Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-24
Police Ponder Clues
On Body of MoiImon
Found at Underpuss

dIOuIlu pOllCe eCIlelOIlS ana ue
bated with the intensity of thi
one. So contradictory was tn,
evidence and thinking that al
inquest would have begged dow
in confusion. The formal in
quest was postponed while polio
files swelled with report afte.
report.
Hit-Run Ruled Out
At first homicide detective
were convinced it was hit-and.
run of the most vicious kind. Blu
experienced members of the &C
cident investigation unit couldn'
see hit-and-run at all. The typ
of injuries, the location of tn,
body and other aspects said il
couldn't. be.
The physical facts of the death
were these: Mr.. Milliner's body
fully clothed except for hi.
postal cap, was found in thu
northbound lane of South Capt.
toll street, 20 feet south of the
Portland street underpass, ant
Is feet out on the roadway from
the east retaining wall of thu
underpass.
The nature of the victims in
juries and the condition of hi
clothing were bathing. Both hi
legs had been broken below tn,
knees. his left hand fractured
his right hand bruised, his skull
jaw and nose fractured.
Traffic Department experti
said it could not be hit-and-run
for had car struck Mr.. MILNE
his fractures would be compound
and bones would have protruded
Clothing Examined
The marks on the mans cloth
ing were even harder to fit int
Ia definite picture. When tn,
IFBI began searching for autt
paint, nothing was found in tn,
area below the knees where tn,
fractures occurred.
But there was gray-greel
paint on the upper trousers, ant
the FBI laboratory experts sail
it appeared to be burned int,
the weave, ana could have beer
made only through friction.
Nothing in the autopsy pointed
directly to foul play, and tn,
signs pointed away from hit.
and-run. So the police begar
looking for clues. Where hac
Mr.. Milliner been that night
who had seen him, what was hi.
state of mind?
1t was learned he had beer
let out of a car by a fellow
postal worker at Nichols avenue
and Portland street Sc, about
eight blocks from the under.
pass, at 1880 pm. This was fa]
from his home at 1925 New Yorl
avenue NV. There was evi.
dence he had been drinking, but
was not intoxicated.
Evidence of Walking
There also was evidence hi
had been walking in grass, fol
his shoes were still damp.
A more important fragment
came from a sentry at Boiling
Air Force Base, into which Port.
land street leads from the over
pass. He said he saw Mr.. Millinel
walking on the overpass shortly
before his body was found.
This seemed plausible, but
there was a contradiction here
too. The body was found in the
northbound lane, but some &c
feet south of the Portland over
pass. How could a northbound
car have struck the man as he
dropped from the overpass, and
yet the body be found many feet
to the south of the structure?
This brought a closer inspec.
ton of the underpass. On each
side of South Capitol street, {
retaining wall wide enough for {
man to stand on flanked thu
road. About Is feet south of the
overpass, police found a growth
Of ivy had been disturbed.
1t was deduced that from thi,
point. although he would have
had to get over a fence. Mr.. Mil
liner might have dropped to the
road. But then, how about the
injuries which police decided
could not have been inflicted or
a man standing or lying on the
road?
The logical conclusion, police
believe, is that Mr.. Milliner's
hurting body struck the top OF
a northbound car and was
thrown off at an angle to the
west. This would account fol
the body's position 10 feet from
the retaining wall. 1t also
would account for the equally
important fact that the body
was found far south of the
overpass.
Paint Clue Studied
Experts believe the paint
rubbed into the trousers would
have resulted from such friction
as the body striking a moving
automobile.
Inspector william j. Liverman
of the Traffic Department. and
homicide police. said they are
now in substantial agreement
as to what happened in the
early morning hours Of June 81.
Police are now prepared TO
turn over their findings TO
Coroner A. Mapruder Madam