Evening star., 1949-09-09
'Unruh Threatened
Mother Just Before
Killings, She Says
By the Associofsd Press


By the A.soeiotsd Press
CAMDEN, N. j.. Sept. 8. -
Howard B. Unruh lifted a wrench
over his head in gesture threat
ening his mother a few minutes
before the Commute tour in
which he killed 13 persons, it was
reported today.
Mrs. Freda Unruh. eart-broken
mother of the 28-year-old Bible
reading slayer. related the Incl
dent to her brother, Fire Capt.
Robert Wonsetler.
A Philadelphia Evening Bulletin
reporter standing in the doorway
of a bedroom watchedrMrs. Unruh
talk to Capt. Wonsetler, who re-
layed her answers.
This is the story he received:
Tuesday morning, not long be-
fore the worst mass killing in
American police annals, Howard
had been in the basement of his
home on River road. He had a
target range there. When he re-
turned to the second-floor apart
ment he was carrying a black
wrench.
Says Face Was Blank.
Howard was in the living room
when Mrs. Unruh entered. Hear
ing her, he turned quickly and
raised the wrench. His face was
blank. He did not appear to rec
ognize his mother. And she drew
back, frightened.
Howard" she said you
you can't do this to me-"
He did not attempt to harm
her and she ran quickly to the
nearby home of her friend. Mrs.
Caroline Pinner. She was still
there when the first shots rang out
as Howard began the door-to-door
trip during which he shot and
killed five men. five women and
three boys.
Three other persons were
wounded.
Mrs. Unruh, under a doctors S
care since that time, was told
only yesterday the full story Of
her sons killings. Pale and
weak, she wept as she talked to
Capt. Wonsetler.
Victim Urges Fair Trial.
"AH these people these poor
people," she murmured. Il know
how they feel"
How does she feel now about
Howard?
"Yes, he's my son, but these
poor families ."
A 16-year-old boy wounded in
the River Road massacre said to-
day Unruh should be given "a
fair trial.
His left arm IN a sling as a
result of his brush with the killer,
Almond Harrie was released from
Cooper Hospital yesterday follow
ing treatment for a flesh wound.
Almonds mother and one other
person also we're wounded in the
furry of gunf1re which brought
death to five men. five women and
three young boys last Tuesday.
"The guy is entitled to a fair
trial, even in this case with so
many dead" said Almond, who
will be II years old tomorrow.
Although a neighbor Of Unruh
Almond said Il didn't know him
to speak, to. really"
Never Had Quarrel.
"Once in a while we'd say hello
bue never had a conversation. .
he added. HE never had a quar-
rel with us-never had q reason
TO-"
Authorities are keeping Unruh
under heavy guard in bare, tiny
isolation cell at Trenton State
Hospital for the insane.
He is awaiting the start Of ex-
tensive medical and psychiatric
tests. which may require as long
as eight weeks.
DR.. Robert S. CARRIER. assistant
director of the hospital. emphat-
ically denied reports that he or
any other psychiatrist had de-
scribed Unruh as sane. Reports
on the prisoners mental condition
will be submitted only Ito the
proper authorities at the proper
time" DR.. CARRIER added.
Meanwhile, the grief-stricken
families Of 10 victims prepared to
bury their dead today.
However, relatives Of Maurice
Cohen, River road druggist. who
was slain together with his wife
and mother, postponed thei1
funerals until Monday in the hope
that the dead couples elder son,
Leonard, would arrive here from
Tokyo in time. The Army private
is being flown here in a Bit.