Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-24
Alleged Perpetrator of Criminal
Assault Under Arrest.
POLICE RETICENT ABOUT The MATTER
Prisoner Believed to Have Been
AssaiIant of Mrs. Hardy.
SAID TO HAVE CONFESSED

ored man, whose age is given as thirty-hve.
was arrested at 9:20 o'clock yesterday
morning by Policeman Henry Steinbraker
of the Georgetown station, and locked up
on the charge of suspicious conduct This
charge will most likely be erased and a
more serious one substituted tomorrow.
The party is said to be the man who. sew
eral months ago, chiminally assaulted Mrs.
Ada Hardy, white woman. at htr homo
lust south of the new Methodist Univer-
sity, and who successfully eluded arrest
until yesterday.
The assault occurred May %, early in the
morning, during the time the peace jubilee
was in progress in this city. A description
of the was secured at the time and
several arrests made, but in each case the
prisoner was permitted to go Free there
being no evidence to hold him. In the ar
rest of Johnson the police seem to think
they have the right man, and are en-
deaVoring to weave a chain OF eVld nee
around him which will insure his convlc-
ton.
The details of the arrest have been kept
very quiet and no word as to the suspicion
against the man was spoken about the sta
tiOn. majority of the police III the pre-
cinct are not aware that the prisoner was
charged with the heinouS oHense, DelieHlnS
IL TO be one of the regular petty charges
that abound at every station house. Lieu
tenant Swindelis this afternoon refused to
ClNulSe anything concerning the case. he
even refused to state where the man was
arrested, and We're it not for the record
kept on the station blotteI the name of the
policeman making the arrest would not
have been disclosed. As it was all persons
connected with the arrest have received
notice not to talk to reporters or others
about 1t, and they are obeying the injunc-
ton.
Major Sylvester Notified.
Word was sent this morning to Major
ar6i and a short
time later Detective Mueller and Steno-
Erapher Rabbit appeared at the station.
They held private conversation with Lieu
tenant Swindells, at the conclusion OF which
Detective Mueller started out 10 investi-
gate the matter still further. Policemen
Steinbraker and Cornwel1 were also kept
on the case, both being in citizens clothes
1t is understood that johnson, thinking
himself safe from arrest for the commission
of the crime, was indiscreet enough TO men
ton it to others, who in turn, told the po-
lice resulting in the arrest. The negro IS
alleged to have made a confession In
which he fully implica ted himself When
Detective Mueller and Mr.. Rabbit were in
consultation with Lieutenant Swinoeils. II
is known that number of statements made
by the prisoner relative to the outrage were
taken down in shorthand These statements
were made to Lieutenant SwindellS by the
prisoner and he in turn. reduced them TO
writing and dictated them to the steno-
ographer. The prisoner was not in the
room at the time of the consultation, but
was kept back in cell No. 8. and no one
was permitted to Sseter the cell corridor.
Strengthens the Belief.
The belief that the man made a confess
sion is further strengthened by the fact
that Mrs Hardy. the victim of the assault
was not called upon to identify the pris-
oner. All of the evidence which has been
secured has been on other lines, the police
working on the belief that they will have
to secure conclusive evidence to make
conviction outside of evidence which may
be furnished by Mrs. Hardy
This theory is adopted because OF the re-
lease of Charles Busey, the negro canal
hand who was arrested within a short
time after the commission of the erin and
positively identified a the station by Mrs.
Hardy as the assailant. He was picked out
twice by her. and while standing with three
other negroes who somewhat reSembied
MIN. When Busey was taken to the Police
Court for a hearing the woman was not so
positive in her identification. and as several
canal people had testified to seeing Busey
up the canal the morning the crime was al
legged to have been committed he was dis
charged.
The only statement that could be secured
this morning from Lieut.. SwindellS was
that so far as he knew. Johnson had never
been connected with the canal traffic. and
his further talk led to the belief that the
suspect had remained in the city ever since
he committed his dastardly crime. 1t will
be remembered that at the time the theory
of the police was that some one familiar
with Capt. Hardy the husband of the vic
tim. and one who followed the canal, was
the guilty party.
Identified by Mrs. Hardy.
1t was 2:30 o'clock this afternoon before
any definite information was given out re-
garding the matter. Shortly after noon to-
day the suspect. in company with Detective
Muller and Policemen Steinbraker and
Cornwell, drove out to the house where the
assault was committed.
Mrs. Hardy resides there no longer the
place being occupied by colored family
The negro remembered the locality well
and was free in giving the officers infor-
nation. He showed them the way in
which he reached the house from the
Ridge road, showed them where the chick
en- coop was located. and when In the
room where the assault was committed he
described the location of the furniture
even to the couch.
The prisoner brought back to the sta
ton and the police went up to the house OF
Mrs. Hardy. who lives on what is known
as Frizzells Hill just back of the Catholic
grave yard. on 32d street, and brought her
to the station.
When the woman arrived at the station
late in the afternoon she was taken In
the lieutenants room and the prisoner
brought before her She identified him as
being the man. remarking that he looked
much more like the culprit than did Busey
whom she once positively identified as her
assailant
No one but the police officers named and
Sergeant Lydia were In the room ut the
time Johnson was brought out and stated
that he had no recollection of ever having
seen the woman. Later he changed his
mind and had a faint recollection, although
he did not remember her being the vic
tim.
Everything is now ready to have the last
heard in the Police Court tomorrow.
Has Been Under Suspicion.
According to the story told by the police
they have suspected Johnson ever since
the date of the outrage. but he has KEEP
out of the city. They have traced hi.
movements ever since that time and hav,
partly verified their findings
1t is said that after the commission OF
the crime johnson walked down the Ridge
road to the canal road. and then crossne
the Chain bridge went up to Lewinsyille
Va. where he stopped for a week at tn,
place of j w. Mukursbaugh a dairyman
He claimed to have remained there a
month and then proceeded through yir.
ginia on bumming trip reaching this cit,
Saturday night. Sunday he says, he went
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