Evening star., 1938-11-19
Victim Of Sniper
Will Confront
4 Suspects
D. c. and Montgomery
Boundary Ignored
In Monhunt

Ponce planned 10 line up 1Ouf
suspects before the hospital bed Of
one Of the latest victims Of the Cap
ital's mad sniper" today as they
worked desperately to trap the
vicious killer who has shot two men
to death, wounded another and
wounded two women in the last
week.
Mrs. Edna L. Brown, recovering
from gunshot wound inflicted by
the sniper when he killed Peter F.
Murray Thursday night, was con-
vinced that she could identify their
assailant If he was among the sus-
pects-any one of whom might be
the man, according to her general
description.
Police frankly feared the killer
was still at large, however, and
every resource of the District and
Montgomery County (Md) law en-
forcement agencies were thrown
into a continued manhunt.
Officers worked under instructions
virtually amounting to shoot to
kill" orders, warned not to take
any chances with what Inspector
Bernard w. Thompson, chief Of de-
tectives, described as the most
vicious killer to prey on the Capital
area in many years.
Boundary Lines Eliminated.
District and Montgomery County
authorities took unprecedented ac-
ton to wipe out boundary lines and
give officers of each jurisdiction full
authority in the others territory for
the emergency manhunt. Inspector
Thompson said this was the first
such official action in his 80 years
of police experience here, indicating
the seriousness with which officials
regard the situation.
Police hoped fingerprints taken
from Mr.. Murray's wallet, seized by
the sniper on the first occasion he
has robbed his victims, might lead
to his Identification if Mrs. Brown
fails to recognize the killer among
the suspects in custody.
Inspector Thompson said there
also was a possibility of obtaining
a clue through search of hospital
records, now under way. Veterans
and mental hospital records were
being checked for any trace Of
man with a deranged mind who
might be at large and fit the sniper's
description.
Sni,%>r nnlsayaA Vuso~>
Of1cials were convinced that the
man being hunted is insane, with
mind so unbalanced that his
chief pleasure comes through in
flicting death and pain on unsus-
pecting persons.
So far. his attacks have been
limited to comparatively small
area in the Rock Greek Park Sec
ton, near the District Maryland
line, and his victims have been
couples parked or travelling slowly
in automobiles along dark and iso-
lated roads.
Police reiterated warnings against
parking in lonely sections. and
carried the warning personally to the
few couples found parked in the
danger area last night.
Maj. Ernest w. Brown, chief of
police, and Inspector Thompson
personally joined the large force
of local and Montgomery County
officers cruising the area last night.
Inspector Thompson said he found
only three couples parked in danger
spots and they moved on quickly
when warned of the sniper's op-
erations, about which they had not
heard previously.
At least rs detectives and police
men were assigned to the special
manhunt in the District, and Mont
gomery County Cancelled leaves to
throw all its officers into the search.
Records Dispute Story.
The suspects included two COL
ored men picked up during the day
yesterday and two others taken into
custody last night. Suspicion was
directed particularly at 28-year-
old colored man who was arrested
last night by Detective Sergt. George
Thornton and Precinct Detective
Irving Lubore. The suspect lived
in shack on River road, about a
mile from the scene of one of the
shootings.
Inspector Thompson took part in
questioning the prisoner at the 9th
precinct, and said he could not give
a satisfactory account of his actions
Thursday night, when, according to
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