Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-12
THE TABLES TURNED
A Private Detective Locked Up on Serious
Charges.
Another Development. I'm the soldiers
Home Arson Case-Try ing to Make
Case Against a Girl.

| The reward of 500 Offered fer the arrest
| and conviction of the fire fend who made
| so many attempts to destroy the barn and
| other property at Soldiers Home has not
| yet been paid. nor will IL be paid until the
| culprit has been landed in the penitentiary
| Just who the c'IlFrit is will be determined
later on. when a jury OF twelve men in the
Grin ii al Court hear the evidence. James
| Ryan, one Of the old soldiers. was given a
preliminary examination on a charge of
setting fire to the place. and was held for
the grand jury. although the proof against
| him was not by any neans of a positive
nature. At that hearing a colored girl
named Sarah Smith was the principal wit
ness. and the case was taken into court as
the result of Policeman Matthews inves;I-
gation.
Since the hearing OF the case friends of
Ryan have given information concerning
another old soldiers actions about the home
| about the time of the are. but the nforma-
tio1 Ctd not amount to anything.
The officials at the home did not appear
at all satisfied with the investigation made
by the policeman. They thought the wrong
man had been arrested, and 50 they have
had "A private detective make another in
vest4g;- ton. He made IL, and last night he
effected the ares of Sarah Smith, the col
ored witness. Her arrest was made on a
hid6iSuait ) warrant sworn out by the SO
called private detective. His name is
Charles Edwards. lie has his credentials
from the National Detective Bureau of
lndianaD aDoiS.
OF Sarah smith WAS put in the hands OF
Policeman Matthews. and. in addition to
arresting Sarah. he made a further inVesti-
cation OF Ihe affair.
This Investigation satisfied the officer thar
the warrant had been issued, not because.
'h"fe was any proof against her, but be-
cause OF some other reason. After Sarah
vas locked up the officer went TO sery, a
summons Oh the detective witness. but the
latter did not appear oy.ranNious to obey
the mandate of the court. He rather seemed
inclined TO get out OF the way, but the
ofncer took charge of him and mad him
q prisoner He was then locked up as a
United States witness and this morning he
was taken to court in custody of the proper
oncefs. At the court Prosecuting Attorney
MuIlOWney took an active interest in tba
investigation, and heard the statements If
a number of witnesses. The result was that
ne ordered the officer TO swear out a war-
rant charging the private detective with
perjury, and he was placed in the cell 10 ba
taken TO jail until tomorrow when he VIM
pe gwen a preliminary examination
me result OF the negro detectives work
Itla,ed by himself, and developments
SHOWN by the subsequent fnvestigs non of
the officer, tend 10 show that the reward
prayed an important part In the affair.
EuWarus, IL Is said, claimed that Sarah
confession tn him tha.
siS hao set IRE TO the barn, and in order TO
iuily satisfy the officials at the home of the
uuth OF what he had reported ne arranged
70 70 nave ner repeat the alleged confession in
me nearing of several inmates of the home
mis- was done Tuesday night, i'm the
sfcbhds, between and 10 O'clock during
the severe rain and wind storm Accordins2
TO agreement the three soldiers took nosi
tions on one side of the stone fence near
the horth boundary of the grounds and the
detective and his alleged Sarah Smith soon
appeared on the other side. And there the
girl repeated the alleged confession One
OF the old soldiers, however. doubted the
girl s identity and he made an effort 10 eet
good look al her, but did not succeed for
the girl covered her face with her hands
The officer. in his investigation learned
that sarah Smith was in house in South
Washington at the time the alleged confess
SION was repeated, and, of course she de-
ileS having mad any thing to say to the al
legged detective.
Pat. Kenny, a young man. and David
Cook, car conductor are important wit
Gesses IN the case. Pat says that the col
ored detective promised him SlV IL he would
make a certain statement. saying he 1.-THE
detective) was going to get S-a0. But Pat
Will not make the statement under oath
The car conductor saw Edwards on a car
with a girl Tuesday night He knows
Sarah Smith by sight and he is confident
that Sarah is not the girl who was with
Edwards on the occasion mentioned.
Edwards was taken by surprise this morn
ing when he was made prisoner and the
girl appeared in the role of a witness
against him. Being unable to give security
he was sent 10 Jail and Sarah was released