Evening star., 1950-04-08
DefiniteSuspect
Still Lacking in
Store Murders
Two Porters Are Held
For Investigation;
120 Persons Quizzed

TOllCe lacked single Qen0lCe
suspect today in the Good Friday
murders of two night watchmen at
the Lansburgh Department Store,
but two men were being held and
several others were kept under
surveillance" while police checked
their alibis.
One of the two in custody, it
was learned, was a colored former
store porter seen in the store
Thursday and known to be dope
addict with shoplifting record.
Police said they were suspicious
enough of this man and his BROTH
er to hold them for investigation,
but they were not classed as def
mite suspects.
Victims of the knife slayings
were John C. Carpenter, 66, of
506 G street S.W., and Oliver r.
Hess, 81, of 1924 Massachusetts,
avenue NV.
More Employees Questioned.
Operating on the theory that
the killer or killers were familiar
with the store layout, detectives
today resumed their questioning
Of present and past store employees.
The questioning centers on
whether these employees noticed
anything suspicious or have any
knowledge that might provide
some clue to motives for the dou-
BILE murder.
So far more than 120 persons
have been questioned in the in
tenslve manhunt. The two still in
custody are aged 81 and 20 and
listed as porters. Only one of the
two formerly worked in the store,
police said.
Most of today's questioning was
going on behind the closed doors
of the Homicide Squad, to which
a parade of men and women was
summoned.
Five detectives, however, were
closeted for some time with the
store manager. Herman L. Neu-
gass, in the stores executive
Offices.
Possible Leads Run Down.
Other detectives, drawn from
most Of the squads, were on the
street running down possible leads
gathered from the questioning of
employees.
Capt. Robert v. Murray, assist
ant chief of detectives, said one
Of the stories under Investigation
was that furnished police by Mr..
Carpenters roommate, Harold
Minteer. painter.
Mr.. Minteer said Mr.. Carpenter
told him several months ago that
a colored employe assigned to
check employees out of the store
at the end of the day had anita
gonized some of the watchmen
by overstepping his authority and
Mr.. Carpenter had reprimanded
him.
Fingerprints Reported Found.
AS the manhunt went into it's
second day, there were reports
that a set Of fingerprints had
been found on Mr., Hess shoe.
Police declined to confirm or deny
that.
There were indications, how
ever, that the police believe more
than one man was responsible for
the brutal stabbing of the two
watchmen.
1t. Richard Felber, acting head
Of the Homicide Squad, dis
counted the theory that the killer
or killers gained entry through
an unlocked kitchen window on
the stores mezzanine floor.
He implied it was more likely
that an employe or an intruder
remained in the store after closing
hour Thursday.
Believed Ransacking Store.
Police were working on this
theory of how the double crimes
were committed:
They believe the killer or killers
were ransacking the sixth floor of
the store when Mr.. Hess came up
in the freight elevator on his
nightly round.
The intruders heard the eleva-
TOR coming and were ready for
(See MURDERS, Page A-3)