The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-04-23
A HEARING At ROCKVILLE
Johnson's Alleged Assailants Re-
moved 10 Montgomery County.
States Attorney Talbot and sheriff
williams Take Il. Il. Griffin and
Prompt Hearing Of the Men EN-
peeted-Stntemcnt OF the Prisoners.

Emmett Edwin Griffin, twenty-one years
old. fsmaiarly known as Tap and Rob-
ert Z. Dennison, twenty years old. clerk
in the War Department. the young men
taken into custody last night by Detec-
lives Peck and Herndon. charged with
being responsible for the death Of Albert
Aloysiusa Johnson. the plumber, who was
assaulted at Cabin John Bridge Sunday,
April Is. we're today taken TO Rockville in
charge Of Sheriff Williams and States
Attorney H. Maurice Talbot. OF Montgom-
cry county. Md. The young men were
accompanied by the father of Griffin,
clerk in the War Department: Joseph T.
Dyer, real estate agent and the step
father OF Dennison, and Capt. Patrick
O'Farrell. the pension agent, by whom
young Griffin is employed All were early
callers at Police Headquarters. and were
thoroughly acquainted with the pro-
gramme Of removal Of the young men.
The party left No. l station, where Griffin
and Dennison had been confined, about
2 o'clock and proceeded to Rockville by
way Of the electric railway. Messrs. Grif-
fin. ST.. Dyer. and Captain O'Farrell had
be given a hearing before a magistrate i'm
mediately after the arrival DIT Rockville
and that in ali probability bond would be
fixed for their release. Accordingly. all
the necessary steps for furnishing bond
were arranged before the party left the
city. In the event that the young men
are released on bond. as is expected, the
party will return 10 the city this eyering-
Now that the mystery surrounding the
ed up to a certain extent the question as
to the responsibility Of his death arises.
According TO Griffin and DennisOn they
did not have a light with anyone on the
Cabin John Bridge. They had sTgu-
ment with a man whom they are led 10 be-
lieve was johnson. and Dennison admits
that in his defence he struck the man.
This was after the man had knocked Den
nisOn down and several minutes before he
ran TO the bridge from the peanut stand
where the trouble arose.
Griffin is about FIVE feet six inches in
height and weighs l45 pounds. Both
youths are of refined appearance. They
have always borne excellent regulations.
When seen by Times reporter at No
station this morning the young men had
just finished breakfast They were in a
pleasant humCr and talked freely OF their
position. There was nothing in :he de-
meanor OF either 10 Indicate that they con
sidered the situation confronting them to
be grave. On the contrary both said they
felt guiltless and were positive that they
could establish their innocence. When
asked 20 relate the circumstances attend
ing their trouble Griffin complied willing
ly. and related his story in a straightIor-
ward manner. DsnuisOu, deferentially
gave way 10 his companion. except for an
occasional remark or a nod Of assent at
something said. Griffin began his story
by saying:
THE first we knew that we had figured
in the trouble which eliminated in the
death Of Johnson was Tuesday evening.
when we read the statement Of Capt. W.
T II. King in The Times. We saw then
that we could at least give the police
Information which would throw light on
The mystery they were attempting 10
solve We wanted TO go to Police Head
quarters at once and tell all we knew
We asked permission from our parents.
but you know how mothers are. They
were of the opinion that our trouble had
nothing TO do with the death of Johnson,
and they said that If We mixed up in the
matter we would get lot Of unenviable
nOtoTiety and probably be locked up and
held for days to await the result Of an in
vestigatiOn- That is why We did not come
out with our story in the first place.
Finally when a detective called at my
house yesterday 1 convinced my parents
/
better to send for Major Sylvester and
Inspector Boardman. We did so. and all
met at Mr.. Dyer's house, 1917 r Street
northwest. and decided 20 go to the sta
ton. We told all we know of our trouble
and here We are.
Q about the Sunday we were at Cabin
John Bridge there is little to add to wtat
1 have said. Dennison and l met in Four
teenth Street early in the afternoon and
decided that in the event l did not keep
either of two engagements l was TO meet
him at the bridge. / had an engagement
to go to Baltimore and another one with
young lady. / Cancelled both and went TO
Cabin John Bridge. There 1 met Dennison
with three friends. We killed time thro "
ing stones over the canal and amusing our
selves in various ways until the atmos-
phere became so unhealthy because OF
numberless fights that We decided to go
home. Dennison and / were then a,one,
our friends having gone home On our
way to the we stopped at the peanut
stand near the rustic steps which lead to
the bridge. II was then about 1920 o'clock
A thick-set man purposely bumped against
Denny and he resented it. / interfered
and the man offered to whip us both. He
the struck Denny under the DIN
knocking him over. When he regained
his feet Denny struck the man. | again
interfered. and the man directed his at
tention to me. He wanted to settle the
matter with me, he said.
81 thought l saw him take something
from his pocket and asked if it was a
knife. The MAJ replied that he was a
gentleman. Just then Captain King
whom l did not know. interfered. I said
that I did not want to fight and he said
he was glad to hear it. The man whom
you say was johnson then struck again at
Denny and ran. I followed him I'D the
Eteps TO the bridge. Then he turned and
stumbled. falling on his face. l tried to
help him Up. but could not. l asked for a
doctor and at the suggestion of a drunken
Today is Opening Day nj Clarendon.