Evening star., 1932-02-13
KIDNAPPING REPORT
|SPURS SSN|PER HUNT;
| NEW SUSPECT HELD
Man OverpoWered and Taken
Away in Big Black Sedan,
Police Told.
lSHELL-SHOCKED VETERAN
is PUT UNDER ARREST
Said to Have Been in Cab From
Which Shot Was Fired Into
Bells Bed Room.

A report that a man was abducted
by two men in a large black sedan last
night was being investigated by head
quarters detectives today on the theory
the kidnapping may have been the work
Of the mystery gunman who has killed
one man and wounded three other per-
sons during the past nine days.
Shortly after the inquiry into the
abduction got under way. police an
nounced the arrest of new suspect
a former fireman whom they described
as a shell-shocked World War veteran.
The arrest was made a little before
5 O'Clock today by Traffic Policeman j.
E. Bennett, acting on tip that the
former fireman was in the taxicab from
which a bullet was fired into the bed
room of radio announcer early yes
terday.
Saw Three in Struggle.
The kidnapping was reported to second
precinct police by Charles B. Alstock,
1927 l. street. He said he and M. r.
Smith. also of the L street address, saw
two men tussling with another man in
an alley near his home about O'Clock
last night.
lie pair luldlll SuCCccucO LII OfCI~
powering the other man, however, AL
stock said. Then, he added, they
threw him into big black sedan"
and sped through the alley, disappear
ing around the corner of Massachusetts
avenue. Neither Alstock nor Smith was
able to give police descriptions Of the
men, and they also failed to notice the
license number of the automobile.
The former fireman, according to
I . Ill f-.- -
whereabouts at the time the shot was
fired into the home of the radio an
nouncer, Stanley Bell, 1890 Fourteenth
| street.
Booked for Investigation.
After being questioned by Bennett,
! the new suspect, who was dismissed
| from the Fire Departn ent last August
| IA, was locked up at the sixth precinct
| police station.
| He was booked for investigation,
| pending the outcome of a search for
! two other men also wanted for interro-
| cation in connection with the series of
| shootingS. A city-Wide search for the
/ others was begun Immediately by Ben
nett and Detective Sergt. Ben Kuehl-
! ing.
! The former fireman, according to
( Bennett. has been subject TO irrational
/ spells since his service in France our
ing the war Prior to his dismissal he
had been a member of the Tire De-
partment for about seven years.
viii Be Questioned.
He will be taken to headquarters TOR
! questioning by Detective Sergt. Il K.
Wilson, chief OF the homicide qu1d.
He also is expected to be Sc 'l,1i--lzed
b. witnesses N the murder Oh Iaul
Plcdel 45-year-old baker
Riedel was shot to death last Satur-
day night in his bakery a. 32l5i2
Mount Pleasant stree. TIE other VIC
tins of the mystery gunman "-GorGon
; T. Backus. 81, Of 1922 Mount Pleasant
street; Helen Andrews. IS. 58ll Sixth
street. ana Doris Beall, is, of l411 @
| street Southeast-were wounded TWO
nights previously.
Efforts have been made to link several
other recent shootings with those in
which the Mystery gunman' is known
to have figured. but police have failed
to uncover any evidence along that
line.