Evening star., 1954-04-24
Murray Cites
! Policemen in
lindsfedt Case
One Is Promoted,
Other Commended
For Their Work

A promotion and commenda-
ton were ordered today for the
two police officers who cracked
the mystery of the Staying last
December of William j. Lind
stedt.
Chief Robert v. Murray said
Pvt. John c. Wilson, a plain
clothesman. would be made a
probationary detective as a re-
ward ''for his persistent work in
the Lindstedt case"
Also, he declared, Detective
Sergeant Salvatore Greco will re-
celve a commentator. Chief
Murray said the latter had only
recently been made a sergeant
and could not be promoted now.
At the same time, 1t. Lawrence
A. Hartnett of the Homicide
Squad announced FBI ballistics
tests had shown that the bullet
from Mr.. Lindstedt's body
matched others shot from the
gun to which police were led by
their chief suspect.
Meanwhile the two youths ac-
cused of the killing of the ex-
Marine were in District Jail
awaiting a decision by Juvenile
Court as to whether they will
stand trial there or in District
Court.
They are William D. REDS"
Howie. colored, II, of 1749
Eighteenth street NV, and
Isaac L. "Ikey" White, colored,
18, Of the 100 block of Trinidad
avenue NE.
Juvenile Court was asked yes
terday to waive Jurisdiction over
the two and a decision is ex-
pected early next week, perhaps
Tuesday.
Court Decision Awaited.
Meanwhile Representative
Broyhill, Republican, of Virginia,
announced he was looking into
the case of the two National
Training School PAROLES Ito see
how flagrant it is"
The Arlington legislator is the
sponsor of a House resolution
now before the Rules Committee,
calling for an investigation of
the parole system, particularly
at NTS.
"It looks like the school is
a breeding place for murder" he
declared today. His resolution
was introduced as an outgrowth
of the Alyce o. Taggart murder
at the Scott Hotel, of which
Clarence E. Watson, another
NTS parolee, is accused.
ParOled in October.
Both Howie and White were
paroled from the training school
last October 2, slightly more than
two months before the evening
of December II, when Mr.. Lin
Stedt, a veteran of two years
service in Korea, was shot to
death in the 1900 block of Four
teenth street NV.
He and two companions, Mr..
and Mrs. Robert M. O'Connor,
were stepping from an automo-
bile and the two youths were
watching them.
Howie. according to police ac-
counts of his confession, de-
clared Mr.. LinStedt asked, What
the hell are you looking at?"
They "had some words" Howie
was quoted, and then he hit the
Korean veteran. When Mr.. Lin
stedt started to hit back, the |
confession said, Howie drew a
SO revolver and shot him.
Story of Confession.
The story of how police got |
Howie's confession only minutes |
after his arrest early yesterday
was told today by Sergt. Patrick |
A. Deenihan of the Homicide
Squad, and Probationary Detec-
tive F. D. Smith.
They went to Howie's home at !
am, they said, and waited for
him in the living room on the
second floor of the red-brick row
house with Howie's mother, Mrs.
Pearl Howie.
She insisted her son could not
have been involved in the Lind
stedt killing because he was home
in bed that night.
HOWE came home at 7:05 am,
saying he had spent the night
with a friend. He protested his
innocence and again his mother
declared. according to the po-
lice. MY son couldn't have been /
involved in any killing. He was
home in bed that night"
Named by Prisoner.
For 20 minutes the officers ex-
planned Howie had been named |
as the killer by a prisoner in
District Jail--whose statement |
led to the promotion and COM
mendation announced today
and that White had already con-
fessed. naming Howie as the !
gunman.
Then. the police said. Howie |
declared, II done it,"
How could you have done it?"
the officers quoted Mrs. Howie.
You we're home in bed that
night"
Don't you remember, Nom,
you went to church that night
and went out and got home
before you did," her son replied.
Then. the officers said, she
asked, do you realize you killed
a man?"
Eyes, Nom" Howie replied.
"How could you do such