Evening star., 1953-03-29
By W. H. Shippep


Yet the personal indignity
which befell Roland r. Faulkner
three years ago can scarcely be
written off as a closed incident
for neither Mr.. Faulkner mol
the community has quite recov-
cred.
In fact, District authorities
now have Mr.. Faulkner's assail-
ants on their hands again. al
though all three appear to have
turned to other forms Of law
breaking since the May night ir
1850 which Mr.. Faulkner still
hopes to forget.
On this pleasant, moon-lit
night Mr.. Faulkner had followed
up full day at the Office by
playing the bass violin and sing
ing in the orchestra of an ex-
cursion steamer which had
cruised down the Potomac.
He was more than little tired
when the steamer returned to
the dock, and anxious to get
home to his family.
The father of five growing
children, Mr.. Faulkner had
found it necessary to augment
his salary as a Government pa
thologist by part time jobs as
musician.
Stalked in the Dark.
He was one of the first men
down the gang plank.
Waving goodnight to his
friends, he moved off toward his
car parked in nearby Robinson
street S.W.-a small, slender
man in his late sos, walking
alone about 11:45 pm. through
streets all but deserted.
The part-time musician was
unaware that three husky youths
were stalking him as he drew
near his automobile. Suddenly
he was seized from behind in a
yoke hold around his neck. One
robber frightened the hold while
a second beat him on the jaw
with brass knuckles.
The victim was flung uncon-
scious to the pavement. His blue
tuxedo coat was partly ripped
from him in the search for his
pocketbook, containing Sc. A
third youth joined the other two,
but Mr.. Faulkner neither saw
nor felt him.
A woman who opened her
front door nearby saw the three
kicking and stamping at a figure
on the sidewalk. She cried out
a protest. The three fled after
grabbing their victims wrist
watch.
Recognized as Boxer.
A passerby recognized one OF
the Negroes as the winner oi
a local boxing tournament
Through this tip police even
tually collared all three robbers
Each had received boxing train
ing. Mr.. Faulkner's watch was
recovered.
The youths made detailed con-
feSSionS to 81 similar robberieS
In previous months they hao
prowled Capitol Hill and vicinity
Their yoking victims included
three elderly Capitol policemen
The three had eluded a special
detail of Metropolitan police sta
toned in fear a member of Con-
gresS might be robbed and beaten
within the shadow of the Capitol
Mr.. Faulkner, like other VIC
TINS, had been subjected to more
violence than was necessary to
render him helpless.
His glasses had been smashed
into his face and there were
knife cuts as well as boot marks
across his chest.
The robbers, two of whom
we're II and the third 16, tole
police they did this to make
sure their victims could not
identify them later. One you'll
spent 18 months in an institu
ton for juvenile offenders, ant
another less than a year. Th'
third was put on probation.
Vocal Chords Damaged.
One of the trio, police said
was re-arrested recently and con
fessed to multiple grocery hold
ups. A second has been charged
with fathering several illegiti
mate children by differen
women. The third is back il
Jail as a robbery suspect.
After his beating, Mr.. Faulk
ner spent almost a year in ant
out of various hospitals, unable
to work. He found he could no
sing because of damage to hi
vocal chords, and even his violil
proved too much for him.
He kept reporting to his jol
at the National Institutes o
Health, only to find he coul'
not concentrate on his work.
In a highly nervous state, MI
Faulkner began to fear hi
family might be attacked il
their home.
He and his wife, both native
Of Washington, had lived ther
since returning from thei
honeymoon.
Mr.. Faulkner finally decide,
to move. The family found a nev
home. But a tougher decision
awaited him. He was told h
must either give up his job o
undergo strenuous shock treat
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