Evening star., 1948-11-10
Murder Charge
HoIdsGun0wner
|nDoubIe Killing
Thomos Edwards, q,
Linked to Glen Burnie
Case by Weapon Used
BULLETIN

maryland ponce announced
today filing of murder charges
against Thomas Alexander
Edwards, %, colored, of near
Glen Burnie, for the Staying of
John H. Mahlan, Is, and Miss
Mary c. Kline, 18, nearly two
months ago.
A statement signed by Coun-
ty Police Chief John H. Souers,
jr., and other Maryland police
officers said they were con-
vinced beyond a reasonable
shadow of doubt that the
murders were committed by
Edwards"
A warrant charging murder
was sworn out against Edwards
before Magistrate David Dun
ker at Ferndale.
BalliStics tests by the FBI have
proved that a gun owned by
man now in custody fired the
bullets that killed a young Glen
Burnie couple nearly two months
ago, it was learned today.
High Maryland officials, includ-
ing Gov. Lane, expressed confidence
that this and other evidence PROM
ised to break wide open the baffling
murder of John H. Mahlan, 25-
year-old postal clerk, and his pretty
stenographer friend, Miss Mary c.
Kline, 18.
Held at the State Police barracks
in Waterloo were four colored
brothers arrested in the vicinity Of
the Anne Arundel County town
where the victims lived.
Dictaphone Reported Used.
County Police Chief John H.
Souers, jr., revealed that one OF
the brothers was arrested Monday
night. He was locked up in a cell
next to an ex-convict now serving.
the State as an informer. During
the night, as they talked, a dicta-
phone recorded their conversation.
Yesterday morning police went to
the prisoners home near Freetown,
a colored community half a mile
from the place where Mr.. Mahlan's
bloodstained automobile was found
September 18. Behind stacked-up
canned goods in a living room cup
board, they found the foreign-make
pistol now identified as the murder
weapon.
Taken to the FBI for scientific
tests. the pistol was first recognized
as the same type as that which fired
the fatal bullets. Police have never
revealed the exact caliber of the
weapon, but have said it Is larger
than a 80 and smaller than a 80.
The calibre is not unusual in foreign
firearms, but Is uncommon in this
country.
Markings on Slugs Check.
Police were informed that mark
ings on the slugs found in the heads
of both victims were unmistakably
made by the pistol found at Free
town.
The FBI reported the weapon had
a mechanical defect which scratched
the bullets as they were transferred
from the magazine to the chamber.
The weapon was identified as .380-
caliber Czechoslovakian make.
Detectives said efforts apparently
had been made to destroy the pistols
riflng with a file.
Discovery of the pistol prompted
police to arrest the three brothers,
two of whom live in Freetown. Last
night all four were removed to
Waterloo for extensive questioning
by James C. Morton, jr, Anne Arun-
del County States attorney; Chief
Souers and 1t. George Bryan. head
of the Baltimore homicide squad.
Later. after Louis j. ODonnell,
assistant to Gov. Lane, went to the
State police station to confer with
officers, the Governor said he was
confident authorities have come to
the end of this case"
Chief Souers said three of the
brothers held were not under sus-
plclon, but merely were being queS-
toned.
Owner Tells of Purchase.
Police quoted the owner of the
pistol as saying he bought it from
soldier several months ago and
that he kept it in car which he
loaned to a brother living in Balti-
more on September IS. When the
car was returned to him September
81 or 20, four or five days after the
murders, the gun was missing, the
prisoner said.
Police also we're told that four
shells were missing from a clip Of
(See GLEN BURNIE, Page A-5J
Hurricane Nearscna1