The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-12-11


Police Headquarters, where he repeated
to Captain Boardnan what had passed be-
tween him and his aunt When Captain
Boardman communicated with Detectives
Horne and Hartigan they we're much sur
prtsed that any statement had been Sc
cured, and were increduIous until assured
by physician, who was in the room at
the time it was made.
Had But Few Callers.
Mary Trace, the coIored maid employed
in the house where the crime was COM
mitted, was carefully questioned this af-
ternoon as to such persons as may have
visited Mrs Dennis lately. but was able
TO shed but little light upon Jhe matter.
Miss Fugitt, forewoman of the work.
room of Mrs. Dennis dressmakfng es-
tablishment, was equally positive in stat
ing that Mrs. Dennis received practically
no callers. This statement was further
strengthened by Miss Ella Kelley. the
purchasing agent OF the establishment.
The theory of robbery as the motive OF
the assault finds no supporters. The
! fact that nothing is missing and that
jewels and money, in an open box on a
nearby table, we're left untouched. eIimi-
nate this theory. If robbery had been the
motive and the assaiiant mad been scared
away, he would undoubtedly have stopped
moment 20 take the money and jewels.
Gloom at Scene of Assault.
Last night was a most dreary one at
the house where what promises to be a
tragedy occurred. During the fore part OF
| the night the gloom vas somewhat dis
PEELED by the activity Of the detectives and
reporters who were busy about the prem
| ises- Policeman J L Gibson who was on
! duty in charge Of the house was kent
/ busy attending to the door and excluding
| these who had no business il the premf-
| ses- After midnight. however. everything
| Quieted down and for hours the stiffness
| was disturbed only by the passing of some
! belated pedestrian OF an electric
| light. repair wagon. The house re-
! nained brilliantly lighted through the
/ night and Policeman T. P Smith was dis
( turbed but on a few occasions. Once a
! number cf reporters hurried up the steps
| with the statement that Detectives Horne
/ and Hartigan had secured q statement
/ fron Mrs Dennis and were then On the
+ way TO the house to place under arrest 4
! man that is said to be connected with
/ the case Their information proved in
! correct and they departed for the night
bloody Shirt Found.
! During the evening a bloody shirt vas
! found in the room OF one of the occu-
! pants of the building and ne was hur-
riedIy taken 10 Headquarters and rigid
/ ly questioned He soon established to
/ the satisfaction of the officers that the
/ bloodstains we're received several nights
before in an accident He remain
ed at Headquarters the greater part
Of the evening and later departed for his
home in the company of one of the detec-
tives.
While the police are generally inclined
! net to question the theory that the
weapon used by Mrs. Dennis assafI-
ant vas the seat OF the piano stool.
| there are those that are not satisfied
with this. although the chemist in charge
OF the case has stated that there we're
| distinct blood marks on it
Searching for Clues
An equestrian statue that was found N
& corner Of the room was being carefully
examined today, and arrangements we're
made with the sewer department to have
all the sewers in the vicinity searched for
any weapon that might have been thrown
away by the assaiIant in enecting his es-
cape.
Major Sylvester expressed the belief
that the mystery would soon be cleared
I'D, but advanced no reason for this oDiB-
| ion.
During the course Of their investfga-
tons the police have secured the descrfD-
tion Of some person whom they have
asked several of the adjoining cities TO
apprehend- The matter is guarded with
the greatest secrecy ThOss who were
first in the room where Mrs. Dennis was
found are of the belief that she viii be
able to throw considerable light On the
subject.
The fact that the light, which she al
ways kept burning in her room was ex-
tiRguished seems to warrant the belief.
| they assert, that the person who attacked
her was well known to her and that the
light was extinguished to prevent the pos
sibility of a recognition. She lay upon
the right side, but the entire surface -
the bed was besDattered with blood and
a pool was found on the left on the floor.
Theories as to the Assault.
From this it is gathered that she vas
lying upon her right side when first at
tackled. Being quite hard of hearing. she
could readily have been reached with
out being disturbed. The first blow was
probably struck, the theorists think. On
the left side of the face, followed by
several other blows. The injured woman,
it is supposed, then tried 10 reach the
other side of the bed to secure her pistol
in the drawer near by, when the weapon Of
the assailant was brought down upon the
right forehead, completely stunning her,
and causing her to fail forward over the
side Of the bed. Afterward, il is believed.
she gradually struggled back into the po-
sftion which she had formerly occupied
and in which sTe was found-partIy on the
! right side and partly on the back
Long Mrs Dennis Friend.
Miss Doyle had been living in the house
with Mrs. Dennis for fourteen years, and.
being the most intimate acquaintance,
4 was the most likely person for whom shs