Evening star., 1938-11-18
Sniper Victims
Killed by
Same Gun
Weapon Is Identified
By Comparison
Of Empty Shells


motorist was slain and his 40-year-
old woman companion shot last
night in a lonely wooded Sec
ton near the District line is the
same weapon with which another
man was wounded and a colored
man murdered by a sniper-bandlt
within the past week.
This announcement was made by
Inspector Bernard W. Thompson
chief of detectives, early this after
noon on basis of an examination
of 80 caliber shells from bullets fired
at Peter F. Murray and Mrs. Edna
L. Brown. The ballistics tests were
made by 1t. John Fowler, expert
of the Metropolitan Police.
$500 Reward Offered.
Maj. Ernest w. Brown, superin-
tendent of police. announced the
District was offering a $500 reward
for the slayers apprehension and
arrest, and Montgomery County
commissioners were to receive a
recommendation later today that
they also offer reward.
Boundary lines between the Dis
trlct of Columbia and Maryland
were temporarily lifted today to al
low full cooperation by police of
both Jurisdictions in running down
the gunman believed responsible for
three recent snipings in which two
motorists were slain.
Wallet Is Discovered.
A brown wallet and cards torn and
scattered about the ground were dis
covered today in the wooded section
100 yards from the District line, as
Montgomery police searched relent-
lessly, foot by foot, for clues that
might identify the gunman who IA
tally shot Mr.. Murray and wounded
Mrs. Brown, 40, last night.
The wallet and cards were identi-
fed as those of Mr.. Murray, 60 years
old. w. P. A. deputy foreman. of
1874 Fourteenth street NV, shot
six times in the left side and back.
His companion. Mrs. Brown, 1920
Harvard street NV. widow and
chief sorter at the Ambassador
Laundry. was apparently recovering
at Georgetown Hospital from a
bullet wound in her hip.
AS police combed the woods near
the scene of the crime. Corpl. Harry
Merson of Montgomery Police came
upon the brown wallet, on which it
is hoped flngerprints will be found
to help identify Mr.. Murrays slayer.
The money compartment of the
wallet was empty. Identification
cards. the drivers license and regis
tration card of the foreman had
been torn up and scattered. The
wallet was identified by the cards.
Two Suspects Held.
Although two suspects are under
arrest, police are conducting the in
vestigation in manner that in
dicates they believe the killer is still
at large
Police believed the killer was the
same man who last week shot one
man to death and wounded an
other. A week ago yesterday John
G. Clements, %. of the 6l00 block of
Fourteenth street NV. was injured
by gunfire, and on the following
night Edward Roper. 81. colored, 327
C street S.W.. was fatally wounded
while sitting with friends in his car.
parked at lockwood parkway and
Tilden street NV.
The police conference developed
as leads appeared weak in the
latest attack case, the fatal shooting
last night of a 60-year-old Washing
ton w. P. A. deputy foreman and
the wounding of his 40-year- -old
woman companion.
Confer at Bethesda.
Maj. Ernest w. Brown, superin-
tendent of metropolitan police: De-
tective Chief Bernard w. Thomp-
son and several members of the
District police homicide squad met
at Bethesda police headquarters
with States Attorney James Pugh
and other Montgomery County Off
cials to formulate plans to stop the
(See MURDER, Page A-4)