Evening star., 1950-08-18
Policemen Exonerafed
At Inquest in Staying
OF Hammer-WieIder

Two policemen involved in the
Staying Of a hammer welding man
were back on the active duty list
today, after being exonerated by
a coroner's jury, which returned
q verdict Of justifiable homicide
yesterday.
The policemen, Pvts. Milton N.
Stottlemyer and William H.
Sampson Of No. / Precinct, fired
a total of five shots at Edward
Deans, So, colored, during a melee
in the 400 block of Massachusetts
avenue NV, Wednesday night.
Pvt. Stottlemyer, who was
struck on the head by Deans,
was to report to the Police De-
partment clinic today for a
routine examination. He spent
Wednesday night in Emergency
Hospital. Pvt. Sampson was
given q days leave yesterday to-
rest, after working most OF
Wednesday night on the case. He
was to report for duty today.
Underwent Mental Test.
1t was disclosed yesterday that
Deans, who lived in the same
house as Edward Randolph, 4,
and his mother had been COM
mitted to Gallinger Hospital
twice in less than a year for
mental observation. Each time he
was released after a hearing
before the Commission on Mental
Health, it was said.
The inquest was held at the
Morgue, with Deputy Coroner
Christopher ]. Murphy and the
coroner'S jury hearing the testi-
mony Of policemen and some
other residents of the MasSachu-
sets avenue house.
After 20 minutes deliberation,
the panel returned the verdict
of justifiable homicide, explaining
that the officers used their guns
in defense of their own lives.
First to take the stand was Pvt.
Sampson. He related how he and
Pvt. Stottlemyer, riding in a pa
troll wagon. were hailed by Mrs.
Randolph, colored, who told them
Deans was running wild in the
house with a hammer and had
already struck her.
Sons Head Found Bloody.
When the police entered, ac-
cording to their testimony, they
saw her son lying on the floor Of
the basement quarters, his head
bloody, and Deans standing over
him brandishing the hammer.
The officers said they called to
Deans to drop the hammer, but
instead Deans at once started to
attack the policemen. The Off
GERS fired before they reached
Deans, but as all fell to the floor,
the hammer struck Pvt. Stottle-
myer. The blow was cushioned by
the peak on the officers cap.
Pvt. Sampson told the jury he
fired three shots and that Pvt.
Stottlemyer fired twice. Four Of
the bullets took effect. The shot
that caused death struck Deans in
the left chest, according to the
coroner'S report.
Pvt. Stottlemyer gave the same
testimony as Pvt. Sampson, up to
the point where he was struck by
the hammer. After that, Pvt.
StottIemyer testified, he became
dazed and could not recall what
happened, except that he fired his
gun.
Others Fled House.
Other testimony came from
some neighbors in the house. They
said Deans also attempted to at
tack them with the hammer. as
he ran berSerk, and that he chased
one neighbor through an alley,
when they all fed the house.
Police said one Of Deans mental
cases occurred in November. 1949.
when he told officers at No. IA
Precinct Station that a man
wanted to kill him. He asked
police to go outside to his car and
pointed out non-existent "assail-
ant" in the back seat. Authorities
later ruled that Deans had re-
covered from his mental aberra-
ton and he was discharged on his
own responsibility.
The child is still in serious con-
dition in Casualty Hospital with
head injuries. His mother also is
there with similar injuries, but
attendants said her condition is
a~AI