Evening star., 1949-01-31
) Robbery Suspects
Held in $4,000 Bond
After Seizure in Hotel

Three robbery suspects, one of
whom is accused of holding two
policemen at bay with a gun, were
held for the grand jury today in
$4,000 bond, each.
Only the fact that one of the
suspects recognized third police
man as an old acquaintance broke
up a tense moment yesterday in a
Washington hotel, where the police
men had gone in search of two girls
missing from their Arlington homes.
Amount of the bond was fixed by
Municipal Judge George D. Nelson
after Assistant United States At
torney Edward Cary had recon-
mended a s25,O0O figure for each
defendant.
Auto Charge Also Filed.
The three men held and charges
against them are:
John Franklin Young, "a, of the
$500 block Of Allentown road, Prince
Georges, three counts of robbery,
one of unauthorized use of an auto,
Richard Perry Sweet, "a, of the
1900 block of G street Sc. charged
with two counts of armed robbery,
two OF assault with intent to kill
and one of unauthorized use of an
auto.
Merle McMillen, "a, of the l4OO
block OF K street Sc, two counts
OF robbery, one count of unauthor-
lied use of an auto.
Parents Requested Aid.
The situation began building up in
the early morning hours when an
Arlington man and woman asked
District police to help locate their
daughters. aged 13 and IA.
A scout car containing the parents
and Sergt. Frank Barnard, Pvts.
Thomas H. Carpenter and Albert F.
Mode finally drove up to the Alton
Hotel in the 1000 block of E street
NV, where Pvt Carpenter remem-
bered seeing a girl answering the
description of one of the missing
pair.
The three policemen and the
missing girls mother entered the
hotel and started up the hotel stair
way when the manager, George
Croft, pointed to man coming
down the stair and shouted:
Stop that man, don't let him get
away"
With that, the girls mother
dropped back and Pvt. Carpenter
grabbed the suspect identified as
Young. The policeman took him
to the front door and turned him
over to Patrolman A. P. Scherl, who
had been patrolling nearby beat.
Recognizes Policeman.
Sergt. Barnard continued up the
stairway and was met at the
second-fioor landing by Sweet, the
sergeant said. The suspect pulled
an automatic from his pocket and
said he wanted no trouble, but
want to get out of here" Are you
going to let me out?" the police
man said he was asked.
At that point, Pvt. Mode came up
the stairway and was told by Sergt.
Barnard to stay where you are.
He has gum II
Pvt. Carpenter, returning from
the entrance. came up the stairway
and as Sweet saw him. the suspect
said, "Oh. it's YOU" lowered his gun
and snapped the safety catch. The
two had worked together for Cap
ital Transit Co. about 1916, Pvt. |
Carpenter said
The third mar was taken at his
home when police investigated
report that Sweets wife had come
to the hotel and had driven away !
after ne had told her that her hus-
band was I'm trouble" there.
81 Taken in Robbery.
Police say the three admitted rob-
hang hardware store and holding
up its owner, H. Ralph Pearson, at
3917 S. Capitol street, about lao
am. Sunday. Mr.. Pearson, retired
policeman, had gone to the store
about that hour to get some anti
freeze for his car, he said, and found
the three men in the store.
They forced him to open the cash
register, which contained nothing,
and then took his wallet containing
81, five boxes of cartridges and fled.
The car they used; police said, was
owned by Charles w. Robinson of
the 700 block of Ninth street Sc.