Evening star., 1940-03-31
Staying
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SiO/u'
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who according to 1t. Beall, told
the visitors:
"She's upstairs
The policeman said he asked what
had happened and young Howard,
slowly and almost incoherently an
swered:
"1 did it. Days and days and days
ago"
When the investigators started up
the steps, the son, 1t. Beall said
mumbled something about giving
his mother a decent burial
Mrs. Howard's body was found
sprawled on the bedroom floor her
face and neck slashed. A blood
stained butcher knife, with a blade
about 7 inches long, lay on the
floor nearby.
The blood stains, hardened on the
floor and spattered on Mrs. How
ards white cotton nightgown, made
1t apparent the woman had been
dead for some time, 1t. Beall said.
In the sons room across the hall,
the investigators found a robe spat-
tered with blood draped across the
foot of an unmade bed.
Underlined Book.
A clothbound volume entitled
1.-THE Book of Courage" was found
on a nearby dresser. 1t was opened
to an underlined passage which
began:
IF had a blade of keener steel
. n"
Police also found in the sons
room a diary which he had appar-
emily kept for 10 years. The last
entry was made on March IL and
included description of the youth
and his mother planting flowers in
the yard"
The son was taken to the precinct
station after police had removed a
loaded .32-caliber revolver from one
OF his trouser pockets and an i'm
provised money pouch containing
S940 in bills and quantity of
jewelry.
The pouch consisted of piece
of woman's underwear into which
the money and jewelry had been
sewed.
The father, William j. Howard,
an attorney in the Interior Depart
ment, from whom the slain woman
had obtained divorce last year,
visited his son at the police station
last night.
The doors leading to the cell block
were kept tightly closed during the
conversation, and detectives who
were present alongside the cell later
refused to relate the nature of the
conversation except to state that
young Howard recognized his father
Earlier, reporters had glimpsed
the youth through the doorway of
the cell block. Tall. gaunt and un-
shaven. he stood on the narrow
wire-spring couch, clinging to the
cell bars. A policeman stood guard
within few feet of the cell.
Asked by reporter where his
mother was, the youth replied
calmly and without hesitation:
She's upstairs"
He kept mumbling. Il want to
get out of here. I don't like this
place"
When it was suggested he take a
nap, he remarked that he had not
slept in a long time"
Shaken by Interview.
After the interview with his
father, the youth sat on the couch
with his head in his hands. He
obviously had been shaken.
Police found most of the doors
inside the Howard home locked. The
interior, except for the kitchen and
the second-foor bedroom, was un-
usually tidy
In the kitchen were found fruit
peelings. empty cans and half used
loaves of bread. The electric refrig-
orator was filled with clean china
ware. It contained no food.
A small note tackled on the side
Of a cabinet read: Tuesday gar
bage taken away. Thursday trash
taken away. Friday the garbage
taken away"
Virtually the only outside contact
the mother and son seemed to have
maintained was with DR.. Alfred c
Norcross of 140l Fairmont street
NV, who was the family physician
before the home was broken up here
eight years ago when Mrs. Howard
and the son went to Colorado.
boy Who Never Smiled"
The physician described the
youth as:
"A boy who never smiled"
The two always kept the house
locked up tightly and the shades or
the windows drawn, Dr. Norcros!
said. They generally rebuffed thu
approaches of neighbors.
Mrs. Marguerite Lilly, who lives
next door to the Howard home in 9
semi detached house, is believed Il
be the last outsider to "see Mrs
Howard alive.
She said she saw the slain woman
March IL.
'The next day." Mrs. Lilly related