Evening star., 1953-06-27
By w. n. Shippen

nat ana 0VeTCOaG anu COlQ Ills
wife. Lena, that he would be
back shortly.
Mrs. Pearson and her sister,
Miss Verna Logan. who had
dropped by for a chat. were
watching the television in the
Pearson's coy apartment on the
ground floor at 10 Ninth street
NE.
The wife advised her husband
to bundle up properly and re-
turned her attention to the TV
screen.
Mr.. Pearson ohediently bum
died UP. whistled to his green
parakeet. and went out the door.
The Pearsons had acquired the
young parakeet q few weeks pre-
viously. after their only son went
to the army. They agreed he
made the place seem less lonely.
Enjoys View Of Stars.
Once outside, Mr.. Pearson
looked around at the stars. They
were very brilliant that night Of
January 81. he said. and seemed
nearer to him than they can
ever seem again.
Mr.. Pearson Strolled down the
familiar street, enjoying his OUT
ing. He and his wife had lived
in the neighborhood for years
while he worked as a shop in
spector at the Navy Gun Factory.
They were natives of Canada, but
long since had come to regard
Washington as their home. Both
had taken part in the affairs of
their community and church.
Mr.. Pearson visited his doctor,
at Seventh and East Capitol
streets. about $3.50 o'clock. He
had been under his care for sew
eral weeks because of a nervous
ailment. A small man, he was
underweight for his heighth, and
at So had begun to look forward
to his retirement IN a climate
where he could regain his health
in Florida. perhaps.
The doctor wrote out a new
prescription and Mr.. Pearson de-
cided to walk on to the neighbor-
hood drugstore, at Eighth and
East Capitol streets, to buy the
medicine. The employees there
were old friends and he chatted
for a while before leaving with
his package. This was about 8
o'clock.
LOiterer Eyes Him.
On the sidewalk, Mr.. Pearson
noticed a man lettering near the
curb.
"He was staring at me, with
his head thrust forwaf,d-a light
skinned Negro with a small mus
tache. I glanced at him again,
thinking he might be an ac-
quaintance. But I couldn't place
him, and he was still cyeing me-"
Mr.. Pearson dismissed the
matter from his mind. He had
never been molested in the neigh
borhood. and the colored people
he knew there he regarded as
friends or at least acquaintance
with whom to exchange a pass
ing greeting. -
II was born in Canada, you
he said, "and never in my
life felt the least race conscious
ness" @
Mr. Pearson stroiled on toward
his home -"just taking MY time"
he explained. He was wholly
unaware that O prowler had Sc
lected him because Of his small
stature and advanced years
that he was being stalked along
streets as well known to him as
his own front door.
Mr.. Pearson entered his apart
ment building and walked down
a rather long ground-loor cor
ridor toward his apartment.
Didn't Hear Attacker.
He never heard a sound of the
man who was closing in on him
from behind. ''I don't know why
the deuce I didn't have good
ears anyhow.
II was within 8 feet Of my
own door. Maybe I was reaching
for my keys. A heavy body
struck me from behind, and
the mans left arm came over
my left shoulder and closed
my neck.
Then I felt a blow on the back
of my neck. It must have been
the mans right fist coming
down. ..
II can't remember how I got
on the floor. The next I knew
I was on my back. yelling for
help. I kept kicking, kicking all
around. Then he grabbed my
legs. The doors of apartments
along the corridor began to
open. ...
Kicked i'm Face.
II was still on my back, and
that was when he kicked me in
the head. I glimpsed his face
contorted for an instant. Then
came the shock-iust one kick.
He never said a word to me or
uttered a sound"
Dimly. Mr.. Pearson heard the
apartment house manager cry
out, Here, here, what's all this
fuss about?" The intruder was
then fleeing out the door, he
learned later.
Dimly also, Mr.. Pearson heard
his own door open and the voice
Of his sister-in-law exclaim. "Oh.
it's Steve!"
Mrs. Pearson and her sister,
listening to the TV, had supposed
the sound in the hall was the
scuffling of small boys.
Mr.. Pearson was helped into
his apartment. "A physician nv-
ing in the building had a cold
pack placed on his face and
summoned an ambulance.
He Loses His Eye.
At Casualty Hospital it was
learned the aSsailant's kick had