Evening star., 1949-02-08
.Watc1man Tells
OF Mystery Car
In Murder Area
Closing Arguments
May Begin Today in
Trial of Edwards
By W. H. Shippen, Jr.


Sfor Sfoff correspondent
BALTIMORE, Feb. 8.-Closine
arguments probably will begin to.
day in the trial of Thomas A
Edwards, accused of numbering 6
young couple near Glen Burnie
last September.
Final defense testimony for the
23-year-old colored defendant was
featured by the story of a night
watchman about a mysterious
automobile he saw near the clear
ing. where a passerby later found
the bodies.
Samuel T. Dodson. employed by
plant which turns out gravel
topping for roads. told the three
judges of what he saw on the night
that John H. Mahlan, Is, postal
employe, was shot to death, along
with his companion. 18-year-old
Mary C. Kline.
Mr. Dodson said his plant is
located not far from the small
clearing off Chesterfield road
where the bodies were discovered
White Man Driving Car.
Trying to discredit a full con-
fession signed by Edwards last
November, defense counsel offered
Mr.. Dobson to say that he saw a
four door, black sedan pass his
plant at 11:45 pm. September II
the night of the murder. He said
the car turned in the direction OF
a gravel pit on the grounds ano
that he was able to see by the
lights in front of the plant that
the car was driven by white mar
and another man was slumpec
down in the front seat.
Mr.. Dobson said the car left
almost Immediately and that two
hours later similar automobile
appeared at the same place. He
saw only one man in the car al
this time. he testified. and wher
he shouted at him. the man drove
away at high speed. He said that
rag apparently had been hung
over the license.
The witness said that the next
morning. as he was passing alone
Chesterfield road, he saw a mar
standing near point where hi
later learned the bodies were
found. He described the man a!
being small and light of weight
The night watchman said tha'
after he learned that two bodie!
had been found near this spot
he reported his observations tt
police.
Detailed Confession Admitted.
The three judges. trying thu
case after Edwards waived hi.
right to jury trial have admitted
a confession, in which the de.
fendant told in detail how hi
committed the dual murder ane
dumped the bodies in a field be.
fore driving away in the deae
mans automobile.
States evidence to back up thu
confession consists in part Of
FBI ballistics testimony that tht
firing pin of a CZechoslovakiar
automatic found in Edwards
home was the same which ex.
ploded a shell later discovered
near the girls body. The bullets
taken from the bodies also were
of the same foreign make anc
caliber. it was testified.
Baltimore, Anne Arundel Coun.
ty and Maryland State Police as
signed to the case have testified
no pressure was brought to beal
against Edwards. prior to his con.
fession, nor was the suspect Of.
fered any inducement before hi
signed the document.
Edwards Friends Testify.
The fight in Edwards behal
has been led by Attorney William
j. McWilliams. a former Maryland
judge who was appointed by tn,
court to defend Edwards.
Neighbors, friends and relatives
of Edwards yesterday described
him as a good-natured. happy-go
lucky youth, who usually worked
six days a week and "neithe:
smoked nor drank"
Several attempts to give him al
alibi might or might not hav,
helped to clear him. A colores
couple. who placed him at a ba,
and pool hall between 1870 ant
midnight on the night of the mur'
der, were talking about a plac,
not more than 2 or 3 miles from
the spot where the murder cal
had been abandoned.
The State contends that Ed.
wards own statement and that o.
various witnesses places the time
of the murder approximately be.
tween 10 pm. and midnight.