Evening star., 1961-06-06

Mrs. Sharp and friends of
the victim said today that he
had seemed happy, and talked
about his graduation and his
plans to marry a Greenbelt
girl some time in the near
future.
Ingenious Plan
The discovery of the body at
4:30 pm. yesterday started an
investigation that indicated
that Mr.. Sharp followed an
ingenious plan to give the ap-
pearance of being a university
student.
He apparently followed the
same staggered schedule each
week, depending on his
classes"
"He actually lived this thing
in his own mind" William
Hoff, manager of the Student
Union and a neighbor of the
Sharps said. John rode to
school with me three times a
week, and he'd come into the
union for a quick cup of coffee,
and dash off to class. I never
dreamed that he wasn't actu-
ally enrolled"
Parents Bewildered
Mr.. and Mrs. Sharp, the vic
TINS parents, said they were
"bewildered," by the announce
ment that John had not been
enrolled. His father said,
Three years is an awful long
time to keep up a sham"
Mrs. Sharp, still dazed by the
discovery of her sons body
yesterday, said, IF you're 60
ing to be shocked, you might
as we'll be shocked 100 per
cent"
University officials said to-
day that cases Of students max
ing believe they are attending
school are not rare. Miss Julia
Billings, assistant dean of
women, said that last year COL
lege officials discovered a girl
who had lived in a college dor
mitory for three SemeSters, and
engaged in social life on the
campus, but who never was en-
rolled in classes. The school
would not disclose Mr.. Sharp'S
1858 marks.
He Supported Himself
Young Sharp supported him
self by doing painting and land
scaping work in the Greenbelt
area while not attending
classes, his parents said. They
said they were under the i'm
preston that he was attend
ing school under the GI Bill of
Rights.
Veterans Administration and
university records indicate that
Mr.. Sharp attended the school
between June, 1857, and Octo-
ber, 1858. He apparently
dropped out of classes and noti-
fled the VA, but did not tell
relatives and friends, they said.
District police said Mr..
Sharp's body was found by
Isaiah Parker, ST. of 633 @
street NV, who was crossing
the isolated clearing to go fish
ing in the Potomac.
Trying to Trace Pistol
The victim was pronounced
dead on arrival at District
General Hospital. He was
found lying face down, with his
head resting on his right arm.
The pistol, a Belgian make. was
still in his left hand. Police
today were trying to trace the
source of the weapon.
The victims parents told
police that he intended to look
for "a good job" after "gradua-
ton" next week, and that he
would then announce his we'd
ding plans. He was not for
mally engaged, they said.
Mr.. Sharp, one of five chill
dren, was born in New Rochelle,
IN. Y. He attended Arundel
High School in Odenton. Md.
after his family moved to that
area. He played baseball and
soccer and was a boxer on the
high school teams.
He was in the merchant ma
rine in 1851 and 1852, and was
drafted into the Army in 1858
His parents said the plane
taking John and other recruits
to their first station crashed ir
West Virginia, but that he was
not injured in the crash.
Mr.. Sharp served in Germany
while in the Army. He entered
college in 1857 after working
two years, his father said.
Besides his parents, he leaves
four brothers, James, 90, of Sar
Jose, Calf, and Ronald, l8;
Richard, 16, and Thomas, IA