Evening star., 1950-04-10
Police Work on Theory
Killers Were LOOKING
For Cashier's S Key

For Cashiers S Key
Police are working on the
theory the killers of the two
Lansburgh & Bro. Department
Store watchmen were trying to
locate the key to the store CASH
iers cage. it was learned today.
Lending some substance to that
theory is the fact that apparently
fresh jimmy marks were found on
a window leading into the mez-
canine floor room where the
cashiers cage is located.
Police believe the killers did
get into the room through an un-
locked window but found the
inner door to the cage locked and
went after the key.
One of the victims. John c. Car
penter. 66. Of sos G street S.W..
had removed the cash bags from
the cashiers cage earlier in the
evening while the room was being
cleaned. according to police. Later
he returned the bags to the cage
and they were still there. undis-
turbed. when police checked after
the double murder.
Victims Pockets Searched.
Police theorized that the killers
might have thought Mr.. Carpenter
still had the key in his possession
and killed him to get 1t. His
pockets had been ransacked.
The killers. however. did not
get the key. 1t was hanging on
a board in the watchmen's head
quarters when police arrived.
Under this theory, the other
victim. Oliver E. Hess. 81. Of
1924 Massachusetts, avenue NV.
might have been killed simply to
get him out Of the way.
Police have not revealed how
much money actually had been
left in the cashiers cage over
night but they said the cash
bags contained only silver.
Although inclining toward the
robbery motive. the police have
not turned their back on other
Notwithstanding mistaken
identity.
Not Scheduled to Work.
The two night watchmen were
not scheduled to work last Thurs
day night-the night they were
killed. The illness of one of the
men scheduled to work that night
had caused a shift In assign
ments.
So police have looked into the
possibility that the killers am
bushed the wrong men. from their
point of view.
Mr.. Hess was killed when he
stepped out of the freight eleva-
tor on the sixth floor as he was
making his nightly round. He
was stabbed so quickly he didn't
have a chance to pull his gun. -
The killers. according to the
mistaken identity theory. would
not have known which watchman
was coming up in the elevator and
took no time to identify him as
the elevator door opened.
Friends of the watchmen sched-
uled to be on duty that night have
been questioned and police have
traced back into their personal
lives for the last several years in
search of some one they might
have had trouble with.
More Than 200 Questioned.
Police have already questioned
more than 200 persons in search
of one tangible clue. They have
talked with persons who did not
report for work on Friday, persons
who left the stores employ Fri
day and present and former en-
ployes with criminal records.
When questioning of employees
was resumed today, eight women
were called to the store managers
office and questioned simultane-
ously BY 1t. Michael Mahaney Of
the Safe Squad.
The women employees answered
questions for approximately 40
minutes. 1t. Mahaney also sent
for various personnel records.
At least 100 reports of blood
stained clothing have been
checked. Men on the beat or
squad car patrolmen have made
these checks at the laundries.
Where clothing has looked at all
suspicious. Homicide Squad men
have gone to the owners to get
an explanation of the blood. And
that has meant going to second
and perhaps third parties to get
confirmation of the story.
Every one on duty in the store
the night of the murder has come
in for intensive questioning. These
include four colored men working
in the cleaning department from
6 to 10 pm, six colored men held
over from the day shift and work.
ing in the basement until shortly
before 10 pm. three white men
working late. an assistant engi-
neer with two eolored helpers
and the two ironworkers who dis
covered Mr.. Carpenters body and
summoned police.
Items found at the scene Of the
murders are being subjected to
detailed analysis, police reported.
There's the 8-foot sash cord
that was tied to Mr.. Carpenters
left ankle and looped over his
other leg. Police said 1t appears
to show no distinguishing marks
and is OF the type that could be
bought at many places but ne
FBI Is studying it to see II it has
any unusual feature that would
limit the number Of sources.