Evening star., 1952-08-16


the fatigue clothing of one Of the
soldiers. near Vint Hill Farms, 6
miles north of Warrenton. He
had been held captive during a
wild. hour-long ride over back
roads, which covered an esti-
mated IS miles.
Army Pvt. John Elmer Sullivan.
%, of Sussex. Del, who escaped
from the Fort Belvoir stockade
earlier yesterday, was wearing the
policman's uniform when arrested.
The policeman's pistol, from which
one shot had been fired at Sergt.
Colbert before the abduction, was
in the holster at his side.
Face Civil Charges.
His companion, Pvt. Lawrence
Mitchell Hynson, %, of Hyatts-
vile, Md, reported AWOL from
Fort Belvoir, was driving the
speeding car, which was so over
heated the paint had burned off
the hood.
The two soldiers, described by
Sergt. Colbert as "recklessly
drunk" had an empty half-pint
whisky bottle and six cans OF beer
in the car when arrested. They
were questioned by Army Crimi-
nal Investigation Division inves-
tigators and surrendered to police
at Manassas to face civil charges
of kidnapping and feloniouS as
Sault.
Fairfax County Detective Her.
bert N. Marcy and Police Sergt.
James Maley were credited with
the arrest and the two men were
booked at Fairfax police head
quarters on a kidnapping charge
while being held for CID and
Manassas authorities.
Sergt. Colbert. picked up at Vint
Hill Farms and returned to Ma
nassas by town policemen. told Of
his ordeal.
"I pulled the car over after it
whizzed by me and nearly forced
another car off the road. Two
Marines in the back seat said they
had hitched a ride and were near
ly scared to death by Hynson's
reckless driving" Sergt Colbert
said.
Gun Taken.
He herded the four men to the
rear of his car and started to open
the trunk to get his book out when
Sullivan grabbed the gun from his
holster. he said.
"The two Marines ran down the
road and I ran to the front of
the car. I heard a shot and
ducked. (The bullet tore through
the trunk of the police car and
came out through the left-hand
front door. AS I ran around the
car, he turned around and jammed
the gun in my stomach. ! thought
sure I was a goner then" Sergt.
Colbert, a retired Marine and vet-
eran of World War II. said.
Sullivan kicked him several
times in the legs and then ordered
him into their car, he said. Sulli-
van told Hynson to start driving,
and when he refused threatened to
kill him, the officer related. AS
the car sped along back roads.
Sullivan brandished the gun in
Hynson's face and threatened to
shoot him several times, the
policeman said.
II realized that If I didn't do
some fast talking. I'd be killed"
Sergt. Colbert said. II told them
of my war service and my wife.
Hynson sniffled a little bit and
said he guessed his wife was wor-
ried about him too.
"When realized I'd succeeded
in talking them out Of killing me,
I started to figure on how could
get them to release me-"
Offered His Uniform.
He said he convinced them that
police would be looking for a car
with three men in it and urged
them to let him out.
II talked them into taking my
uniform because I figured they'd
be easier to find If one Of them
was wearing it. talked them out
of taking my wallet with my iden-
tification in it by telling them
it had the only picture Of my
mother in it.
When they let me out Of the
car and told me to walk away
could feel my spine tingling. I
thought sure would be shot"
The two Marines. who hailed
a passing motorist, remained un-
identified. They told the motorist
what had happened and the mo-
torist reported their story to
Manassas police.