Evening star., 1901-12-17
Police Unable to Fathom the Dennis
Assault Mystery.
ALL CLUES PROVE TO Be FALSE
Condition of the Patient Believed
to Be Slightly Worse.
IS STILL UNCONS SC1OUS

bad news" was what one OF the attend
ing physicians said this morning when he
came from the room of Mrs. Ada Gilbert
Dennis at the Garfield Hospital. Mrs. Dem
mis- had spent a quiet night and had done
less mutterfng and given the nurses less
trouble than during any previous night.
Heretofore she has been quite restless at
times, and frequently during each night
she endeavored to tear the bandages from
her head.
The doctors would not say today that the
condition OF the patient Is alarming but
they did say her condition is less favorable
than it was yesterday. slight operation
was performed yesterday In order to re-
move the pus from one Of her eyes. Both
eyes are still terribly swollen and the pa
tient has not yet been able to open them.
The doctors did not remain at her bedside
very long today. but they will her
again late IN the afternoon
So far as the detectives are concerned
they seem to be as much at sea as they
have been at any time since the assault
was committed week ago. All day yes
terday and last night they were engaged In
Investigating incidents connected with the
suicide of Samuel c. Presley. This line Of
investigation was renewed this morning,
and while the representatives of the police
department have found several alleged sus
picious incidents, they have actually
learned nothing which will connect Presley
Will tHt assault his conversation III
cigar store last Saturday, as reported to
the police, indicated a belief on his part
that he was being "shadowed" by the po-
lice on account of the affair.
II know who assaulted her." he Is re-
ported to have said, "and he lives In my
house"
Presley then proceeded to describe the
man to whom he referred and, 1t Is stated
No one has been found who can show that
Presley was away from his room about
the time the murderouS assault was COM
mitted in the house adjoining the one In
which he boarded.
Clothing Under Examination.
The garments, including oyercoat, sack
coat and trousers, and a pair of Shoes
taken from Presley's room, as published
in yesterdays Star, are still in the custody
of Prof Hird, who Is examining for blood
spots. The two small stains on the left
sleeve of the overcoat proved to be blood,
1t is stated. but those on the shoe were
rust stains. A report on the other gar
mentS will be made later.
Mr.. Lewis Stevenson who lives in the
nefghborhood of the Dennis house, viewed
the body of the dead man this afternoon.
and Informed Precinct Detective Evans
that he answered to the description of a
man whom he saw on X street about 8
O'Clock the morning Mrs. Dennis was as
saulted. Mr.. Stevenson was on his way to
work at the lime, walking west on K
street. and the other party was going east
on the same street. The latter was wear
ing a light overcoat and black SLOUGH hat,
and Mr. Stevenson declares that when ,he
man under his observation saw him he left
the sidewalk and went to the street.
Mr. Stevenson says the man he saw on
the street was in appearance very much
like Mr.. Presley.
Detective Browne. who investigated Pres
ieys movements. is satisfied that the lat
ter had no connection with the Dennis case.
Presley had, he said, lost $170 that woman
had given him to invest in stocks, and got
70 drinking. and the suicide followed This
the detective believes Is the true reason for
Presleys rash act.
About Presley.
Hugh Watson, a former newspaper pub
Usher in Louisiana, who Is now a clerk in
the Treasury Department, has made a
statement to the police officials regarding
Presley He called on him. he said, the
night before the assault on Mrs. Dennis
remaining only few minutes. Presley. he
said, was In very Jolly mood, dancing
about the floor and telling him he was
going to call on lady who had $4,000
and who was going to put up money for
him to invest in stocks. The lady, Presley
told Watson. was desperately in love with
him
This afternoon Henry Presley, brother of
the man who committed suicide called at
headquarters with Attorney Scaggs. He
had been told that an inquest was to be
held and he intended to defend his brother
against an attack upon his reputation. He
believed iH his brothers Innocence, and
said the latter had never been arrested in
his life.
The detectives are satisfied that Mrs.
Dennis was not one of the two women who
called at a house X street Monday
night an account of which was published
in The Star yesterday.
Acting Coroner Glazebrook has given a
certificate of death from asphyxiation,
showing that Presley committed suicide.
His body will be taken to Many, Sabine
parish. La. tomorrow morning.
This afternoon at the hospital 1t was stat
ed that there had been no change in the
condition of Mrs. Dennis since morning.