Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-05-15

McCielland. MeClelland, 10, a
former carnival cook. They said
there appeared to be one discrep-
ancy in the confession.
Mr.. and Mrs. May were shot by
a hitchhiker they befriended as they
were returning to Alexandria from
Colorado vacation.
According to Warden Roy Best
of the Colorado prison at Canon
City, McClelland admitted MUIR
dering and robbing Mr.. and Mrs.
May and said he confessed because
his conscience bothered him. The
youth is serving a two-year term
for passing worthless check in
an automobile purchase.
Says He Took $500.
McClelland was quoted as saying
he took $500 from the bodies of
Mr.. and Mrs. May before he threw
them from the May automobile.
In Omaha, a spokesman for Doug
las County Attorney James Fitz-
gerald said the couple was not
carrying that large a sum.
McClelland was questioned last
week after authorities in Douglas
County, Nebr.. received red hot
tip on the murders of Mr.. and Mrs.
May. He denied his guilt and &C
cused another man but the officials
listed him as definite suspect.
They said that he knew details of
the case which had never been
made public and that he failed
lie detector test
Mr.. Best said the convict sent for
him and told this story:
Mr.. and Mrs. May, who were re-
turning to Alexandria after visiting
Mrs. Mays relatives in Englewood,
Colo, gave him a ride near Brandon,
Nebr., about 8 miles from the Colo
RADIO line. He was in the rear seat
of the car.
After they had driven some dis
lance, McClelland pulled revolver
from a pocket and shot both Mr.. and
Mrs. May. He moved under the
wheel and dumped the Mays bodies
in the back of the automobile.
Hid Bodies Near Boys Town.
McClelland drove on while. then
robbed the bodies of his benefactors
of $500 in cash and an undetermined
number of travellers checks. He hid
the bodies in clurnp OF shruobery
near Boys Town, Nebr.
Driving to the outskirts of Omaha.
he abandoned the automobile and
took a streetcar into town. Finally
McCleiland went to Council Bluffs.
Iowa, where he hung around all
day." He said he learned from a
newspaper that both the bodies and
the automobile had been discovered.
McClelland said he got job with
carnival and worked for several
DAYS in Omaha and Council Bluffs.
He moved through Arkansas snd
Missouri and went to Texas later
last fall Joining another carnival,
he subsequently returned to North
ern Colorado, where he was arrested
on the check charge.
Notified of the confession, the
Omaha authorities said they would
proceed Immediately to Canon City
to talk again with the youth.
Straitjacket Required.
Normally, McClelland would serve
out the Colorado sentence before
being released to Nebraska. Warden
Best said he could rot be extradited
Immediately unless the Governor Of
Colorado grants special permission
Nebraska has not yet made such a
request.
The warden said since his i'm
prisonment McClelland had suffered
from nervous commissions and that
on three occasions Straitjacket had
been used to control him. Although
the youth never attempted suicide,
Mr.. Best said, he had suicidal
intent"
Grandfather Expresses Relief.
Mr.. May, %, was member of the
family which owns the Alexandria,
Bancroft & Washington Transit Co.
At the time of his death he was as
ISOLATED with the utility's public re-
rations department.
Robert L. May, his grandfather.
who owns the busline, said today
that the family is much relieved"
to learn that progress has been
made toward solution of the case.
He said he and his son, Beverly C..
May, expected to go to Nebraska
and Colorado after they have Of
fetal verifcatioh that McClelland
will be tried.
Mrs. May %, was the former Miss
Betty Piele, an employe OF the
transit concern Her parents, Mr..
and Mrs. Harry M. Piele, and a
sister live at 1888 South Columbus
street, darlington.