The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-11-24
William A. Wilcox, Of Tacoma,
Arrested for Murder.
he WAS KINGS CLOSE FRIEND.
The Theory Is That He Killed Both
Mrs. Fetting and King.
Spokane workmen, Deprived of Labor
by Capitalists Esjoiniag the City. ON
she Verge Of Rfot-Ihs Caritn Party
Safe In Camp. with Psesty 70 Eat


A. Wilcox turned a. white as sheet when
murdered Mrs. Charlotte Fetting in Sc
attic and James King, her son-in-lsw. in
Tacoma. He was not told what he was
wanted for; nevertheless be covered and
acted As though he we're afsid.
I'VE wish to have an interview with
you at the station" Was all Detectives
ID. o. Smith and Ed Cudihee, of Seattle.
said when they arrested him. They had
been looking for Wilcox all afternoon, but
did not find him until long after dark.
He was moving along slowly at the corner
of Pacific avenue and South Twenty-fifth
street. Cudihee came over from Seattle
today, and after consultation with Tacoma
officers 1t was decided TO arrest Wilcox.
Since the inquest relative to the death of
James King on Tuesday, Wilcox has been
under suspicion.
Before the murder of King he was not
suspected of the murder of Mrs. Fetting.
But when the detectives and Capt.
Devcraux, of the Tacoma police force,
came to cast about for motives for the
murder of King indications began to
point to Wilcox. He was Kings
intimate friend. They had worked to-
gether In the Tacoma box factory, Wilcox
as superintendent and King as night
watchman. The detectives reason that
naturally King told Wilcox about old Mrs.
lettings money and where she kept it.
After the first link In the chain of evil
dence was forged, the others took their
places easily. In the first place, q day or
two after Mrs. Fetting was mur-
dered Wilcox had big pile of
money. HIS friends saw il and they
had opportunities of knowing how
much he had. They say that amount did
not vary much from that stolen from Mrs.
lettings trunk. 81 won it gambling"
was Wilcox's explanation. but the proofs
are that he was a loser and not winner.
Then, too. he contradicts himself as to
how much money he had at various times
and places, particulars of which are known
to the detectives. Worse still, Wilcox of
fers no explanation of his whereabouts
on Labor day, on the night Of which Mrs.
Fetting was killed. 'Whers were you
that night?" Wilcox was asked. He
choked and make no explanation.
But to come down to Friday last. Where
was Wilcox that day and that nightf He
says: II left the Hunters Home saloon
at O'Clock and went to my room at the
Boston house?" 1t would have taken
him but few minutes to reach his room,
which he says he did at about his usual
hour-7:30 o'clock. Here he trips up
again. He was seen at o'clock at point
considerably removed from his lodgings.
Again, Wilcox says he and King left the
Hunters Home together, going out of the
back door. and that King went home The
fact Is they went out of the front door.
King returned and went out OF the back
door. but Wilcox did not return. Wilcox
gets mixed up on his meeting with King
on Friday. They were seen together and
1t is known King was excited. Wilcox
says: ''He said he was starving and
gave him 10 cents"
Now, the theory Is that King was at the
point of starvation and with the care of
his big family he contemplated telling
what he knew about the murder of Mrs.
Fetting. in order to claim the reward:
therefore Wiicox's motive.
Since Wilcox's arrest the officers are
more confiden. than ever that he is the
right man. The evidence, while as vet
circumstantiai, is strong enough TO
warrant the detectives In being very
sanguine. Under surveillance Wilcox
has behaved pretty we'll. He is fairly in
tetigent. No suspicious actions of moment
appeared until the hand of the law touched
bin. Then he quaked. lie Gays he is -
years old and was born at Peshtigo. Wis
His relatives are at Whitehall, Mich. and
he has none here. He has been here
three years, and was employed in the
Tacoma box factory until it closed down
last summer.
Tomorrow il is expected that a warrant
will be sworn out in King county charg-
ing Wilcox with the murder OF Mrs. Char
lo;tc Fetting. and he will be taken To Se-
attic for further hearing. He is fairly
good looking man. we'll built. with
dark brown mustache and hair a trifie
lighter. He weighs lis pounds.
stands erect. and would not be picked out
as an ordinary murderer and assassin.
lie wears fairly neat clothes. He has been
stopping at the Boston house for long
time. and usually came there and retired
between and : o'clock in the evening. No
one has come forward 10 prove where he
xas on Labor day.
In playing the wheel Wilcox was fire.
quenily lucky. bat At poker he wa. a
loser. There are several instances on re-
cord IN which he won as high as $50 on the
wheel. He had lucky streak abou, four
months ago at the Haymarket, winning
about $3.50 Since then his luck left h,m.
although he won several small amounts.
- FIJI