Evening star., 1932-02-15
SECOND FIREMAN
IS HELD FOR QUIZ
IN SHIPPING CASES
New Suspect Is Said to Have
Accompanied Gunman
in Bell Shooting.
FIRST MAN ARRESTED
TO BE REQUESTIONED
Bullet Taken From Radio An
nouncer's Room Is Found to Be
Copper-Jacketed Type.

Another former city firemen was being
held by police today for questioning in
connection with the activities OF the
"shoot and run gunman who killed
Paul Riedel and wounded Gordon T.
BackuS. Helen Andrews and Doris Beal
The man under arrest-Ernest Melle,
30. of the 1000 block of Foote street
southeast-iS said to have been with
John c. Price also an ex-treman, When
the latter fired a bullet into the nome
of Stanley Bell, announcer for Radio
Station WMAL.
Price who is 35 and lives at GU
PENNSYLVANIA avenue southeast told
members of the homicide squad he has
no knowledge of the series of mysterious
shootings. but he will be interrogated
again.
Slug Re-Examined.
The decision to requeStion him was
made. according to Inspector Frank 5.
w. Burke chief of detectives, when
second balliStics examination OF the 81
caliber bullet fired into Bells home re-
veaIed the slug was copper Jacketed.
All the bullets used by the shoot
and-run" gunman were copper-JacKeteo
.32s. Inspector Burke pointed out.
Inc slug ldhtIl 1IOIll a "uAA "a H~>i-
second-foor bed room at 1880 Four
teenth street was examined last week
bv Lieut.. John Fowler, police balllstlcS
cyrert. At that time, Fowler declared
the bullet was not copper -jacketed ana
obviously had not been fired from tre
gun used by the shoot -and-run gum
man. oo
II was not until Fowler made sec
ond examination of the bullet that ne
discovered it was copper Jacketeo. II
was of different manufacture from tile
other slugs, however, and ne SAID ne
still did not think it was fired from the
same gun. ,.., e.o,,,
MeiIe like Price, was dismissed from
tho Fire DEPARTMENT. Appointed a nIe-
man December II. 1926, he was ois-
charged for absence without permls-
sion" last May 81.
Dismissed for Tardiness.
Price was dismissed for "tarolhesS am
unfitness" about three months Ia.ei
Fo had been member OF the oepai'-
mert about seven years.
Rolls home is next to that OF fife
cbiof George Watson. The bullet
crashed through a window OF MS SEE
cnd-storv bed room last week.
price arrested on tip snort tiliie
1ater declared he was drunk at the tllne
and could not remember whether ne
fred the shot or not. He named Melle
as his companion, however.
Both Price and Meile will be viewed
bv witnesses in the murder OF Hleoel'
Who was shot more than week ago IN
his bakery at 321512 Mount Pheasant
street, the inspector said
Probe New Shooting.
Meanwhile headquarters detectives
under the direction of Sergt. H. K: WIZ
son chief of the homicide squad, are
investigating a report that .38-cahoef
bullet was fred through a WlnooW OF
the hcrle Ct Otis Scott, l20 Carrol
street southeast. 49, :,
Scott told police he fo;'!d a noe IN
the window when he awoke yesterday
morning. Searching the room, he SAID,
he discovered the slug beneath radl-
ator. He did not hear the shot, ne
added.
Backus and the girls, both OF Wnom
are high school students. were shot TWO
nights before the Riedel Staying.
Backus, 5l-year-old Agriculture Depart
ment forester, lives at 3433 Mount Pleas
ant street. Miss Andrews, who is !8'
resides at 58l1 Sixth street, while MISS
BeaI. who is 16, makes her home at
l4l1 G street southeast.