Evening star., 1948-06-15
Policemen
Asked in County
AFTER Shooting
Caldwell Case Spurs
Prince Georges PIeu
For Larger Force

Maj. Ralph w. Brown. superin.
tendent of Prince Georges County
police. today planned to ask the
county commissioners for more
policemen as a result OF the staying
Of Pvt. Charles r. Caldwell. :.
Pvt. Caldwell, So, Of 3602 Forty
third avenue, Colmar Manor, was
fatally wounded Saturday night
when he and another policeman at
tempted to arrest two persons after
a neighborhood fight in the $500
block Of Nye street in Deanwood
Park.
The second policeman, Pvt. Wall
lace L. Baker, "a, of 6308 Kilmer
road, Cheverly Manor, is recovering
from gunshot wounds received IN
the battle.
Maj. Brown, pointing out that
his 36-man force is divided between
Hyattsville and Upper Marlboro and
works on eight-hour, six-day week
shifts, asserted the staff, "is spread
too thin"
Funeral Rites Tomorrow.
Flags on county buildings will fly
at half staff in Pvt. Caldwell'S
honor until after the services in the
Fort Lincoln Chapel at / pm. to-
morrow.
Meanwhile, Prince Georges au-
thorities continued investigation Of
the Staying. convinced they have
the right suspects in Thomas Hall.
IS, colored. and his daughter Jane,
20, who live in the $500 block Of
Nye street.
Hall, a 6-foot, 5-inch stone yard
laborer, and his daughter have been
charged with murder in Pvt. Cald-
wells death and with assault with
intent to murder Pvt. Baker. In
addition the daughter also faces a
charge of assault with intent to
murder Willie Preston, jr,, 20, coll
ored, of the 5000 block of Maple road.
Preliminary arraignment OF the
two has been tentatively set for July
in Hyattsville Police Court.
Missing Gun Recovered.
Late yesterday police recovered
Pvt. Bakers gun missing from the
shooting scene. The revolver was
recovered police said, from colored
man who said he had purchased
it for $40 from another man who
picked it up at the scene. After
questioning, neither were held.
Police say the two policemen were
attacked by Hall and his daughter
when they attempted to arrest them
after reports of fight which earlier
had resulted in fatal injuries to
Halls wife. Police say witnesses
have told them that Hall grabbed
Pvt. Caldwell's revolver, fired three
shots into him and then turned the
gun on Pvt. Baker who returned the
fire, slightly wounding the suspect.
+ A spontaneous move to collect a
fund for Pvt. Caldwell's widow and
two sons grew into an official project
yesterday and collections now total
more than 500.
Money will be accepted at Hyatts-
vile and Upper Marlboro police sta
tions and at county bynks. Checks
should be made out to the Treas
.llrT, Prince Georges County Police
Association.
Fund-raising Events Planned.
A committee named to admin
lister the fund for the slain police.
mans family will meet In the
Prince Georges bank at Hyattsville
at 10 am. Thursday to plan money!
raising events.
One-a dance at the Prince
Georges Golf and Country Club
has been scheduled for June %.
The committee is composed of T.
Howard Duckett, president of the
Prince Georges Bank g. Trust Co.,
chairman; William A. Carson, pres.
ident Of the Board Of County Com
missioners; State Senator L. Harold
Sothoron, Maj. Brown, Irwin I.
Main, chairman of the Maryland
National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission: Attorneys Louis
Lebowitz of Mount Rainier and
George T. Burroughs of Upper
Marlboro and Don O'Reilly, pub
licity director for the Washington
Suburban Sanitary Con,roieeior