Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-05-20
Indictments for the Loss of the Lady
of the Lake.
OWING TO WILLIAMS CONFESSION
President Of Peoples Company and
Saloon Keeper Implicated.
TIL E DALEY AIR

AS one of the results of the confession
made to District Attorney Birney several
weeks ago by "Billy" Williams, which con-
fess:on was published in The Star at the
time, the grand jury today returned an in
dictment charging John w. Patterson. VIII
liam. alias Monte Wells and Charles
alias Buck" Auffort with being criminally
responsible for the destruction by fire of
the steamer Lady of the Lake in February
last
The steamer was the property of the Peo-
PIES Transportation Company, stock COM
pany of colored people. Patterson being the
president of the company. Williams, it will
be remembered, contended in his confess
sion that the steamer was destroyed for
the purpose of securing the amount for
which II stood insured in about nine differ
ent companies, for 1000, 1t IS said. Pat
terson, it Is claimed, held about $4,000
worth of the stock in the company, and
Wells is understood to have had a claim Of
about $1,000 against the company for sup
plies furnished.
Steamer Burned.
The steamer was totally destroyed early
on the morning Of February Is last, and a
Waterman, who was on the boat at the
time, narrowly escaped death. At the time
the police authorities were convinced that
the fire was the work of an incendiary. but
not until Williams "peached' did the off,
GERS, 1t is said, secure a good clue. Will
Jams was arrested in connection with the
robbery of the safe and office of the Wash
ington Steamboat Company. at the foot of
9TH street, several weeks ago, and together
with James Dempsey. Eddie Desmond and
Auffort, was indicted for that offense.
Desmond was captured in raid upon
Jackson City last month, and Auffort. after
eludng arrest for several days, was cap
tured down in Virginia.
The four men, with the execution of
Dempsey, are now in Jail here The head
quarters of the gang, il is said, were at
Jackson City. Wells Is a South Washing
ton saloon keeper. Immediately upon the
filing of the Indictment this afternoon
Judge Cole issued bench warrants for the
arrest of Wells and Patterson, and De-
tectives Horne and Weldon, who have had
charge of the case and who have rendered
District Attorney Birney great assistance,
at once once started out to arrest the two
men.
AuHOrt's Act.
The Indictment charges. as Williams
claimed in his confession. that Aufort did
the actual firing of the steamer, and that
Patterson and Wells We're accessories be-
fore the act. aiding. melting, counselling.
hiring and commanding Aufort to do the
burning. The government will contend, 1t
is said that AufforI was paid several hun
dred dollars by Patterson and Wells for
burning the steamer. The following are
named on the Indictment as the witnesses
On whose testimony 1t was found Geo. ].
Mccartney, William and Martha Williams,
Frank Walker. J. r. Sutton, Ferdinand
Lee Jacob Burgess and ]. p. Cross.
The Daley Affair.
Williams stated in his confession that
there was a conspiracy to assassinate
Sergt John Daley of the local police force,
and that he was offered quite an induce
ment to do this job, thing, he said, he re-
fused to do. 1t is understood THAI the
grand jury will next proceed to investigate
that matter. and it Is not improbable that
one or more indictments will be the result
of the investigation.
The affairs of the Peoples Transporter
ton Company have run far from smoothly,
and last summer many meetings of the
stockholders were held here in which
grave charges were made by the stock
holders against Patterson and some of the
other officers of the company. Patterson is
a young colored man, and is regarded as
shrewd, .well-educated Individual
No Insurance Collected.
1t is understood that the insurance COM
panies have refused to pay any of the
claims for insurance, because, it is said,
of the mystery surrounding the burning Of
the steamer.