Evening star., 1941-11-29
Hoback Boy Has
Crime Record,
Prosecutor Says
Accused loveIess
Slayer Convicted
For Stealing Auto
" Q Stan Correspondent of The Star.

LEESBURG, Va. Nov 2o-Paul
Bernard Hoback. 16-year-old youth
who, with Herbert Buckle Porter.
Brentwood, Nd, boy is charged with
the robbery-murder of Ward Love-
less, Washington attorney, was on
probation for Interstate automobile
theft at the time of his arrest at
Appalachia, Va, Thursday. Com
monWealth Attorney Charles F.
Harrison revealed today.
Hoback's record was made known
by the prosecutor at a press con-
ference at his Office across the street
from the Loudoun County Jail in
which Hoback is confined while the
accused boys companion was held
in the Jail at Winchester, SO miles
away.
Mr.. Harrison said Hoback had ad-
mitted that some months ago he
drove a stolen car from Bluefield,
w. Va, to point In Texas, where he
was arrested. The youth was charged
with violating the Federal law
against taking a stolen car from one
State to another, the prosecutor
said Hoback was sentenced in
Federal court in Texas to two years
and given probation, Mr.. Harrison
added.
BurglarieS Reported.
This was the first previous con-
viction for crime officially attributed
TO either boy since the two were ar
rested and returned to this vicinity
by automobile late last night. There
had been reports the boys had been
involved in burglaries, but these still
lacked official confirmation.
So far as he now knows, said Mr..
Harrison, Porter had no previous
criminal record.
Mr.. Harrison also announced Off
cially for the first time that Porter
was in jail at Winchester. although
newspapermen already had found
that out.
The prosecutor indicated there
was no special significance to sepa-
rating the boys and that it was tenn
porary He explained that the Jail
at Leesburg was crowded at the mo-
ment. and, principally for that rea-
son. Porter had been left in VIM
chester when Mr.. Harrison and the
other officers drove through there
with their prisoners late last night.
Will Be Brought to Leesburg.
Mr.. Harrison said Porter probably
would be brought on to Leesburg a
week from Monday when the new
grand jury for Loudoun County
convenes and is scheduled to take
up the Loveless murder.
The prosecutor also cleared up to
an extent the uncertainty over the
present location of the green coupe
which Hoback and Porter admit.
tedly took from the Loveless garage
the night the lawyer was slain.
They were trapped after driving it
to Cumberland, KY.
Mr.. Harrison said the car was in
the custody of Sheriff S. p Alex
ander, but had not yet been brought
to Leesburg. The prosecutor did
not reveal its exact location.
The father of the Porter youth,
Herbert Porter of Brentwood, came
to Leesburg yesterday afternoon
only to find his son was still some
where on the road.
The grief-stricken father reached
the Leesburg courthouse about 3
pm. accompanied by State Senator
Aubrey Weaver of Front Royal. Va.
who has been retained as counsel
for the Porter boy.
Delayed En- Route.
The Loudoun County officers and
their prisoners left Bristol, where
they spent Thursday night, about
10 am. yesterday. but were delayed,
first by message to State Trooper
E. D. Helm that his mother had
died, which required him to leave
the group at Roanoke, then by
other matters" Mr.. Harrison said.
1t was shortly before l am. today
that the State police car drew up In
front Of the county Jail here.
As the car bringing Hoback drove
up photographers spread about it.
A State trooper ran ahead. up the
steps to the open door of the jail
Another officer waited in the car
Hoback. a swart. husky lad. ran up
the steps alone, his hands shackled
together.
AS flashlights popped, he turned
and snarled
Il don't want no pictures"
Some Of the photographers fol-
lowed him into the Jail, and Hoback
suddenly whipped of a shoe and
started to aim it at the pursuing
cameramen
Get out, you buzzards?" he
shouted.
A deputy intervened and shooed
the photographers out.
The coupe was missed last Monday
after the beaten and bullet-riddled
body of Mr.. Loveless was found in a
china closet in his Peonian Springs
home near here. The car led to
the boys capture. When they
abandoned it at Cumberland, KY.
Wednesday and fled afoot. they were
quickly caught at nearby Appal-
achia, Va.
In connection with the detention
of Porter at Winchester. it was re-
called that investigators have re-
ported evidence that the pair COM
mitted a series of burglaries in the
Shenandoah Valley town few days
before the Loveless murder.
Long before the hour the officers
and their prisoners were expected to
arrive in Leesburg, townspeople be-
gan assembling in groups around
the courthouse. Although it was
generally known that the police car
could not arrive before pm, due
to the late start from Bristol, dozens
of school children and older resi-
dents were waiting as early as $3.50
pm.
Although a few of the curious
waited until about 10 O'Clock, the
late hour and the cold finally drove
away the last one and only a hand
full of newspapermen were on hand
when the car finally arrived.
Mr.. Weaver issued a statement
yesterday in which he pointed out
that Mr.. Porter was a highly re-
,ro,{od apop1oun af fho Ca,,fho orv,