Evening star., 1948-12-03
Shooting
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Shooting
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the bedroom into the front room
and whispered for the youth to tele-
uhone the police. He did this at
q; nearby drug store, he said.
When he returned to the apart
ment, he heard the adult couple
arguing, and later he saw his sister,
Mrs. Golden, admit the two police
men.
IT heard her say, Don't come in;
Mr.. Wilkerson has gun and will
shoot you," young Armstrong said
Saw Police Enter Room.
Then the police grabbed her arm
and pushed her aside. They opened
the door and Wilkerson fred, Dom
aid said.
Mrs. Golden told substantially
the same story. She and hel
mother had known Wilkerson about
four years and he had often threat
ened them when he was drinking
and causing trouble, she said.
After she admitted the police, she
saw them break through hook
that fastened the door.
Bob CWilkerson) shot first" she
told the coroner's jury. Then the
policeman who was killed fired and
then fell down"
Inquest Is Continued.
Assistant Coroner Richard M
Rosenberg said tests were being
made to determine whether Wilker-
son died from shots fired by Corpl.
Beacham or Pvt. Womble The in
quest was continued pending ballis-
tics reports.
Detective Sergt. John X. Baker of
the homicide squad testified that
Mrs. Armstrong told him she mot
Wilkerson about noon Yesterday
when he called her up from q Silver
Spring construction project and said
he wanted to talk everything over.
Mrs. Armstrong told him they
rode a streetcar downtown and sat
in park until about 6 pan. when
they took another streetcar and
went to her home. Sergt. Baker said.
When she met Wilkerson, he was
drunk, she added, although he had
told her over the telephone that he
had quit drinking.
Policemen Fire 7 Times.
In his written report, Pvt. Womble
told how the two policemen ap-
preached the door with drawn re-
volvers Corpl Beacham tried the
door. found it locked and kicked at
It once. 1t few open.
Wilkerson was standing in the
northwest corner of the room, 10
feet away He was dressed in dun
garees and undershirt and was shoe
less. He pointed a ~ gauge shot
gun, which Mrs. Golden said mad
been in the Armstrong family "for
years" and fired
The blast caught Corpl. Beacham
above the heart, and as he fell back
into Pvt. Womble'S arms, he fired
twice. Pvt. Womble fired five times.
One shot struck Wilkerson just be-
low the chest and the other just
below the nose, ranging upward.
Wilkerson fell face down across the
bed.
During the battle, Mrs. Armstrong
had escaped from the room un-
harmed Pvt. Womble heard Corpl.
Beacfam ask for help and left to
call an ambulance. Both Corpl.
Beacham and Wilkerson were pro-
pounced dead before 10 pm. by DR..
Thomas Blake, Health Department
physician.
Riot Squad Call Planned.
In the moments leading up to the
shooting, excitement had built up to
a roaring pitch. The police radio
hummed with instructions, advising
caution. A report spread that Will
kerson was armed and had barri-
csded himself in the bedroom with
Mrs. Armstrong. All available mo-
torcycle policemen and cruisers were
rushed to the scene.
Aroused by screaming sirens from
scores of police vehicles, hundreds
of neighbors pushed into the vicin-
ity. held back only by police lines.
Before it developed Wilkerson was
dead, there were visions of routing
him with tear gas. Plans were pro-
ceeding to mobilize the heavily
armed riot squad for an assault on
the apartment.
Shortly after the shooting, Com
missioner John Russell Young ar
rived, as did Assistant Police Supt.
Floyd A. Truscott and Inspector
Oscar J. Letterman.
After viewing the bodies, Commits
sioner Young said it was a tragic
thing" and that he knew Corpl
Beacham personally.
Inquest Set for Today.
In the apartment during the
shooting were Mrs. Golden and Mrs.
Armstrong; other children. Donald
and Kenneth, 13, and friend Of
the boys, Howard Hubscher, Is, OF
1855 Penn street NE.
Mrs. Armstrong, near collapse,
was taken to the Women's Bureau
SIlu ldIcl W IlCduH0o4 VS@S Ava H3Sc
tioning last night.
Had Threatened to Burn Home.
The police were called in on Wilk-
erson by Mrs. Armstrong as early
as last February, but the most ex-
citement before last night took
place August 10.
On that night, Mrs. Armstrong
had told police that Wilkerson was
threatening to burn her home with
10 gallons of gasoline he had in
his car. Setting a trap for him
Pvts. Womble and Swank parked
their cruiser at the corner of Mon
tello avenue and Queen street.
About 3 am, they saw Wilkerson
drive up, But he also saw the po-
lice. and driving over curb, sent