. On this point Investigators re-
fused to elaborate.
Tells Story Again.
Grilled by Lieut.. Edward Kelly. chief
of the homicide squad, and his first as
sistant. Detective Sergt: John F1aherty
along with William C. Cloth, Arlington
county investigator, and several Depart
ment Of Justice agents, Brewster was
made to 60 through his entire story Of
the crime.
At the end Of the cross-examination
yesterday Lieut.. Kelly said the suspect
continued his declaration that he fought
with the young woman at Seventeenth
and B streets but Is steadfast In his de-
malls that he committed the actual
killing.
The white beads which Pvt. Owen
Sterner of the headquarters barracks
told police Brewster showed him around
the time of the Staying have not yet
been found. Investigators attach little
significance to Owens information
saying the only beads that figured in
the investigation were blue in color.
Following the quizzing OF bootblack
purported to have said he washed blood
from the shoes of Brewster near the
time of the killing, authorities an
nounced there was no foundation to the
report.
Army officers said yesterday that
Brewster would probably be taken to
Walter Reed Hospital tomorrow to I'M
dergo q psychiatric examination. The
report Of the Army Medical Board,
which gave Brewster sanity hearing
last week, has not yet been made.
Identifies Coat.
Another point which strengthens the
suspicious Of detectives that Brewster
Is in some way connected with the
Staying Is that he voluntarily pointed
out the coat Miss Baker wore on the
! night he says he encountered her when
he was shown a picture Of Miss Baker
and q roommate.
The only logical means Of connect
| ing Brewster with the crime, investiga-
| tors says, Is to find the murder gun.
They continued their search for the gun
| last night.
Although police attach little cred
ence to reports that Herman Barrere,
! World War veteran, wanted for ques-
| tioning In the murder, Is logical sus-
pect, they are continuing their search
| for him.
Police are somewhat puzzled as to
who sent q telegram warning Barrere
at Philadelphia when they were just
about to take him into custody. 1t
! was indicated by one investigator that
1t would not be long before he would
question Barrere.