Evening star., 1896-06-11
Randolph Sticks to the Story He
Told at First.
An INQUEST BEING HELD TODAY
No Solution Of the Mystery Ap-
pears to Be at Hand.
THE PRESENT CONDITIONS
Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.

Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
ROCKVILLE, June lin anticipation
Of q preliminary hearing being given to
Randolph and Neale, the suspects in the
Buxton case, quite large crowd was here
yesterday afternoon. among sthem a num-
Der who had been previously summoned as
witnesses, and who will testify before the
coroners jury at Gaithersburg this after
noon. In order to allow a number Of the
latter persons to see the prisoners. in order
to identify them, they were brought from
their cells and placed In the jail yard, in
company with number Of other prisoners.
the jail being fully supplied with an assort-
ment at present. Neale being well known
In the community where the affair occur
red but little attention was paid to him.
Randolph was placed in the company of
four negroes about his size and appearance
end was identified by Mr.. VIM. Gardner,
residing near Washington Grove, from
whom the ak that did the bloody work was
stolen. as looking like the man he had seen
near his house the day previous to the out
rage. Mr.. Erasmus West was next taken
in to the group, and readily identified Ran
dolph as the man he saw running across a
field between Gaithersburg and Hunting
Hui on the morning of the affair at Bux-
tured by Messrs. Garrett and Ward. A
young boy who was near Mr.. West on that
morning also identified Randolph as the
man he saw crossing Muddy branch. a
stream between the two places.
The inquest at Gaithersburg will COM
mence this afternoon at O'Clock, and may
be prolonged for some hours as there are
large number of witnesses to be examin-
ed
Rev. l.. l.. Lloyd and his friends are in
dignant at a story which appeared in a
Washington paper yesterday morning to
the effect that he accompanied the sheriff
n md tn, hrS-
the Baltimore jail to this place. He was
not in Baltimore on Tuesday, but had
visited Garfield Hospital on that day at
the request of Mr.. and Mrs. Buxton. and
knew nothing of the transfer of the prison.
ers until after 1t had been done.
Identification Not Complete.
The so-called identifications made yester-
day do not thrown any light upon Ran
dolph's direct connection with the crime
Mr.. Gardner's Identification of him as the
man who had been near his wood pile was
In no sense complete, and that of the others
was unimportant, because of the fact that
Randolph was captured a few moments
after they saw him. Sheriff Golfers ex-
pectat.on that Randolph would weaken and
confess, which he expressed to The Star
correspondent Monday night has not been
realized.
After the negro was exposed to scrutiny
for Identification purposes for long time
yesterday he was again taken in hand by
the sheriff and put through a rigid examina-
tlcIh 1Cr two or three hours, but stuck to
the story Of his waEderings and where
abouts with the same fidelity he has ex-
hibited from the moment of his arrest
Sherin Collier told me at the conclusion of
DIS endeavor to secure something additional
from Randolph that he had been unsuccess-
ful.
1t was evident also that the sheriff was
not as sanguine as he was formerly of con-
nlTh 0f fhn
other sources I learned that he has been
somewhat misinformed as to the real char
acter OF the evidence upon which he based
his confidence of fastening the crime upon
the suspected man.
Regarded as a Clue.
Randolph told quite an important story.
that will go far toward injurIng his side
of the case in the opinion of those who
have always believed him guilty He said
yesterday that he met a colored man.
dressed In new clothes. wearing a watch
chain. and hat of light cloth. made in
derby shape at the terminus of the Ten
leytoWn electric line at Bethesda This an
swers the description of Dink Neale who
Is now In custody, and who went to Wash
ington the Saturday night before the mur-
der, and missed the last train He pur-
chased new clothes. and came out on the
electric cars Sunday morning, walking
from Bethesda to Rockville, where he spent
the evening at the house of a woman
named Nancy Miles. Neale, who is a
cousin of George Neale, left the woman's
house Sunday night. going to Gaithersburg
He returned Monday morning to the place
of his employer, Lum Bell where he was
arrested last week. 1t is believed by some
OF the authorities that Neale and Randolph
came along to Rockville together, and
made up the plan to enter the Buxton
house on the way. The absence Of a mo-
tive, however, seems to weaken this latest
theory.
The solution of the mystery really seems
no nearer than 1t was an hour after the
crime was committed. There Ia little II
any, direct evidence to connect with 1t any
of the parties now under arrest, and even
the circumstantial chain which it was be-
lieved would be linked around Randolph, at
least, and in which Sheriff Collier had alb
solute faith two days ago. is discovered to
be weaker than at first supposed.
The semi-ofhcial announcement made this
morning that the inquest to be held at
Gaithersburg would be conducted behind
closed doors, that no reporter would be ad-
mitted, and that absolute secrecy would be
preserved regarding the proceedings
caused a storm of adverse criticism to
arise in all directions, and the general
opinion is this action, which savors SO
much of the star chamber methods, will
not serve the cause of law and order in
very good stead.