Evening star., 1954-10-13
Announcer Held
In Fatal Row
With His Bride
RIomes Lock Of Job,
And Drink; Death
Due to Head Injury

a@Vtt0 0httsNf 3S0Nb
Due to Head Injury
An unemployed radio and tele-
vision announcer was held by
police today after his bride Of
six weeks died from q blow or
fall suffered during a domestic
argument literally laced with
whisky and beer.
Mrs. Margaret M. Brown, "a,
a Defense Department secre-
tary, was the victim. Deputy
Coroner Richard M. Rosenberg
said her death in an apartment
at 2701 Cortland place NV. was
due to an inter-cranial hemor-
rhage induced by a blow or fall.
Her husband, Harry Francis
Brown, "a. who told police Mrs.
Brown had fallen in a hallway
when he grasped her during the
argument, was held for the cor
oner pending an inquest at 1880
am. tomorrow.
Bruises on Body.
Homicide Detectives Grayston
w. Chapman and Leonard G.
Kragh said examination of Mrs.
Browns body revealed a severe
bruise over the left eye, another
between the right eye and the
thigh. d
Police were called to the Sec
ond-fioor Brown apartment, half
a block OF Connecticut avenue.
at 3:15 am. and with the help Of
a physician determined that
Mrs. Brown was beyond help.
At the apartment were Mr..
Brown and a friend, Kenneth
Holnicker, 81. of 1905 Hilton
street, Baltimore. After ques-
tioning them, police took both to
headquarters but later released
MIR. Holnicker with instructions
to appear at the inquest.
Police Tell of Quarrels.
Detectives Chapman and Kragh
said their investigation dis
closed this story:
Mr.. and Mrs. Brown, both
married before, had wed about
six weeks ago. Since then life
had not been serene. Mr.. Brown
told police they argued fire.
quently. mostly over his unem-
ployment and drinking, and two
weeks ago Mrs. Brown tossed q
glass Of beer into his face. His
reply to this was a slap.
About 8 pm. yesterday they
began drinking beer and whisky
In the apartment. An argu-
ment developed which about
1880 pm. waxed hotter. Mr.
Brown said his wife ran for the
door screaming, and rushed into
the hall. He went after her and
as he grabbed, she slipped and
fell on the tile floor. p"
Seeing she was unconscious.
Mr.. Brown carried her to bed
room and put her down, dressed
except for hose and shoes, the
officers said.
An across-the-hall neighbor,
Enid Green, "a. told police she
had heard the sound of q bottle
dropping about the time Of this
incident, and looking into the
hall saw something that looked
like whisky trickling along the
floor.
She said she closed the door
with the observation: 1.-THE
Browns are at it again."
Seeks Aid of Friend.
Mr., Brown said he telephoned
Mr.. .Holnicker, an old friend,
about 1890. told him the story
and asked himSto drive to WASH
ington. Mr.. Holnicker arrived
before 3 am, took a look at
Mrs. Brown, and advised Mr..
Brown to call police, which
he did,
The husband was distraught
and on the verge of collapse.
and also sober when they ar.
rived. police said.
A look around the apartment
/ revealed several whisky bottles.
mostly empty, and many beer
cans, they said. Several drinking
glasses were about the living
room.
Police also reported the bath.
tub was half-filled with water.
They said Mr.. Brown told them
he had tried to revive his wife
there. However. the body was
completely dry.
George H. Milholland, owner
Of the apartment building, said
the Browns had been warned
about cloud boozing" parties.
Was Mother Of Boy, 6.
| Mrs. Brown had a 6-year-old
son by a former marriage living
in the neighborhood with anoth-
er family. She had been en-
ployed since September, 1852, as
q secretary in the real estate
division of the Corps Of Engi.
neers at National Airport. Be-
fore that she worked at a field
Office in Walla Walla, Wash.
Born In Arcola, N. c., where
her parents. Mr.. and Mrs. r. L.
Capps, still live. Mrs. Brown
attended the Warrenton IN. CO.
High School and In 1937-38 the
Women's College Of the Uni
versity Of North Carolina at
Greensboro.
Mr.. Brown was hired by Radio
Station WMAL and WMAL-TV
as a "part-time summer replace
ment" for vacationing staff an
nolncers. He joined the COM.
pany in May and worked for four
months.
Mr.. Brown attended high
school in Cleveland, Ohio. where
he was born. and had two years
Of Journalism at Columbia Uni
| .,o,.stkxy