Evening star., 1936-03-16
SLAYER OF CHEF
UNREPENTANT IN
EXPLAINING SHOTS
'Virginian, 20, Is Not Sorry
He Critically Wounded
Wife'S Employer.
CONFESSES INTENTION
TO TAKE SP0USE'S LIFE
Youth Regrets He Could Not
Have Found Her in Room and
Slain Her Quietly.

NervouSly twisting immature
prayer book, William H. Mcnamara.
20, sat in the first precinct police sta
ton today and admittedly unrepent-
ant, explained how the bullets in
tended for his estranged wife had gone
wild, killed an innocent bystander and
critically wounded the girls employer
Saturday night in the Liberty Cafe,
604 K street.
His only regret, he declared in a
voice tense with emotion, was that
he had killed John Mikedis. 54, chef
at the cafe, instead of the proprietor,
Samuel Ally, Al, as long as the bullets
had failed to reach their intended
mark-pretty, brunette Ruth NC
Namara, 81, from whom he had been
estranged for the last two years.
While her husband, from whom she
was seeking a divorce after their two
year separation, was in cell, Mrs.
McNamara returned to her room on
the third floor of an apartment at
1418 N street to recover from the et-
fects Of the events of two nights ago.
She was only about feet from her
husband when he began firing.
Insanely Jealous, Says Wife.
"Why should he want to kill me or
anybody" she asked. All he's done
is to kill one man he never even saw
before, and perhaps fatally wound Mr.
Ally, who knew nothing about the
whole affair. Everything's mess.
II did love him, and although he
was insanely Jealous and made life
miserable for me much of the time,
we got along for two years. Then he
left me. ! spoke to him several times
about living together again, and as
late as last August wrote to him, but
he always refused. So last Wednes-
day I went to Petersburg to see about
O divorce.
when I talked to him then about
a divorce he suddenly changed his
mind, but I told him it. was no use
and came back to Washington When
he pulled out the revolver and told
everybody to hold up their hands I
ran. I don't know what happened
after that. oh, it's terrible"
Acknowledges Purpose.
The youthful husband, son Of a
former Petersburg policeman, review
ing the events of Saturday night,
readily acknowledged his purpose in
coming to Washington and going to
meet his wife at the cafe was ito
shoot her and then myself"
'I didn't tell her I had gun or
threaten her." he explained, opening
and closing the prayer book nervous
ly. II wanted her to come back to
me willingly If she would. If she
wouldn't, was determined to kill her
and then myself. If could only have
found her at her room and talked
with her, I'm sure we could have
made up again. At least I could have
shot her quietly, and there wouldn't
have been anything like what actually
happened.
IT should have killed her Wednes-
day when she came to Petersburg to
see about the divorce, but I didn't
Then tried to get her to come back
and called her on the long distance
telephone, telling her the case had
been set for Saturday morning. She
called her lawyer and found I was
lying, so she didn't come. I hitch
hiked up here Saturday. I got the
gun in Petersburg before I left.
Felt Effects Of Beer.
ct went to the cafe Just before 6
O'Clock and got her to 60 for a walk.
We sat in Ally's car for a while, then
went to restaurant and got a glass
Of beer while we talked, and she
paid for 1t. hadn't had anything
to eat since that morning, and I could
feel the effect of the beer little.
After I took her back to the cafe I
got q couple more glasses of beer
to quiet my nerves. When I went
back to the cafe later, just wanted
to wait for her, but when that fellow
side couldn't stand it. I pulled my
gun and started firing. fired three
or four shots, I guess.
Say, how's that guy getting
along?"
Told Ally was still alive. but in a
critical condition in Emergency Hos
pital, he shook his head regretfully.
I'm sorry about the other fellow.
the chef. hardly even saw him, and
wouldn't recognize him If I were
Bhown his body. But I'm not sorry
about Ally"
His tall, slender frame was shaking
visibly.
I'm sorry for my mothers sake,
too. When you write about it in the
paper, don't make me out q criminal,
because I'm not.