Evening star., 1948-09-27
Stains Believed
Blood Give New
Staying Clue
Jealousy Considered
Again as Motive in
Glen Burnie Case

| found today IN a clump OF pine
trees near Glen Burnie, Md, giving
police a fresh lead in the murder
of John H. Mahlan, Is, and Mary
c. Kline, his 18-year-old friend.
Importance was attached to the
discovery because Mr.. Mahlan's
automobile had pine needles on the
running board and hood when found
10 days ago.
| Police Chief John H.. eouers OF
Anne Arundel County went to the
scene Immediately and directed dig
gilsg Of the stained soil, which will
be tested for blood Of the victims
types.
The pine grove is halfway between
Lipins Corner and the Ritchie high
way and about 2 miles from where
the killer abandoned Mr.. Mahlan's 8
automobile. S miles southeast of
Glen Burnie.
The bodies, both shot through
the head, were found last Monday
near the junction of Defense high
way and Chesterfield road, 6 miles
west of Annapolis. At that time
police theorized that the pine
needles on Mr.. Mahlan's car had
fallen from trees in the vicinity
Of the bodies.
Other Leads Cold.
| As other leads grew cold today,
Chief Souers said investigators had
returned to the once-discarded
theory that a jealous suitor may
have killed the former Navy war
veteran and red-haired Miss Kline.
At the request of Gov. Lane Of
Maryland. Baltimore and State
police officially Joined the search.
| 1t. Leo Kelley of the Baltimore
Detective Bureau was assigned to
the case.
At least one puzzling aspect OF
the case was eliminated from the
maze of contradictory and hazy
clues.
Police learned that a small boy
had left blood on the floor Of a
deserted house on Marley Greek
when he cut his foot. This exploded
the theory that one or both of the
victims had been killed at the house,
miles north of Mr.. Mahlan's aban-
doned car and about is miles from
the bodies.
This lent additional weight to one
theory that Mr.. Mahlan was killed
as he sat in the car and Miss Kline
limo civ hours later
Chief Souers said pathological
tests proving the girl had not been
raped gave rise to the jealous suitor
conjecture. So far police have un-
earthed nothing relevant from a
diary Miss Kline kept for three
years, he added.
Seven Are Cleared.
Investigators have not entirely
discarded the possibility the killer
was motivated by sex, Chief Souers
said. It also was recalled that Miss
Kline's purse, watch and bracelet
and Mr.. Mahlan's watch and wallet
we're missing.
Virtually cleared from suspicion
were seven young men arrested on a
charge of breaking into the Balti-
more Morgue last Tuesday.
The seven we're held today for
grand jury action in Baltimore, &C
cused of taking pictures OF Miss
Kline's body. Three of them, and
an eighth man who did not enter the
morgue, we're held on additional
charges of possessing obscene pic
lures of the body.
Baltimore police said one OF the
youths, ranging IN age from 18 to
% years. made seven prints of the
negative. giving one to each OF the
boys.
Boys Knew Miss Kline.
Questioned by Glen Burnie police,
one of the boys admitted he once
lived in Glen Burnie and knew Miss
Kline, but Chief Souers said he did
not believe any of the group was
involved in the crime.
! Chief Souers also placed no value
on all empty cartridge case brought
in by a man who said he found it
near the spot where the bodies
we're. 1t seemed to be of a foreign
make. smaller than a .38 but larger
than a 80 caliber pellet.
Three .38-caliber slugs were being
sent to the FBI in Washington to-
day for further examination. Bal
timore experts had been unable to
determine if they were fired from
the same gun.
Slugs Badly Damaged.
Two of the slugs. removed from
Miss Kline's head and the car, were
so damaged that county police
doubted if even FBI ballistics ex-
perts would learn if they came from
the same weapon. The third slug
was removed from Mr.. Mahlan's
head
Gov. Lane stepped up the in
vestigation yesterday when he con-
ferred in his Annapolis executive Of
fees for three hours with Col. Bev-
erly Ober, State police superintend-
ent; Hamilton r. Atkinson, Baltl-
more police commissioner; James c.
Mortor. jr. Anne Arundel's State S
attorney. and Chief Souers.
Commissioner Atkinson and Col
Ober agreed to place all their facili-
ties at Chief Souers' disposal, par
ticulariy the technical services.
Sawyer Asks Chest Support
By Commerce Employees