The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-10-01
Discovery Near Woodinville May
Clear Up a Mystery.
THEORY IS VERY PLAUSIBLE.
II Identified. the MoIderiBE Bones
VIII Prove That Police ofhccr
Tom Roberts Murderer Met SWIFT
Justice Through Bullet Fired
nv Ofac~r George r.. DeiEh--fhe
story of a Mysterious Crime.

There Is a possibility that all that now
remains OF the body Of Richard Lee,
alias Robert Lee alias Charles shaner,
alias Charles Smith. who murdered Police
Officer Tom Roberts in April, 1895, was
found SATURDAY. morning IN a lonely cram
berry swamp n mile back in the woods
from woodinv.lie. twenty-four miles north
Of Semitic. on the Seattle n international
railroad.
the remains are 40 badly decomposea
that the officers who went TO Woodin-
vile Yesterday were unable last night 10
make the Identification certain. but the
skeleton will be brought 10 Seattle this
morning and carefully compared with the
accurate description OF Lee In the hands
OF tho police
The most important fact tending TO
lend color 10 the theory that the body
IL that OF Ice IL that through the left
arm there Is bullet hole The muir
derer II supposed to have been wounded.
and IL said 20 have been seen binding up
his wounds after hts escape across Lake
washington from the scene Of the shoot
ing in this city. The police also state
that the last trace OF Lee was found near
woodnville.
He was reported to have been seen IN
the woods near there, but the whole
northern part OF the county was secured
and not another clue was found. He ar
parentiy dropped completely out OF sight
and the police and sherir's office were
compelled 20 allow the affair TO remain
a mystery
bullet In Left Arm.
The grewsome find was made Saturday
morning by, Ave boys II was reported
to Coroner Sparkling. but little Importance
was attached 70 the discovery until a
second message was received yesterday
morning announcing that the left arm
showed hnllet wound. The theory was
advanced Mt both the police station and
the shsrifrs office that the body Of the
long missing Lee had been found. and at
o'clock last night Deputy Coroner Pow
ers and Deputy Sheriff Wilson left for
Woodinvilie.
The following message was received
by the Post-rntelligencer late last night
from Or. Powers:
"Ail Indications point 70 the identity
Of the body MS Lees. The remains were
found by Ave boys In a lonely cram
berry swamp. quarter Of a mile from
vile. No one but a hunted man would
die there. He evidently had been hiding
In the tules some time. and died Of ex-
The remains show araliet hole through
the left arm, and were shoeless and coat
less Body Is 50 deconposed as 70 make
II impossible to detect features. To reach
tho point where he was found he must
have SWAN Samamiph slough
Deputy Sheriff Wilson called up the
sheriffs once by telephone and reported
that, although absolute Identification had
not been made, II Was almost certain that
the romans were those Of Lee.
The remains nra, WI he brongn, 20 Seattle
from Woodinviils this morning. Lee was
frequently In tho hands OF the police. bis
last arrest being but few days before
the murder and by an elaborate system
OF measurements a collection OF Identifies.
tion points was secured that viii prove OF
great value today.
The crims for which Lee was wanted
was committed on the night OF April 10
1888. Police orieers Roberts and George
II. peigh. the latter OF whom Is still q
msmpsr or NC force; were pasrollins me
avenue. near East Jefferson street. they
met two men who were apparently anx-
ious TO avoid ohserva,ion They started
to move away AT the approach OF the off,
Gers. and Roberts called TO them 10 halt
story of the shooting.
One stopped and. before the policemen
realized what was Impending opened fire.
Roherts fell at almost y nrst shot and
died Within a few moments. Deigh re-
turned the IRE and the second man ned.
The robbcr with the revolver fired sew
rsai mere shots without effect and es-
capped nolgh emptied his revolver after
him and y Thought to have sent at least
The police Department, was Thoroughly
aroused by the crime and organized q
Hnfrhit on the fFeink murderer lie was
traced across Lake Washington and the
fact that he had been seen dressing his
wounds settled all doubts as to hts
wounded condition After crossing the
LAKE he apparently turned north and sew
eTai reports OF his being seen Mere re-
ceived the last locating him we'll on
toward woodinviiie,
For several weeks the ACQUIRING ~ tho
country was continued A reward Of 500
was offered. but was never claimed as All
bae- OF the missing man had been lest
leo was about u years old. and during
more than ten years % his life had been
wei known 70 the Seattle police In lisa
he was sent 20 NallA waiia FOR burglary
and had heea out but few months when
~ Jpno :. ~. he Wa cauxht attempt,
a~atsnce lie completed this term IN
March, lNs. but few week. before tie
murder 81 Roberts