Evening star., 1937-06-21


torious "Blackface gang" was
shot to death by Baltimore
police yesterday, Walter Forbush, a.
today faced prosecution for a series
of Washington robberies that may
send him to the Governments escape
proof Alcatraz Island prison.
Martin J. Walsh. 35, who escaped
with Forbush April % from the
Lorton Reformatory, where they were
serving six-year terms for robbery.
was killed as he resisted arrest at
a Baltimore parking lot, where police
had set trap for the fugitiyes.
Forbush took to his heels during
the shooting, dropping pistol in his
flight, but was captured after a five
block chase.
Police said Forbush admitted that
he and Walsh robbed the Little Tav-
ern, 1928 Connecticut avenue, early
yesterday. Immediately after that
hold-up the bandit pair sped to Bal
timore In an automobile stolen from
Senator Pat Harrison on June 10.
Last OF bl2CKIace Tang.
Detective Capt Ira E. Keck said the
two men were definitely connected
with at least five other robberies of
liquor stores and lunch rooms since
their escape from Lorton. He indi-
Gated Forbush would be prosecuted
separately on the six charges-possi-
bly, more-Which would make pos
sible maximum sentence of from is
to 30 years.
1T should be enough to send For
bush to Alcatraz, and that is where
he ought to be- Keck said. I'VE
never could hold him at Lorton."
District Attorney Leslie c. Garnett
said it was quite likely" the Justice
Department would be asked to i'm
prison the desperate in the island
penitentiary in San Francisco Bay,
from which no convict ever has
escaped.
Seven victims Of recent Baltimore
hold-ups viewed Forbush in a police
lineup there this morning, but none
could identify him. Capt Charles
Kahler said the prisoner would be
turned over to Washington police late
today. He was expected to be returned
here after an inquest into Walsh's
death. set for $50 o'clock tonight.
Walsh and Forbush we're the last
remnants Of the "Blackface Gang"
which sprang into notoriety in the
Fall Of 1885 with series of hold-ups
OF liquor stores, cafes and other Wash
lngton business establishments. The
gang got its name because of its
members habit of Disgusting them
selves by backing their faces with
burnt cork. The leader, Morris Beck.
was shot and killed bv Detective Earl
Baker when the gang was surprised
in the act of robbing a Bladensburg
road cafe in october, 1885.
Made Dash In Prison Car.
After serving II months OF their
sentences at Lorton, Walsh and For
bush made successful dash for
freedom two months ago. They Slip
ped into a guards automobile in the
prison garage and drove it at high
speed out of the grounds, smashing
the car through a barricade between
two guard towers.
They are accused of committing two
robberies here few hours after their
escape; looting two liquor stores of
$523. The proprietor of the second
store robbed, at 609 Eleventh street
southwest, fired at the bandits as they
fled in an automobile.
The guards car, in which the
desperadoes escaped from Lorton, was
discovered in Baltimore garage last
week, Capt. Keck said, with bullet
holes in it that apparently were re-
ceived in the local shooting.
The search for Walsh and Forbush
grew "hot" Saturday night. A de-
tective squad, led by Lieut.. John
Fowler, cruised District streets and
nearby Maryland roads for several
hours during the evening, repeatedly
just missing the pair at several points.
Auto Identified.
The Sunday morning hold-up OF
the Little Tavern, which netted them
only $3.50. was the pairs undoing
Police obtained the license number of
the hold-up car, identifying it as the
one stolen in front of Senator Harri-
sons home. The police lookout for
the car put Baltimore police on the
watch for 1t.
Patrolman Martin Kleinsmith To-
Gated the hunted car in parking lot
in downtown Baltimore about 9 am.
yesterday. With q hastily summoned
police squad, he watched the place