Evening star., 1940-10-23
Mass Meeting
Told Of Police
Drive on Sniiper
Maj. Brown Pledges
To Spore No Effort
ToCutch Gunmun

Seven hundred colored residents
attended mass meeting In the
West End last night to hear Police
Chief Ernest w. Brown and his aides
explain what they are doing to ap-
prehend the sniper whose bullets
from ambush have frightened vir-
tually all pedestrians from the streets
in certain areas after dark.
The residents filled Liberty Baptist
Church at BIT Twenty-third street
NV to capacity and applauded Maj.
Brown when he assured them his
force is working long hours trying
to gather clues on the mysterious
gunman. Bullets from the sniper's
gun have been identified in three
recent killings and one injury.
In his speech of assurance, Mai.
Brown told the residents that IF
night I want him to know we are
not going to spare any means to
bring him to justice. I'd like to see
him take shot at me as I leave
this church tonight-we would show
him!"
Duty to Give Protection.
DR.. c. Herbert Marshall, president
of the Rock Greek Civic Association
declared that 20 years ago the police
would have met the situation by
advising colored people to 60 home
and stay home at night.
To-day our civic rights are recog-
nized," he said. He advised colored
residents not to arm unless they had
police permits to carry guns. al
though admitting that self defense
Is the first law of nature"
Maj. Brown declared. Il want you
free to walk the streets at night.
1t is our duty to furnish you the
protection that gives you feeling
of security
These sentiments were seconded
by Inspector James F. Beckett and
Capt. Walter Storm of No. 3 pre-
cinct, in which several Of the shoot
ings have occurred. All the vic
tins have been colored.
1t is not known if the gunman is
white or colored.
No Motive Found.
The police officers assured the
residents added patrols have been
assigned to the vicinity and asked
them to cooperate by reporting
suspicious persons, or any other in
formation which might lead to the
arrest of the gunman. The man
apparently has been selecting his
victims at random. No motive has
been uncovered as yet for the shoot
! ings.
The police were promised CO.
operation by Charles L. Norris
president of the West End Business
mems Association, and w. F. Was
son, president of the West End Citi-
zens' Association.
The meeting was arranged by DR.
Marshall and E. F. Harris. president
of the Lincoln Civic Association.
Maj. Brown said he regretted the
attitude expressed in letter to the
effect that the police would try
harder If the victims had been white
persons. 1T is not question of
color" Maj. Brown declared, but a
question of human beings"
The mass meeting gave the Police
Department and Maj. Brown a vote
of confidence.
Jokesters Busy.
Meanwhile, threats, attempted in
Limitations and ill-advised practical
Jokes have been reported to police
from many sections of the city-in
each case attributed to "the sniper."
A colored chauffeur for a Con-
necticut avenue resident reported to
police yesterday he found a threat
ening note wrapped about bullet
in his shopping parcels when he left
a grocery storeI
In the Southeast section a colored
man said he had been shot at twice
in the last few days. and another
report of a wild shooting was re-
>>ceived by telephone and could not
be verified Anonymous telephone
calls have been received by persons
who said "the sniper" threatened
| them.
Numerous persons have been
taken in for questioning and re-
leased-including cranks and sus-
poets turned in by "tipsters" without
evidence.
! The sniper scare has had the ef-
feet of putting down petty crime at
night, police said. Even burglars
and footpads who prey on pedes-
trians out late seem to prefer to re-
/ main indoors these nights.