Evening star., 1944-02-15
Bandit Abducfs
And Robs Two
Inkary|and
Forces Man and
Woman to Drive
Into Washington

Held up at knife point by a
cultured white man whose voice
at times broke into a foreign ac-
cent, a young Maryland man
and woman experienced a har-
rowing ride through nearby
Prince Georges County and into
the District before being robbed
and released early today in
Shepherds Court NV.
The couple, Norman Reed, "a, Of
3731 Cottage Terrace, Cottage City.
and Helen Palmer, 81, of 4508
Thirty eighth street, Brentwood.
told police they were parked in
front OF the latter's home about l
am. today when their abductor ap-
preached the convertible coupe in
which they were sitting.
Mr.. Reed described the man as
being about q years old, S feet 10
inches tall. weighing about 16o
pounds, with curly, black hair, heavy
EYEBROWS and large nose. He said
the man wore no hat, had on dark
clothes and had an unusually large
head.
Slashes Top Of Auto.
Mr.. Reed, a machinist at the NAVY
YARD, said the man approached the
car from the rear. but that he paid
no attention to him at first. as sew
eral persons had just gone down the
street and he thought the man was
another passerby. The door of the
car was not locked, Mr.. Reed said,
but when the man ordered him to
open 1t, he instead pressed down on
the lock.
L thought he threatened to shoot
me-" Mr.. Reed said. He had hi,
nand in his pocket and seemed to
have gun. But when I refused to
open the door he pulled out a knife
and slashed the new top on my car
twice, then he plunged the blade
through the window glass"
MIR. Reed said the knife, weapon
about inches long, made a shower
OF glass as it ripped through the
window. He said the noise made it
appear that a shot had been fired.
With that, Mr.. Reed said, he knew
1t would be futile to try and stall
on the man or to reason with him, SO
ne abandoned his efforts to start
the motor and opened the door.
Climbing in the opposite side next
to Miss Palmer, the man held the
knife against her side, threatening
to Kill her, and ordered him to drive
on. Mr.. Reed said he drove to
North Brentwood. where the man
ordered him to stop and leave the
car. The intruder then robbed Mr..
Reed OF $40, all the money he had
in his wallet, and tied his hands in
front of him.
Located in Rumble Seat.
Mr.. Reed said the rope appeared
to be a piece of clothesline. The
robber did not attempt to bind his
1eet. Mr.. Reed said, and after in
quiring whether he had a hand.
kerchief and getting negative
reply, ordered his victim to climb
into the rumble seat. Mr.. Reed said
ne was forced to lie down and the
man locked the seat.
Mr.. Reed said his car has been
repainted recently and the fumes
almost suffocated him.
With Miss Palmer on the seat
beside him the man then drove
around Maryland for a while. Mr..
Reed said, going over bumpy roads
much Of the time as if avoiding a
main thoroughfare. Miss Palmer.
who is not familiar with the sec
ton, was unable to describe their
route.
Robbed of S23.
Mr.. Reed, meanwhile. succeeded
In freeing his bonds but still was
unable to open the rumble seat.
He was liberated in Shepherds court.
which runs in the 900 block between
l. and M streets NV, after the
man had robbed Miss Palmer of s23
IN her purse, her picture and iden-
tification papers.
MISS Palmer told police the man
instructed her to count so before
making any attempt to free her es-
cort or summon help He left the ig-
milton and other keys to- the car
on parked truck nearby and es-
capped down the alley. Miss Palmer
Is clerk in the NAVY DEPARTMENT