Evening star., 1950-12-18
Philadelphia Combed
For Sniper-SIayer;;
One Dead 6Wounded
BY the Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 18. -
Scores of police today hunted a
mysterious mad" sniper who has
killed one person and wounded
six others in the city's residential
Oak Lane section in the last six
weeks.
The manhunt-described as the
greatest in Philadelphia history
began late Saturday night after
a 28-year-old housewife was slain
by a gunman police believe re-
sponsible for six other shootings
in the area.
There's no doubt maniac is
on the loose" said one police
officer. "Only a madman could
have committed these acts"
He admitted police had few
clues. but said well stay on the
job until We get him.
Bullet Fired Through Window.
Mrs. Claire Cohen, wife of a
junior high school teacher and
mother Of two small children. was
killed by a bullet fired through
closed venetian blinds of a kitchen
while she was washing dishes.
Police said the killer apparently
fired from a terrace across the
street from the house since the
bullet entered the window, IL feet
above the ground. on level plane.
They said the man must have
seen shadows moving about be-
hind the Venetian blinds.
Last night the dimly lighted
Oak Lane area on the northwest
ern edge of the city was a de-
serted region.
Residents of the modest, middle
class neighborhood stayed inside
while 1870 policemen and SO aux
iliaries patrolled the streets. AT
least one policeman was assigned
to each block of the area.
People Afraid to Answer Door.
Few persons answered knocks
on the door or ringing of the
doorbell.
Mrs. Ann Fine, who answered
the doorbell after repeated rings
said: Certainly we are afraid tc
come to the door. A person is not
even safe in her own home. My
husband and I are not leaving
our house unless we must"
Mayor Bernard Samuel directed
Samuel Rosenberg. public safety
director. to use "every facility al
your command" to track down the
killer.
And Mr.. Rosenberg. in ordering
nearly 200 police officers to the
area. called up the greatest de-
ployment of policemen in an area
in this city's history in peacetime
Police disclosed that shortly be-
fore Mrs. Cohen was shot, a IT.
year-old youth. John Diener, was
fired at by a mysterious assailant
Missile Rips Through Coat.
Young Diener, waiting for a bus
with companion, Rudolph Heller
18, felt something whip through
the rear of his topcoat. An ex-
animation showed q bullet had
ripped through the back of the
coat.
The two youths told police they
saw a dark coupe speed away In
the direction of the house where
Mrs. Cohen was shot.
Mr.. Rosenberg said the descrip-
ton of the car matched reports
from some of the other victims o1
mysterious assaults. A police tele-
type identified the car as a late
model. dark-colored car with q
"sloping back" and "very shiny
license plates"
Mrs. Leah kaufman, mother o1
the slain Mrs. Cohen, told police
she and her daughter were wash.
ing the supper dishes shortly be.
fore 8 pm. Saturday when she
heard two shots.
She told police:
my daughter came screaming
to me and I asked her what was
the matter. She said: Something
burst inside me-"
Mrs. Cohen died an hour latel
at Jewish Hospital. A bullet en-.
tered her back a little above the
waist. Another hit the side o1
the house.