Evening star., 1943-08-31
Radio Mechanic Held
For Jury in Staying
OF Sfenographer

John Walter Morton, 39-year -ole
radio mechanic, was ordered held fol
grand jury action without bond
when arraigned before United States
Commissioner Needham &. Turnage
this afternoon in connection with
the staying of Mrs. Grace Grubh
Groome, ST, whose body was found
Sunday in Rock Creek Park.
T. c.. Hutchinson, 1928 Ninth street
NE, surprise witness, positively
identified Morton as the man in
bloodstained clothing he saw about
s::35 pm. Saturday in restaurant
in the 1400 block of Park road NV.
He looked like he had been wal
lowing in blood" the witness testi-
fed. He said Morton, who entered
the restaurant to buy cigarettes,
had blood on his face, shirt and
trousers.
Mr.. Hutchinson, 30-year-old
Capital Transit Co. employe, recog-
nized Morton's picture in the news
papers and got In contact with Police
Inspector Robert Barrett this morn
ing.
Two Other Witnesses.
Also testifying at this afternoons
hearing were Detective Sergt. Robert
v. Murray, who told of arresting
Morton in his apartment in the
1400 block of Meridian place NV,
and James Gilmore, a bus driver,
who said man wearing a blue,
blood-stained shirt boarded the
southbound bus he was driving at
Tilden street and Connecticut ave-
nue about 1855 pm. Saturday.
Mr.. Gilmore, who lives at 4009
Chesapeake street NV, said he was
not able to identify Morton def
nitely, but that the man who boarded
the bus answered his description
The bus driver said he did not notice
where the man, who appeared to be
drunk, got off the bus.
Sergt. Murray quoted Morton as
saying that he and Mrs Grubbs
had gone to Rock Greek Park to-
gether and had an alteration. Nor
ton told him of striking the woman
once, then walking off with the COM
ment-"To hell with you," the police
officer testified.
Sergt. Murray submitted blood
stained pale blue sport shirt, which
he said was taken from the de-
fendant at his home after the ar
rest.
Defendant Appears Calm.
Morton had nothing to say at the
arraignment and remained more
calm and subdued than he was "a
hours before, when arraignment
proceedings were postponed to en-
able him to obtain legal counsel.
) Attorney Charles F. Hailer repre-
sented the defendant at the pro-
ceedings today.
Meanwhile, seeking to build an
alright, scientific case against Nor
/ ton, police revealed that Federal Bu-
reau of Investigation chemists are
making intensive tests of the mans
blood-stained clothing, f1ngernail
scrapings and soil from his shoes
The body of Mrs. Groome, who
lived at 1861 irving street NV, was
found early Sunday morning at a
popular picnic ground near Pierce
Mill, Rock Greek Park. Her dis
heveled clothing and bruised body
bore testimony to the struggle she
waged against her assailant.
Police said DR.. Richard H.
Rosenbergr~deputy coroner, made
q test yesterday to determine
whether the man had had blood on
his body and had obtained affirma-
tive results. The test, said to be
reliable If used within a reasonable
time, Is made with a fluid which
turns purple any part of the skin
that has been touched by blood
One arm and various other parts
of Morton,s body were reported to
have shown the presence of blood.
Identified as Passenger.
The accused man, who, police said,
Is a widower with young son in
Washington institution, was identi-
fed as a passenger wearing blood
stained clothing on bus late Sat-
urday night, and as the purchaser
of two pints of whisky at a liquor
store.
Julius Nachman, manager of the
Tivoli Wine and Liquor Store, 1918
Fourteenth street NV, told police
a man purchased liquor of a brand
contained in a bottle found at the
Staying about pm. Saturday. Mr..
Nachman said the same man reap
peared in the store about IL pm.
and bought another bottle of the
same brand. The second time his
clothing was blood-stained, Mr..
Nachman said.
Miss Minette Sherman OF 3239
Davenport street NV, told police
she saw the man board a bus on
Connecticut avenue Saturday night.
She said he got off the bus at CAL
vert street and Connecticut avenue.
Yesterday Miss Sherman picked
Morton out of a lineup at police
headquarters as the man she had
seen on the bus.
Description Fitted.
Morton's clothing and appearance
fitted to T" Miss Sherman's de-
scription, police said. FBI tests are
expected to reveal whether the blood
on his clothing is that of the slain
wor1an's.
Mrs. Groome, who resided with
her sister, Mrs. Edna Foltz, 54, at
the Irving street address, had been
employed as a stenographer. The
sisters had lived on Irving street
since late last winter, according to
neighbors.