Evening star., 1947-07-17
Fay and West Defend Prince Georges Seeks
D. {. Court System al Custody Of Three Held
Home Rule Hearing Here in Gem Robbery

Prince Georges County police to-
day prepared to send an oficer to
Washington to obtain custody Of
three suspects in a $1,000 holdup who
are held by District authorities.
Meanwhile, Hyattsville police held
a fourth member of the quartet
sought in connection with the rob-
berry, July 10, of Spruce Baird,
Maryland roadhouse proprietor, and
his wife in their apartment, at 2705
Arundel road, Mount Rainier, Md.
Tenth precinct police said John
Arthur Mullen, 80, of the 1000 block
of D street NE, had declared he
would fight removal to Maryland In
connection with the holdup, but that
two others have indicated they would
waive extradition. They are George
Neal, %, of the 1400 block of Harvard
street NV, and Ernest Newton
White, IS, of the TOO block Fourth
street NV. All have been held on
an "open charge" since their arrest
here yesterday.
Lineup Set This Afternoon.
The fourth man, Robert E. Lee
Brinn, %, of the Harvard street
address, was taken to Hyattsville
after his arrest yesterday at Hagers-
town, Md.
Plainclothes Policeman L. B. Furr
said the three suspects held here will
be taken to Hyattsville to join the
fourth man for a special police line
up at 3 o'clock this afternoon. Re-
cent holdup victims will appear to
see if they can identify the men, he
said.
Mr.. F'urr said extradition hearings
would be held If necessary, in order
to get the men to Hyattsville by 8
o'clock.
At Hyattsville police said war
rants had been issued for Neal and
Mullen on holdup and robbery
charges, and that Brinn was held
on the same charges.
Policemen Praised.
Mr.. Baird yesterday picked Neal
from a police lineup here as one of
the men who forced their way into
his apartment He said Neal held
a pistol while a second man bound
and gagged him and his wife before
taking $35 cash and almost $1,000
worth of jewelry. He identified
Brinn as the second man.
Plainclothes policemen Fur and
v. H. Culpepper were praised by
10th Precinct Captain Clarence
Lutz for their role in the arrests.
The men were arrested here yes
terday after a week of careful work
by the two detectives.
Watch is Checked.
A description of one of the holdup
men led the policemen to stop White
and Neal on the street Monday.
Their answers TO questions appeared
straightforward. The detectives
went with the two men to Whites
room. but an examination showed
nothing.
One of the policemen, nonetheless,
made a record of the serial number
of a wrist watch he saw in the room
A check with records showed it to
be the number of a watch Mr.. Baird
had reported stolen, police said.
The detectives returned to the
room Tuesday but found no one. A
tip launched them on a round-the-
clock watch of a Washington res
taurant where a girl friend of one
of the men was reported to be en-
ployed.
Arrests Made at Apartment.
White appeared at the restaurant
yesterday and was arrested. The
apartment Of another girl was indi-
Gated as the hideout Of the other
man.
The policemen hurried to the
apartment to find the girl, but the
man-Neal-had fled Immediately
before they arrived, the detective
said. The woman was persuaded to
call Neal, telling him the police had
gone. He was arrested on his return
to the apartment.
Mullen was arrested later in the
day by Washington police.
Brinn was arrested last night In
Hagerstown, Md. Police here said
he was reported to nave gone to
Michigan, and was packed up On
his return, travelling toward Wash
~ ofop