Evening star., 1950-04-09
z Slain Watchmen
May Have Hunted
Intruder, Police Say
Continued From First Page,

SAAk = A. Sk 1 osN'I
Oliver R. Hess. ST. Of 1924 Massa-
chusetts avenue NV.
The blood is to be typed for pos
sible future Identification pur-
poses.
FBI and police fingerprint files
also were being checked against
impressions found on the worn,
razor sharp boning knife which
had been plunged repeatedly into
the backs and chests of the two
watchmen.
Other fingerprints were found
on the shoes Of Mr.. Hess, pos
sibly left there when he was
dragged from the freight elevator
on the sixth floor by the assassin
who had lain in wait for him at
the landing.
Mr.. Hess obviously was mur-
dered first. since the knife was
found beside the partly-bound
and gagged body of Mr.. Carpenter
in the entry-way of the mems
room on the ground floor.
The long -bladed knife. which
had sharp point and honed-
down double edges all the way to
the hilt, had been chosen by the
murderer from a row of five
butcher knives racked above a
table in the kitchen of the tea
room on the second f1ocr.
The knife has been identified
by a cook who had sharpened
it the day before the murders.
The impressions could have been
made before the knife was stolen
from the unlocked kitchen, po-
lice said.
No plausible motive has been
established as yet. Two persons
who possibly could have harbored
a grudge against Mr.. Carpenter
during his employment have been
mentioned to police. One has been
questioned and eliminated, and
police are said to be seeking an
interview with the second.
Serious doubts have been raised
to the possibility that a robber
or robbers committed the crimes.
Many things point to the guilt of
someone familiar with the store,
yet such person could be ex-
pected to have made a better try
for loot.
Neither Victim Robbed.
Only two packages of cigarettes
were missing from the big store.
police reported, and evidence that
some file lockers and drawers had
been opened included nothing to
indicate an attempt to steal
money or jeWelry. Neither victim
was robbed.
The possibility that someone
with grudge waited for Mr.. Hess
on the dimly lighted upper floor
is discounted by the probability
that the murderer could not know
which watchman was coming up
on the elevator.
The two men alternated hourly
in patrolling the upper floors, and
neither was scheduled for duty
that night until the illness of an
other member of the staff caused
a change in assignments.
Yet Mr.. Hess undoubtedly was
killed by someone who sought him
out when he could have evaded
him in the offices. corridors or
show room on the upper floor.
Police were unable to learn of
anyone with grudge against Mr..
Hess. Both victims were popular
with fellow employees. police said.
Employees Interviewed.
While pre- Easter shoppers
thronged the great store yester-
day. detectives were in conference
with the manager and assistants
as they went over personnel files.
interviewed employees and sought
to reconstruct the security system
on the night of the murders.
Memories were searched and
records rechecked to learn if any
one had been seen in the store
that night in addition to the two
Watchmen and two metal workers
who happened to be repairing a
door on the street floor.
1t was one of the latter who
discovered Mr.. Carpenters body
at lis am. when he went to the
Washroom after finishing the re-
pair job. He had talked to him
only 80 minutes before.
Mr.. Hess recorded his progress
through the upper floors by check
ing in with an outside detective
agency at 1915 and punching his