The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-11-25
FETTING CRIME FIRST
Wilcox May Be Brought Here
for His Hearing.
POLICE SURE he IS THE MAN.
The Large sum OF Money He showed
After the First Murder the
Strongest Evidence.

Detecttvs E1TarG tEGinfe, VINO ns-
pisted Detective Smith in the arrest OF
William &. Wilcox. at Tacoma on Thurs
dav evening on suspicion of being the man
who murdered Charlotte Fetting and
James King. returned 10 the city last
evening. This morning he will consult
with Prosecuting Attorney Miller con-
eerning the advisabiIity of commencing
criminal proceedings against Wilcox inn
nediateiy. II the prosecuting attorney
thinks the evidence I'm the possession OF
the Tacoma and Seattle police Is sufficient
TO Justify IL, warrants viii be sworn out
against Wilcox. charging him With the
donbie crime He viii he brought 30 this
city. tried first In connection with the
death Of Mrs. Fetting, and should he prove
his innocence IL will naturally follow that
there will not be sufficient grounds to pro-
coed against him on the charge Of causing
the death OF James King.
Although the arrest of Wilcox was based
purely on circumstantial evidence, IL looks
~ IL the police had struck hot trail and
one that viii lead Wilcox into very seri-
pus trouble. II he Is innocent he is truly
IN unfortunate man and furnishes an
pther example of where every word spoken
Into worse difficulties. When Tacoma
people read in the Posr-fsrYLLIeEscER
yesterday morning of the arrest of Wilcox
and the outline of the evidence against
him IL caused not only mild sensation.
bat set many to thinking. As a result the
police received new points. many of which.
Detective Cudihee admits. furnished links
In the chain Of circumssantiai evidence
against the prisoner. Gold has caused
many a mans death IN the past and its
possession by Wilcox q few days after Mrs.
Fitting was murdered as the most dafnag-
Ing against him In connection with the
crime. He admits having had the money.
. large sum. about $50. and in trying to
explain where he got 1t has tangled him
self badly. Detective Cudihee says that
Wilcox claimed at first 10 have won the
money at the Paragon gambling table. bat
on following up the story it was found
that he had accounted for its possession TO
other persons in different manner.
Ii Is well known that Wilcox aud King
we're close friends and that they were to-
gether greater part of the day preced-
Ing that on which King was killed. They
were also together In the Hunters Home a
short time before the killing. King, how
ever, was In the saloon after Wilcox left.
The latter's explanation of his doings
from the time be went out until O'Clock.
which includes the time the murder was
committed, docs not seem satisfactory. IL
may be possible that Wilcox, assuming
him to be innocent, was so ratified at be-
Ing closeted IN the chief of policies Office
with officers of the law firing questsons at
him. that he could not give a proper ac-
count of himself. The time. however, that
has elapsed between the time Of the muir
der and his arrest had been so brief that
he ought to have rccoiected every move
he made on the tragic night. The police
are conscious of the fact that while Wilcox
made poor showing under close ques-
tioning his reputation in Tacoma, and so
far at was known in this city, has been
good.
From a conversation with Detective
Cndihee IL Is evident that he thinks the
right man has been caught.
TACOMA, Nov. 2i-ISpecial. William
A. Wilcox remained in the city Jail today
awaiting the arrival of warrant from Sc.
attic. charging him with the murder of
Mrs. Fetting He was to have taken
charge of the box factory again soon under
new management. No one can be secured
in this part Of tho country TO take hts
place, and the parties leasing the factory
will have 10 throw IN the lease.