Evening star., 1951-11-18
Former Convict
With
Murder Of Clerk
Admits Beating
Sweetheart Here:
Has Long Record

y
told where the nude body of his
sweetheart could be found after
Islashing his throat and wrists, was
being held on a murder charge
last night while police checked
his signed confession.
Meanwhile, an autopsy revealed
that Miss Leslie Ann (Pete) Sut-
ton, 35. attractive dime store clerk,
died of a ruptured heart, cerebral
conclusion, hemorrhage and Shock.
Her body was found yesterday
morning in her blood-stained
apartment at 624 Fifteenth street
NE, which police said she shared
with William Earl Barden, whose
record reveals % arrests here since
1914.
Barden was arranged in Mu-
nicipal Court yesterday and held
without bail pending a further
hearing on December z.
Police quote him as saying Miss
Sutton died after he struck her
with his fist early yesterday and
she fell against a stone wall in
front of their home.
Carried Her Inside.
In his statement, it was said,
Barden declared he carried the
semiconscious woman into her
apartment. placed her in bed and
removed her clothing.
When he discovered Miss Sut-
ton was dead. he said. he at
tempted to kill himself by cutting
his wrists and throat with safety
razor blade and a pairing knife.
His wounds proved to be super
fetal, police said. but probably &C
counted for the blood in the apart
ment and on the body.
Barden's story that Miss Sut-
ton was injured outside the apart
Iment has been partly confirmed.
according to Inspector Edgar
Scott, chief of the Homicide Squad
After slashing himself. police
said, Barden walked about IL
blocks to the home of his father.
William Edward Barden. at IT'S
Tenth street Sc, where he told
his story. He persuaded a roomer.
STANLEY Maske, to walk back to
the apartment to confirm his
words.
Decide to Call Police.
1t. John Baker of the Homi-
eide Squad said Mr.. Maske told
him that after seeing the body
he returned to the home of Bar
den's father, where the three men
decided to, call police.
!. The father and Mr.. Maske went
into the street and hailed a pass
ing scout car from the Fifth pre-
clnct. Pvts. Edward Norwood and
James w. Reeves sped to Miss
Sutton's apartment while Bar
den remained with his father.
Police entered the dead woman's
apartment about Sis am. Near
where she lay in bed was paper
backed murder mystery entitled,
The Body" on which Barden had
scrawled a few words indicating
he would kill himself.
The note, according to Inspector
Scott. was a statement by Barden
that he had hat his sweetheart and
was afraid I have killed her"
The first officers to arrive in
the apartment returned to the
home of Barden's father. where
they found the son seated in a
chair and still bleeding from his
wounds, they said. They took
Barden to Gallinger Hospital,
where he was treated and turned
over to headquarters detectives.
Says She Accused Him.
Barden told investigators. they
said, he had been living with
Miss Sutton in her apartment
for several months. On Friday
night they were drinking in a tav-
ern in the 1900 block of H street
NE. when a quarrel developed.
Barden was quoted as saying
Miss Sutton accused him of 60
ing out with other women. They |
left the tavern about l am. and
as they approached the apart
ment the argument grew more
heated. Barden was said to have
knocked the woman to the side
walk.
Miss Sutton had been employed
in a Acknowledgement store in
the Northeast section. Police no
titled brother and sister, Ben
H. Sutton and Mrs. Kyle Elliott,
of the 200 block of Eighth street
Sc. Her mother is said to be
living in Florida.
Separated From Husband.
Miss Sutton, police were told,
resumed her maiden name after
separation three years ago from
her husband, who is said to be
living in Texas.
Barden's record shows frequent
arrests on drunk and disorderly
and more serious charges.
Some of the latter involved as
|sault upon policemen and women.
On August 4 he was arrested in a
tavern in the 1900 block of H
street NE. on two charges of
assault with dangerous weapon.
and one charge of possession of
ia pistol.
He was sentenced to 80 days in
jail by Judge Nadine Gallagher.
In 1912, Barden's record shows,
he was sentenced to two years
imprisonment for assaulting a.
non commissioned officer at Fort
|Leavenworth, Kans.
Assault on Woman Listed.
In 1947 he was arrested on a
warrant charging threats and as
sault upon a woman, and the
charges later were holle pressed.
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