Evening star., 1947-12-01
PoIicemanFreed
0fB|arle After
Killing Thief
Two Men Surprised
At JeweIry Store;
One Makes Getaway

Pvt. James E. Tolson of 1345
Saratoga avenue NE, of police pre-
cinct seven, was exonerated today
by a coroner's jury in the fatal
shooting early yesterday Of a 90
year-old jewel thief.
Testimony of the several witnessec
who saw the occurrence agreed that
Carlton M. Barner, colored, 905 Kent
place NE, who was shot and killed,
was trying to escape after robbing
the window of Kay's Jewelry Store.
601 H street NE, at am.
An accomplice escaped.
Had Police Record.
Sergt. Alfred D. Clarke, of the
Homicide Squad. testifying on Bar
ner's record, said he had been ar
rested several times as sex pervert
and that his last arrest on Thanks
giving night was for a yoke" job
Dumping a man from behind to
rob him). Barner wis released on
that occasion because the complain
ant was intoxicated and unable to
make an identification.
Pvt. Tolson was represented at
the inquest by a colored attorney
Hubert B. Pair.
IT was the third time in little
more than two weeks that police
thHarted jewelry store robberies
On November IA "commuter" burg
lar from New York was caught
breaking window in Castelbergs
store at 1904 F street NV. He had
5000 worth of rings when an alert
policeman stopped him.
Another New Yorker Caught.
A week later another New Yorker
who had just arrived was caught
breaking the display window at the
Burk Jewelry Store, GA Thirteenth
street NV, and arrested before he
could leave with $225 in rings.
Barner died moments after a bull
let from Pvt. Tolson's revolver felled
him in an alley off the 900 block of
I street NE.
Alex Woody, 26, cab driver liv-
ing at the Canary Trailer Camp,
Berwyn, Md, and a passenger, Ed
ward E. Ryan, %, of 1929 H street
NE, passed the jewelry store about
5 am. and saw two men break the
display window and start looting it.
Find Policemen.
Hurrying to the Little Tavern, 718
H street NE, Mr.. Woody and Mr..
Ryan saw Pvt. Tolson sitting with
Pvt. Warren c. Dameron, 26, OF
3407 Forty-second avenue, Colmar
Manor, Md, and told them what
they had seen. Pvt. Dameron is of
the 9Th precinct. Pvt. Tolson was
off duty at the time.
When the policemen jumped on
the cab and drove toward the store,
the thieves fed. One of them, act
Ing as lookout, ran south on Eighth
street. The policemen chose to
pursue Barner, who had been loot
ing the store, east on H street.
J The chase turned north onto
Ninth street and east on I, with
the policemen shouting to Barner
to halt. When he raced on, gain
ing ground, Pvt. Tolson fired five
warning shots from his .38-caliber
service revolver.
Turned Into Alley.
AS Barner turned into an alley
adjoining 910 I street, the police
man fired again. Barner ran
few feet into a yard before he fell.
A bullet had entered his back be-
low the left shoulder blade, pierced
his heart and emerged from his
chest. He was taken to Casualty
Hospital in Mr.. Woodys cab and
pronounced dead on arrival at $40
am.
From Barner's pockets the police
men took jewelry valued at S168.95
wholesale, and on the ground where
he had fallen was more worth $27.50
Simon Mayer. manager of the
jewelry store, said most of the loot
apparently had been recovered. The
store expects to reward Mr.. Woody
and Mr.. Ryan with wrist watches
fnr their vigilance. he said,