Evening star., 1941-08-30
Swift Action
P|edgedtoBring
.Cdtoe TO Trial
Detectives Expect
Prisoner to Reveal
FurtherCrimes

Swift action to bring Jarvis r.
Catoe to trial for the murder Of
Jessie Elizabeth Strieff was prom
ised by the United States Attorneys
Office today as detectives investi-
gated further into the amazing
series of murders and criminal as"
sauits confessed TO by the 36-year-
old former police informer and un-
dertaker's assistant.
Shortly after an announcement
that an inquest in the Strieff case
has been set for Tuesday morning
before coroner's Jury. John w.
Fihelly, acting United States At
torney, disclosed that the case would
be presented to the grand jury on
Wednesday If the coroners jury
orders Catoe held.
Mr.. Fihelly made this announce
ment after long distance tele-
phone conversation with United
States Attorney Edward M Curran,
who is vacationing in Maine.
Further Confessions Expected.
Detectives who are questioning
Catoe expected additions today 10
the series of seven murders and as
many criminal assaults to which he
already has confessed.
Detectives sought evidence today
to back each of Catoes murder
confessions. During the morning
they took the prisoner to a house
in the 300 block of Virginia avenue
Sc. where Lucy Kidwell, 62. colored.
was murdered last September.
investigators at that time OBJ
tanned a flngerprint from a glass in
the room where the body was found.
The print. however, was of the lower
part of q finger not shown on identi-
fcation cards New prints were
taken of Catoe for checking with
the impression taken from the Kid
well home.
Clear Memory of Scenes.
Catoe, it was said. has clear
memory which enables him TO lead
investigators to the scene of various
crimes and TO reconstruct the physi-
cal details. Detectives said he
sometimes can describe all circum-
stances surrounding murders with
out knowing the names of the
victims.
Details of Catoe's confession to
the Staying Of Mrs. Matte Stewart.
48. colored, on November %, 1910,
were recalled today.
Catoes story in this case, as re-
lated by detectives, was:
He saw rooms for rent" sign in
the window of house in the 1400
block of Swami street NV. and
Stewart, who lived there, consented
to show him around.
After seeing the upstairs, Catoe
asked what the basement was like,
explaining he had some automobile
tires he wanted to store. While IN
the cellar, Catoe made advances TO
Mrs. Stewart and was rebuffed.
He then seized her and despite
her efforts to resist. succeeded in
! choking her after which he carried
her upstairs and assaulted her. He
| said he didn't know whether she was
dead when he left the house.
The prisoner has made vague
illusions to more crimes, police
said, after relating in detail how
he attacked and murdered seven
women. including Miss Strieff and
Mrs. Rose Abramowitz. %, bride of
few weeks
Efforts to link Caoe with the
| sniper murders which occurred in
Rock Greek Park and nearby Mont
gomery County, Md. about three
years ago have met with no success,
detectives reported today.
Detective Sergt. Aubrey NJ. Tolson
of the homicide squad said Catoe
had fatty denied any connection.
Says He Never Used Gun.
He has been truthful about every
thing else so far, and he seems to be
telling the truth about this" Sergt.
Tolson said we have no reason
to suspect he is lying now"
Sergt. Tolson said that when
(See MITPDEP pace Al