Evening star., 1946-03-18
4YouthsConfess
Assault on Girl;
Murder Solved
Prisoner Says He
Killed Woman, 81,
Near Londover, Nd.

~S~6SN ~ AAAANS 6SOA 6Vo SOullb.
police against four coloret
youths who confessed attackin,
"a 19-year-old Washington insur,
ance firm secretary on a lionel,
road near Huntsville, Nd, earl,
yesterday as her helpless fiance
Coast Guard Coxswain Donals
Boyer, looked on.
One of the four held, Raymond
Washington, 16, of Huntsville, ais,
was charged with the murder O
Mrs. Annie M. Jones, 81, of Whit,
House Heights, Md, early las
month. police said. Police sale
Washington told them he choket
and beat Mrs. Jones near her hom,
near Landover, Md, on February
shortly after dark. She died fivs
days later.
Quick action by five county police.
men resulted in the arrest of the
four youths less than six hours
after the attack on the girl. The
prisoners, who are being held al
the Hyattsville Jail, were listed by
police as Charles w. Ross, 20, and
his brother, Walter Ross, 81, both
of Brightseat, Md; Willie Gray Tay-
lor, Is, Of Huntsville and Washing.
ton.
Picture Identified by Girl.
The youths were taken into Gus.
tody at their homes at $50 am
yesterday by Corpl. Edwin Thomp.
son, and Policemen Edwin Cissel
Richard A. Pearson, Horace Kine
and Joseph Hill. The break in the
case came when the pretty brunette
victim identified Washington's face
from group of 80 pictures at the
Hyattsville police station. Police
said Washington readily admitted
his guilt and implicated the others
who also confessed.
Police gave this account of the
crime:
Coxswain Boyer, 20, of sos Addi-
son road, Seat Pleasant, a veteran
of 81 months convoy and combat
duty at sea, was returning around
midnight with his f1ancee from a
visit to her parents at Mitchellville
Md. He returned home March
and was to leave at 4:20 am. yester-
day for the Coast Guard Separation
Center in New York City. Mr.
Boyer was driving a car owned by
his father, Paul Boyer, retired Dis
trict fireman and former chief of
police of Seat Pleasant.
Three Converge on Auto.
The Coast Guardsman was driv-
ing at leisurely pace on Palmer
boulevard, a bypass road con-
structed in the roadbed of the old
Washington Baltimore Annapolis
Electric Railway. In the vicinity
OF Huntsville, about ~ miles from
the District line. Mr.. Boyer saw
what appeared to be child dart
from the right side of the road
into the path of the automobile.
Later. police said, Walter Ross
told them 1t was he who stopped
the car by running across the road.
He said they had been roaming
the area between Huntsville and
Brightseat for four hours looking
for likely victim.
Mr.. Boyer swerved to the side
of the road and slammed on the
brakes. AS he and the girl peered
into the darkness, three armed
colored youths converged on the
automobile from both sides. One
of the trio was carrying a 12-gauge
shotgun and the other two were
armed with 20 caliber rifles.
The four youths got into the car
keeping the veteran covered with
their firearms, and ordered him to
drive along Sheriff road for a quar-
ter of mile and into a secluded
lane. They forced the couple to get
out of the car.
At that point, the gang took SIT
from Mr.. Boyer and $34 from the
girl. When one of the youths or
dered Donald to raise his hands,
they saw his wristwatch and Or
dered him to hand 1t over. The
diamond ring, which Mr.. Boyer had
given the girl four days before, was
not taken from her finger.
Screams Go Unheard.
Then the youths, carefully keep
ing the Coast Guardsman covered
with their weapons, attacked the
girl. They alternated in guarding
Beyer and in holding the girls arms.
The girls hysterical screams ap-
parently went unheard in the lonely
section.
After the attacks, the youths or
dered the couple back into the car
and ordered them to leave. AS Mr..
Boyer started the car and drove
away one Of the men fired a single
shot at the automobile which missed
its mark.
Mr., Boyer and the girl reached
his fathers home in Seat Pleasant
at about $3.50 am. The Coast
Guardsman rushed into the house
and told his father what had hap-
pened.
While Mrs. Boyer took the girl
to Sibley Hospital, Mr.. Boyer re-
ported the affair to the Prince
Georges County Police Station at
Upper Marlboro. Mr.. Boyer and his
father armed themselves with a re-
volver and rifle and began a futile
search Of the Huntsville area for
the assailants.
Treated at Sibley Hospital.
Meanwhile, the girl was treated at
Sibley Hospital and then was taken
TO the Hyattsville Police Station,
where police showed her more than
30 photographs of men answering
the general descriptions of the gang.
Police said today she quickly
identified the picture of Washington
as one of the gang. While the police
raidine party sped to Huntsville, the
girl was taken to DR.. James +. Boyd
deputy medical examiner of the
county, for examination and treat
ment.
BY $50 am. yesterday the four
Youths were in police hands. The
stolen articles and weapons used in
the attack were recovered. Police
said the men offered no resistance
to arrest.
At the scene Of the crime. Detec-
tive Pearson said he matched a
foot print made hv an Ary,,v ;ce,,a