Evening star., 1951-12-18
Search Pressed
For Suspect in
Orange Killing
Farmers Report
Seeing Fugitive at
Rood Junction
By WiIIiom J. EIvin
Sior Staff CORRESPONDENT


sior Sioff Correspondent,
ORANGE. Va. Dec. Is. - State
and local police, spurred by
aroused citizens, secured Spot.
sylvania County farming area to-
day for a convicted murderer, who
Is suspected of killing a little &c.
year-old Storekeeper.
Uneasy farmers and business
men in the Orange-Culpeper.
|SpotSylvania area waited anx.
iouSly for word of progress in the
police hunt for the husky colored
man. Sterling Groom, Al.
Police believed they were clos
ing in on Groom just before dark
yesterday but late last night they
abandoned the search until day
break. Two farmers had reported
seeing a man they believed to be
Groom near the junction of Routes
622 and 1888, south of Spotsylvania
and 10 miles west of U. S
Route l.
No Evidence Linking Groom.
After learning of the death yes
terday of Jerry j. Bartholow. Win
ston merchant. and of reported
threat by Groom that he was "out
to get" three other persons, some
residents kept loaded guns beside
them.
Police stressed that they have
mo evidence linking Groom pCsi-
lively with the Staying of Mr..
Bartholow, whose nude body was
found yesterday behind a counter
of his store by a group of school,
children who were waiting for q
bus.
Sheriff B. Hood Wayland OF
Culpeper County this morning
called for more volunteers to
search the area. and asked author
tiles in adjoining Orange County
to round UP some searchers. Sher-
iff Wayland said his deputies
would lead the volunteers on a
door-to-door search of the area
near Winston because it is be-
lieved the killer has not gone far
The store and service station
operated by Mr.. Bartholow, and
the adjacent house where he lived
alone, are on Route 522 between
Culpeper and Unionville, about II
miles north of Orange.
DR.. Godfrey Mann, State medi-
can examiner. ruled in Richmond
that Mr.. Bartholow had been
strangled with the bare hands of
his assailant, struck on the face
and then stomped to the extent
that several ribs were broken.
Mr.. Bartholow's body was exam
ined In Richmond, where it had
been taken for an autopsy.
A son of Mr.. Bartholow, Ray
Of 3527 Edwin street.
Wheaton, Md, said his father
suffered blows at the back of the
head, on the right side of the face
and under the chin.
Hammer, Two Wrenches Found.
A .22-caliber rifle was found in
the house yesterday. but there was
no evidence that there had been
an intruder in the house, Ray
mond said. A strong-box contain
ing receipts from the store and
kept in the house was not touched
Another son. Paul, who rooms
at 6710 Lee highway. Falls
Church, said he had left his father
at his Winston home Sunday
afternoon.
Paul said several neighbors had
reported spending the evening in
the store with Mr.. Bartholow and
leaving him in the place alone,
When his body was discovered
yesterday morning. his wallet con-
tanning about 5000. his watch and
all his clothing were gone, Paul
said.
On a nearby counter were seven
empty beer cans. Their father
never sold beer on Sunday. the
sons said.
They doubted whether the sus-
|pect, Groom, could squeeze into
the clothing of their father, who
was about S feet l inch in height
and weighed about 110 pounds.
Groom Reported Seen.
After discovery of the body, q
trail of foodstuffs was found lead
ing to the highway. Sugar anc
cans of juices had been dropped
the sons said.
Sheriff Wayland said Groom wa.
reported seen in Winston about
3 am. yesterday. He had escaped
from the Orange County jail
where he was awaiting return tt
the State penitentiary for violation
OF parole. He was on parole aftel
serving II years of life sentence
for murder when he was pickee
up and charged with larceny
police said.
Mr.. Bartholow, who was married
four times, had been living alon,
for about two years. He had bull
the house and store himself with
the aid of five sons. All the boy
are plasterers, except Jerry, jr.
who is in the Army in Germany
There are three daughters whit
are married and live in the Cul,
Ipeper area.
Paul said his father felt h,
didn't have an enemy in tn,
world, but "he always feared tina
some one would come in and knocl
Ihim on the head"
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