Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-03-02
Po|iceCapture
Bandit Suspect
After Struggle
PuroIee Charged
In Shooting and
HoIdup Series

A paroled convict wanted for
the shooting of a District police
man and nearly a dozen hold
ups was behind bars again to-
day, thanks to alert detective
work.
But it was a headache that
indirectly led to the capture Of
Eugene Eric Epps, alias Charles
Eric Jones, Is, colored, about
$3.50 am. yesterday.
EppS made the mistake of
entering the Super Cut Rate
Drugstore at lilo Seventh street
NV, at a time when Precinct
Detective Herman A. Payne had
dropped in for headache rem
edy. The biggest headache
turned out to be Epps'.
Admits 10 HOldups.
Finally collared after a strug-
gle and chase, Epps proved a
prize catch. Inspector jeremiah
Flaherty said Epps admitted
shooting Pvt. Joseph A. Rhodes,
a 18th precinct policeman, who
surprised him February IA dur
ing a 500 holdup of the Ma
tional Truck Rental Co., 1916
Georgia avenue NV.
Confronted by Pvt. Rhodes and
other witnesses in special line
up, EppS then admitted 10 other
holdupS, most of them since the
first Of the year, Inspector Fla
herty said.
Detective Payne and three
other policemen had been look
ing for EppS as a special detail
for more than two months. A
week ago Mr.. Payne passed up a
chance to get his man, for the
Identification wasn't certain.
When Epps sat down beside
Mr.. Payne at the soda fountain
yesterday, the detective noticed
o tell-tale mole on the right ear.
Draws Service Revolver.
The detective quietly stepped
back, drew his service revolver
and grabbed Epps by the belt.
HE began hollering he hadn't
done anything" Mr.. Payne said.
II told the druggist to call for
q wagon so I could take him in.
Then I walked him outside the
store"
Just then the detective remem-
bered seeing another man enter
ing the store with Epps. Fearing
an attack from the rear, he
looked behind him. Epps took
that opportunity to crack Mr..
Payne on the jaw. Momentarily
stunned, the detective saw his
man hot-footing it into an alley
in the 600 block of L, street NV
Mr.. Payne ran after him, and |
soon the wagon came with Pvts. |
Samuel Franklin and Edward |
Guggenheim. The trio cornered
EppS in an clubhouse while he
was trying to dispose of about
$500 worth of stolen jewelry.
In addition to the attempted
holdup. and the one in which
Pvt. Rhodes was shot, Epps was
charged in these others:
August Greyhound Liquor Store,
1851 New York avenue NV, robbed Of
S572 with the help of another man.
December 12-Binder's Liquor Store,
114O Florida avenue NE, S66S loot.
=, December :24|Bell Realty Co. 1923
$500 with help of another man.
January 3-Luck Liquor Store. 1918
Fourth street NV. Of $500. with help
January 7MRuben's Liquor Store. 4o7
Fourth street ct sW.. $40, two men:
6a3 Fourth street s.W. $1,000 two two
men involved and employees tied UP.
February 3-Benjo Liquor Store, 1909
Ninth street NV, S491.
February eagle Liquor Store, 81
H street NE, $3.50, robbed by two men.
February 20-Millers Pawnbrokers.
14I5II H street NE, S210 in cash
Parole board officials had been
searching for EppS, who still had
two years to run on a good time
parole granted in a housebreak-
ing case. He had failed to re-
port to the board in several
months.