Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-06
Salesman Held
In Fatal Fight
With His Guest
Vireinion Charged
With MunsIuughter
In Drinking Row

/
Manslaughter charges were
lodged today against a salesman
who repeatedly was involved in
a fight with a grocery clerk
shortly before he died of head
injuries.
! Fatally injured was Hugh
Maynard Holmes. 81, clerk at the
Acme Supermarket of Arlington
Towers Apartments shopping
center.
Joe Raymond Schmidt, IS. a
resident of the apartments over
looking the Potomac, was first
charged with mayhem. and later
with manslaughter after Mr..
Holmes died last night.
Bonds Total $4,000
In Arlington Police Court. Mr..
Schmidt was released in $1,000
bond on the manslaughter
charge and $500 on the mayhem
count, and the preliminary hear
ing continued to September 7.
Arlington Police Capt. Dudley
H. Rector said police were in
lvestigating whether criminal
negligence was involved in fail
ure of some one to report the
fight until more than IL hours
after it occurred about 3 am.
Saturday.
He said Mr.. Schmidt told him
a fight began in his apartment
after an evening of drinking.
Mr.. Holmes and a friend, Miss
Sarah r. Sewers of Round Hill.
Va, had been guests of Mr..
Schmidt and his wife.
The men left the apartment
and continued the fight in the
street near the shopping center.
during which Mr.. Holmes was
knocked down and struck his
head on the pavement. Capt.
Rector added.
Father Reports Death
Capt. Rector said police did
not learn Of the fight until Hugh
IC. Holmes, 1904 Sherrier place
NV, father of the dead man,
reported it Saturday afternoon.
Mr.. Schmidt was then arrested.
Mr.. Holmes and Miss Sewers
had been engaged for a week.
Miss Sewers told police there
was an argument in the apart
lment after Mr.. Schmidt began
Iberating his wife. She said Mr..
Holmes tried to reason with his
friend, but that Mr.. Schmidt
angrily walked out.
Mr.. Holmes went out looking
for Mr.. Schmidt, but returned
without him and decided to leave
with Miss Sewers. When they
reached a parking lot behind
the building they found Mr.
Schmidt.
Miss Sewers said there were
a few words, Mr.. Schmidt being
angry because Mr.. Holmes had
told Mrs. Schmidt where he had
gone. Miss Sewers tried to
stand between the two. but there
was one blow and Mr.. Holmes
was knocked down, she said.
! Ambulance Is Called
Capt. Rector said the fight was
investigated by Charles w
4 Burke, security officer at Airing
ton Towers, who called an ambu-
J lance to take Mr.. Holmes to
Sibley Hospital.
Mr.. Holmes, father of the dead
man, said he was told by Miss
Sewers that Mr.. Burke had SAID
the apartme mt management
would handle the fight to pre-
vent publicity.
Capt. Rector said police were
investigating a report that g
woman tenant of the Arlington
Towers was cut with a knife BY
a man who accosted her in ar
elevator there about 10 days ago
He said the report was not made
to police at the time.
Jurisdiction a Question
The police investigation in
cludes a report that tenants a.
Arlington Towers have been tolc
that Arlington police have nj
jurisdiction there. and that al
incidents are handled by Sc
curity officers appointed by thu
Arlington InveStigative Agency.
These security officers are EN-.
powered to act through authority
of the Arlington Circuit Court
but Capt. Rector said Arlington
police still have jurisdiction.
The dead man was a native Of
Fauquier County, attended ele.
mentary school in Fairfax Coun.
ty and Richmond Montgomery
High School at Rockville. He left
school at the age of l6 to joir
the Navy for two years. Mr.
Schmidt is salesman for &
beauty supply company.