Evening star., 1932-02-05
PATROLS TO HUNT
MYSTERY GUNMEN
IN CAPITAL TONIGHT


Continued From First Page)
Beall II felt a singing sensation in
my leg. and Helen started screaming.
l grabbed her to keep her from falling,
at the same time turning and looking at
the machine. A man sitting beside the
driver was still pointing a gun at Us"
Five Shots Fired
After firing five shots at the girls the
men fed, their automobile roaring as
1t sped away.
The gunplay was seen by Mrs. r.
walking on the other side OF the street.
She said:
Il saw the girls walking along, then
noticed the black sedan, which attract
ed my attention because 1t had no
lights. The automobile slowed down
when 1t got opposite the girls, and then
I heard rapid succession OF shots. The
car sped north on Fifth street and dis
appeared"
somewhat similar statement was
made by Jesse l.. HeustiS, 20 Woodland
avenue, Takoma Park
Il had just stopped my machine on
Fifth street near Aspen" he said, and
my wife and I were getting out to make
a social call, when l heard the shots. /
ran to the scene
Pocketbook Saves Life.
Meanwhile Mrs. Wilson had reached
the girls and found Miss Beall sup
porting Miss Andrews. Heustis placed
both girls in his automobile and took
them to the office of DR.. Arthur Shan
non. ll3 Carroll street, Takoma Park.
The physician found that one OF the
bullets had passed through Miss An
drews arm and lodged in her pocket
book, which was clasped to her breast
at the time Of the shooting. II the
purse had been thinner. it was pointed
out, the slug probably would have en-
tered her heart.
After receiving treatment both girls
we're questioned extensively by Detec-
tive Sergts. E. r Lewis and J. w. Shl-
mon. Neither girl was able to thro" any
light on the mystery.
While in the doctors office Miss
Andrews is said to have remarked to
Miss Beall: Please don't blame this
on me!'
Backus told police he had just round
ed the corner of Newton street and was
walking toward his home when the
black sedan appeared. AS the car passed
him, he said. one shot was hred, ana ne
fell to the sidewalk.
Despite the seriousness OF his wound,
Backus crawled nearly half block TO
the home Of neighbor, Mrs. Helen
Brundage. 1893 Newton street. Mrs.
Brundage notified police and the wound
ed man was rushed to the hospital.
His Son Hears Shot.
His son. Gordon, jr., 16. who was IN
the front room of the Backus home,
heard the shot, but thought 1t was the
backfre of an automobile. Other resi-
dents of the neighborhood also mistook
the report for backfire.
A possible motive for the attack on
Backus was given police by John w.
Mcdonald 34l7 Mount Pleasant street.
Mcdonald. narcotics inspector, ex-
pressed the belief the shot may have
been intended for him because OF his
activity in drug cases.
The gunman may have thought Mr.
Gordon was l." he said.
Clephane. a civil engineer, told police
he had just stopped his car and was
about to get out when man stepped
from behind tree and leveled pistol
at him. The stranger pulled the trig-
ger, CIephane said and he heard
click" but the gun failed to go off.
Hastily throwing his machine into
gear, Clephane added, he drove away.
He was unable to suggest possible
motive for the attempted shooting.
Woman Shot in Wrist.
Less than two hours after BackuS and
the girls had been shot, Henrietta
Lloyd, colored, 4477 c street, was
wounded under similar circumstances.
She was walking on Benning road
near A street southeast, she told police,
when a colored man fired at her from
an automobile The bullet passed
through her left wrist.
Louis Perkins, 4439 A street southeast,
took her to the office Of DR.. w. w. Jones,
400 Fifty-eighth street, where she was
treated and permitted to go home. She
was unable to furnish description Of
either the car or the gunman.
The first three numerals OF the
Maryland license number of the sedan
used by Backus' assailants were turned
over to the police by the wounded man.
The number, beginning with "290,"
was said by police to belong to the
Montgomery County series.
Although two men figured in the
attack on the girls, only one man Is
thought to have figured In the Backus
shooting. Nevertheless. police, working
on the theory both shootings may have
been perpetrated by an escaped luna
tic, began a check-up OF local institu-
tions for the demented. Their object,
they explained, was to learn whether
any mental patients had escaped *
Gently.
Jealousy Probed.
Working on the jealousy theory,
Brown and Shimon, accompanied by
Detective Sergt. John c. Dalglish. went
to Indian Head, Md, early today to
interview a grocery clerk said to have
known Miss Andrews. He succeeded
In convincing the detectives he had no
connection with the case, however.
Mysterious telephone calls were re-
ceived at the homes Of both the girls,
police were told A short time before
the shooting. Miss Andrews mother,
Mrs. D. M. Andrews, received two such
calls. In each instance. she said, a
man whose voice she did not recog-
nize. asked for her daughter. Her
reply. she added. was that the girl
had gone to the library.
This morning man telephoned
Miss Beall's home and offered to
"cIear up the case" If the family were
willing to "pay enough" He gave the
family A name and address, which was
turned over to police, and promised to
call at the Beall home at 14l1 G
street southeast and talk the matter
over" He failed to appear, however.
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