The Washington times., 1935-12-12
GIRL, II, MAN
. FOUND SHOT
IN THICKET
Revolver by Skeleton
Indicates Murder,
Suicide, Police Say

NCI1oC GIllChcG IlSdI llCAC' GONoJ
gave mute evidence of thwarted
love affair between a high school
girl and a youthful mill hand. A
suicide pact is believed to have
been the death route.
The tattered skeletons were
identified as the remains of
Gladys Hicks. II. and Walter
Hutchinson, 25, who disappeared
from their homes here September
8, on what relatives then believed
to be an elopement.
Shell Near Body
Two empty shells in a rusted
80 caliber revolver discovered
near the bones convinced Orange
Town Police Sergeant Fred M.
Graves, that one of the two
elopers had taken the others life
and then turned the gun for a
self.inflicted death. Each skull
had been pierced by a single
bullet.
There is no doubt in mind"
Sergeant Graves declared, but
that it's an open-and-shut case of
q suicide pact"
Weight was given the Graves
conclusion by statements from
James Hutchinson, 17-year-old
brother of the dead youth.
James told police that on the
afternoon of Sunday, September 8,
the day the couple disappeared,
Walter visited an older brother
George, who is married and lives
outside the town proper.
Death Threatened
walter told George that If he
couldn't have Gladys there wasn't
much use in sticking it out"
James said.
According to James. Walter de,
clared,
I'm going to kill myself and
you won't see me alive again"
When George discounted Wal
ter's assertions, James said Wal
ter warned George, I'll do it
where you'll never find me-"
James identified both heaps of
bones as the skeletons Of Walter
and Gladys. A gold tooth, James
recognized as his brothers. Pic
lures in the pockets of Walters
brown suit jacket, hanging from
a nearby tree added to the GER
tainty. A wallet, containing Wal
ter auto license and other papers
furnished additional evidence.
Tentative identification of Gladys
by dress buttons which James rec
ognized, was confirmed by Briant
Hicks, a brother of the dead girl,
A well-worn paper, folded in the
wallet, bore two scribbled verses
of Careless Love-" a song popu,
lar two years ago.
Hunt for Auto
Descriptions of Walter as "de,
spondent" before his disappear,
ance were given by neighbors anc
relatives of the dead youth.
Two pictures of his cousin, Vir
ginia Cox, of Orange, were founc
in his wallet.
The car in which the couple
apparently had reached the lone
ly spot was found today in a
dense woods about half a mile
from where the bodies were
found yesterday by Harry Binns
a trapper. 1t had evidently beer
driven to the spot through q
narrow woods road and then
over into the brush off the
road.
State Officer Herman L. Du
laney discovered the car.
DR.. Lewis Holiday, Orange
town coroner, is expected to re
turn from a medical conference
in Richmond late today to view
the bodies. Meanwhile they re
posed in the Freddy funeral
rooms.
Alternate Theory
An alternative theory of "mur
der and suicide" was suggested by
Commonwealth's Attorney A. Stu
art Robertson, Of Orange.
Gladys had completed her third
year in Madison High, Madison
Va, dozen miles from Orange
She had planned to finish hel
course there this year. She came
to Orange last March from Radi
ant, Madison county, Va, wher'
she had been working as clerk
at her grandfather gas station
and general store.
According to Lee Davis, the
grandfather, Walter met her when
he came to buy groceries.
Aubrey Hicks, father of Gladys
arrived at Orange today from his
home at York, Pa, where he is
employed as a laborer. Mrs
Hicks, mother Of Gladys, died
when she was a child.
I'm collecting all available
evidence on the case, and to me
it looks like murder and suicide
If not a suicide pact" he declared
Testimony of Mr.. and Mrs. Lee
Davis, grandparents with whom
Gladys and her brother Briant
made their home, indicated that
Gladys had left willingly.
"JuSt about midnight Sunday
night" Mr.. Davis said, my wife
heard a window being opened. We
thought it was Gladys letting in
more air. In the morning we
found she had gone"
The following day, Davis de