Evening star., 1901-12-13
No Clue Obtained to Assailant oil
Mrs Dennis.
POLICE CONTINUE INVESTIGATION
The Patients Condition Reported
to Be Unchanged.
THE GARMENTS EXAMINED


bert Dennis this morning after a consulta-
tion had been had and the patients wounds
dressed.
Nothing yet" was what the police said
this morning, when questioned about their
end of the case It's a case in which
everybody knows nothing"
Last nights crime in Anacostia and this
mornings affair near Chevy Chase called
for several detectives, and the force here
tofore employed on the X street mystery
was necessarily smaller than IL has been
at any time since the crime was discov-
cred.
1t is certain that the police were no nearer
a solution of the mystery this morning than
they were yesterday. unless II develops that
the garments found liz the sewer at 18th and
streets nave some bearing on the crime.
Professor Hird, the health department
chemist, who made an examination for
blood stains, failed to find any. The coat
and apron were returned to police head
quarters, where they will be carefully
guarded pending the efforts of the police TO
have them identified.
While the analysis made by the chemist
failed to show the presence of blood stains,
the police say the garments had probably
been in the mud and water several days,
long enough to make decided change IN
their condition, and they will take no
chances.
The fact that the coat is evidently one
that was made to turn water coupled with
the stormy condition of the weather at the
time the crime was committed caused the
impression that ii was probably worn dur
ing bad weather the last time il was in
use, probably Monday night or early Tues
day morning.
I'VE will have tC esta blish the ownership
of the coat" remarked Captain Boardman
today, ''and every effort will be made to
do SO The coat was a cheap one and was
made by a Baltimore firm. !,
Preparing u List.
Today member of the police department
Is preparing a list of all the overcoats re-
ported stolen during recent weeks. and IL
the ownership cannot be established in this
way the local merchants will be interview
ed. As the last resort in the effort to es-
tabish something in connection with the
coat the police will send TO the maker OF
the garment.
The apron is an ordinary white one. and
was not in good condition. The piece of
brown paper reported to have been taken
from pocket OF the coat was not given to
the police. No mention of such paper seems
to have been made to the officers. but a
colored man who was at 18th and y streets
when the garment was found in the CATCH
basin declares he saw II.
Slight Hope of Recovery.
What interests the police now as
much il not more than any other phase
of the case is the condition OF the patient.
That she was a trife better this morn
ing was stated by all the physicians in the
case, but they do not mean to be under
stood that her condition should give much
more than a slight, perhaps the slightest
ray of hope of recovery.
During the night Mrs. Dennis was restless
and made repeated efforts to tear the band
ages from her head, eyidencing that her
suffering was intense. Several times she
uttered cries of pain. There We're several
nurses with her when their services were
needed, and she was prevented from remov-
ing the bandages. After daybrealz and dur
ing the time the doctors were dressing the
wounds the patient gave evidence that her
mind was clearing. Just when, if ever, she
will be in condition to talk intelligently the
doctors have no idea. Should conditions
continue to improve as they have during
the past twenty-four hours the patient may
be able to tell something tomorrow.
1t may develop that even in the event OF
regaining her senses she will not be able to
throw any light upon the case. detective
is still kept on duty at the hospital all the
time in order that he may be on hand should
Mrs Dennis express Willingness or ability
to discuss the case.
The Scream of u Woman.
Some Importance is attached TO the
scream Of a woman, heard about 3 o'clock
Tuesday morning in the vicinity of the
scene of the tragedy The police do not
believe for an instant that the scream was
uttered by Mrs. Dennis while she was in
succeeded in connecting it with the case
of the man and woman who were seen in
a broil near 11th and 1 streets. when the
woman fell or was pushed down. This
couple, stated I'm yesterdays Star, after
ward went up 1lth street. where blood
spots were subsequently discovered. and
disappeared 1t is stated by persons who
saw the couple that the man wore a silk
hat and that he talked particularly loud.
Speculative Theories.
Whether the loud talking was because
the woman's hearing was defective. is
Mrs. Dennis, whether 1t was the result
of the man being under the influence Of
liquor, is not known. Mrs. Dennis far
as her mother-in-law and other occupants
of the house know, did not leave the house
Monday night She may have gone out.
however, it is said, without their knowing
Of her movements. because her rooms are
not near any rooms occupied by the others.
She occupied the double parlors on the
first floor and was the only one who slept
below the second floor.
: The front room on the second floor. the
work room, was of course not occupied aud
there was nobody about the front of the
house who could have watched her move
ments.
The police do not know what to think Of
the statement of the Lansdale boy that he
saw man coming from the Dennis house.
Men who occupy rooms In the house did
not leave them late Monday night. and IL
the boy is not mistaken In the house the
police think the man in question may have
had some connection with the case. Mrs.
Dennis, 1t is stated. repeated the statement
Its woman" yesterday, but the doctors
say they attach no Importance TO What
she has said thus far, for they regard her
mind as being in such condition that she
was wholly irresponsible for what she said
However this may be, the police have re-
garded her utterances as significant at least,
and have done considerable work with the
woman theory foremost In their minds.
THE nature of the crime gives 1t the ap-
pearance OF having been done by a woman
Or a man of the. lower order" said a de-
tective, discussing the affair today. 1T Is
true. however" ne added. that there is no
way OF accounting for such deeds"
Speaking of the case this afternoon Cap
tain Boardman said: I'VE have fixed upon
no theory in the case. but are running
down everything IN the shape of clue.
None Ventures IN Opinion.
Late yesterday afternoon Precinct De-
tective Evans. who had been I'm charge Of
the house, with Detective Trumbo. sur
the keys of the injured woman to
the latter's mother-in-iaw- Before this
was done the bed In which Mrs. Dennis wa