Evening star., 1961-05-13
Gunfight Flares


NE.
Gunfight Flares
Payne and Mordecai also are
charged with assaulting police
with intent to kill as a result
of a gun battle which flared
outside the store when police
men interrupted the robbery
attempt.
Police said Payne and Nor
decai escaped in a burst of
shooting and separated.
Also charged with robbery in
the BCightwood case, which
took place earlier Wednesday,
is John T. Crawford, 80, of the
ITO block of Corcoran street
NV, described by detectives
as the driver of the car used
in the holdup.
George McDaniels, 80, of the
1400 block of Euclid street
NV, is charged as an acces-
sorry in the Highs holdup at
tempt. Police said he is the man
who used a stolen scalpel TO
dig the bullet out of Payne's
arm.
Address Changed
Payne originally was listed
as living in the 5000 block of
North Capitol street. Later,
however, police changed his ad-
dress on the arrest book to the
4700 block of Benning road
Sc. Payne was arrested at the
home of a woman acquaint-
ance in the 1900 block of Cali
fornia street NV.
Detectives at first did not
connect the Brightwood rob-
berry and rape Of two women
in the store with the abortive
: holdup attempt at the High
store. wever, evidence
swiftly began to accumulate
linking the two cases.
The first break in the case
came, according to robbery
squad Capt. Nunzio Bonac-
corsy, when police found a
coat containing a pay envelope
with Paynes name on it near
the High Store. While police
we're looking for Payne to
question him about the High
case, Capt. Bonaccorsy said,
Crawford was picked up be-
cause he was known to be an
acquaintance of Payne.
Police Trace Call
Crawford was arrested at 4
am. Thursday, Payne at 7:3O
pm. Thursday, Mordecai at 8
pm. Thursday and McDaniels
yesterday morning.
Capt. Bonaccorsy said Nor
decai was seized when he called
police to ask what had become
of Payne and he was held long
enough on the line for officers
to trace the call and arrest
him.
Police said Mordecai related
events of Wednesday. starting
with the time he said Payne
and Crawford picked him up in
the 4700 block of Benning road
Sc. in the morning and dis
cussed staging a holdup. He
said he was given a P-38 pistol
and four shells and, went with
the men in a stolen car. The
pistol was found after the
Highs shooting in a nearby
alley.
Mordecai told police Craw-
ford suggested the Brightwood
shop because he had once made
deliveries there. The youth said
he was sent inside to make a
purchase-he bought pair of
baby's socks-and look over the
layout.
Then, Mordecai said, he
walked out and Payne went
into the shop in which the
woman manager, woman
customer and the customers
small daughter were present.
The youth said he went back
in and saw the manager put
ting what turned out to be
$l60 in a bag while Payne
held a gun on her.
Ordered in Back Room
Then, he said, Payne ordered
both women into a back room
and followed them in. Mordecai
said when he went into the
back room a short time later,
both women were nude and
Payne was raping one. He
said he raped the other.
After leaving the store,
Mordecai said, they split the
money and separated. He said
he got $24 as his share.
That night. Mordecai" said
he met Payne again and they
went to the Highs store where