Evening star., 1948-05-16
MayKi|IingCo Confession
Checks, Official Says;
Robbery Not Motive

A 19-year-old Colorado pris-
oner who has confessed murder
ing a young Alexandria couple,
Mr.. and Mrs. Robert Lee May II,
in Douglas County, Nebr., last
August, will be charged with
the crimes because "his story
checks out in every important
detail" the county prosecutor,
James Fitzgerald, said last night.
Mr.. Fitzgerald said new details
confessed by the prisoner last night
revealed that the motive for the
killings was not robbery, but fear
when Mr.. May threatened to take
the youth to a police station.
Mr.. Fitzgerald made his statement
by telephone to The Star while still
at the Colorado prison at Canon
City Immediately after a two-hour
talk with Charles McClelland,
former carnival cook who is serving
two years for passing worthless
check.
Couple was yacationing.
Mr.. May, %, member of the
family which owns the Alexandria,
Bancroft and Washington Transit
Co., and his bride. the former Miss
Betty Piele, also %, were shot while
returning to Alexandria from visit
with her relatives in Englewood,
Colo, a Denver suburb. Their bodies
were found August % in clump OF
bushes about II miles from Omaha
and 21z miles west of Boys Town.
McClelland denied the crimes
when questioned last week but
Friday he sent for Warden Roy
Best of the Colorado institution
and confessed, Mr.. Fitzgerald said.
The only major discrepancy in
the confession was that McClelland
said he robbed the young couple
of S298 and Mrs. Mays relatives
in Colorado had indicated earlier
that they we're not carrying that
much money.
Only One Man Held Involved.
Mr.. Fitzgerald said that item was
"hard to check" adding he was "un-
impressed" with the discrepancy.
The attorney said earlier reports
that McClelland had accused an
other man of the shootings was in
correct. He said McClelland is the
only one involved.
Mr.. Fitzgerald said in his con-
fession, McClelland said he was
drunk when the Mays picked him
up near Brandon, Nebr, but they
did not notice it at first. After
while, according to the confession
as related by Mr.. Fitzgerald, Mr..
May said:
You are either very drunk or sick
and the place for you is the police
station and that is where I am
taking you
When Mr. May spoke, McClelland
Is said to have drawn a revolver
from his inside breast pocket. Then
Mr.. May is said to have declared:
"Oh, no you don't" and pulled the
car off the side of the highway,
opened the door and started to get
out.
Shooting Is Described.
Then, according to the confession,
McClelland shot Mr.. May. At that
point, Mrs. May screamed and tried
to get out Of the car and McClelland
shot her, Mr. Fitzgerald quoted the
youth as saying.
The attorney said McCleland ex-
planned that the reason he shot Mr.
May was because-he (McClellandD |
had a long record, was wanted at
several places and could not face a
police investigation.
After he shot the couple, Mr..
Fitzgerald quoted him as saying, he
decided to 60 "all the way" and took
the cash. Mr.. Mays hillfold and
some travellers checks.
Statements Reiterated.
In the confession he is said to-
have reiterated statements made to
Warden Best that he dumped the
bodies in the back of the car, drove
to where he hid them in the bushes,
then went further and abandoned
the car on the outskirts OF Omaha.
He said last night that he dumped
the gun, which he had stolen from
a concession at carnival in which
he had worked. Mr.. Mays billfold
and the travellers checks in canyon
on the outskirts of Pecos, Tex, Mr..
Fitzgerald stated.
Mr.. Fitzgerald said he will request
Colorado officials to take McCelland