The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-07-26
BAND MUSICIAN
 IS REAL SUSPECT
Police Trailing Alleged Slayer of Frances COch-
 ran in Lynn, Mass.

Lynn, Mass, July 26. - (UP) - Police reported today they were "hot on the trair' of a Lynn dance band musician who overnight hac become the No. suspect in the fiendish sex-slaying of glamorouI Frances Cochran, 19-year-old book keeper.
 Shelving at least temporarily . list of lesser suspects, District At- torney Hugh A. Gregg of Essex CouI1- ty concentrated the police forces oi Lynn, Salem and Swampscott on the search for the missing musician.
 we are close to our man." police Chief Edmund D. Callahan of Lynn asserted. Another high official ex- pressed belief that during the week. end. an arrest would be made and authorities would locate the anti quated, square backed auto in which Frances rode to her death nine days ago.
 What needed the tagging investi- gation to @ feverish tempo was a story told belatedly to authorities by an acquaintance of Frances who was identified only as "Lo'lise". Al least twice during the week before she was raped and murdered in woodland lovers lane, according to this informant, Frances went riding in the same re-backed sedan now listed as the death car.
 Seen Entering Auto
 Louise" told investigators that on two afternoons during the week she saw Frances, enroute home from work, alight from a bus at Chatham and Mariana streets and enter the auto. Frances also was seen to dt this on the afternoon of July II when she last was seen alive.
 On each occasion, Louise" re- ported, the same dark complexionec man was at the wheel, and France! greeted him with Q friendly "hi' before entering the car.
 Louise" also said that every noor for some time Frances had visited the Lynn post office during hel lunch hour and received 8 letter Police believed these letters, ad. dressed General Delivery, may have been penned by the trombone player now sought.
 Description of Man
 The informant described the mar at the wheel as about s feet inches tall, 20 to 25 years old, broad shouldered, sharp-featured, witf dark hair, smooth and oily, slickec back. He wore a brown sports jacket, she said, and no hat.
 She described the much-Sought death car as "an old jalopy", paint ed black, with yellow wheels, corrob. orating reports of other eyewitnesses
 Friends of Frances, recalling thai she frequently had attended dances speculated on the possibility that she had accepted a ride, home witt the musician at some time.
 Harold D. Cochran, electric com pany worker, was incredulous wher he heard the story related by Louise, asserting that his daughter always arrived home from work or time and hence could not have kept late-afternoon dates.
 The hunted musician was de- Scribed as a married man ane father, estranged from his wife.
 Alive Three Days
 Reading, Mass, July 26.-(UP)-- Constance Shipp, 15-year-old mur- der victim, may have remained alive for three days after being rendered unconscious with a bludgeon, ac. cording to an autopsy report made public today by District Attorney Robert F. Bradford of Middleses County.
 Constance left her home here July IS to go to a nearby store. Foun days later her sadistically-mu body was found in the Baptist par. sonage, two blocks from her home