The Washington times., 1901-10-28
AN ALLEGED FooTPAp.
Virginia Negro Charged With Two
Highway Robberics.

|
Highway robbery is the charge which
confronts a negro named James w. Hun
/ ter. a native of Alexandria, Va, and a
| hod carrier by trade. He is held at the
| Sixth precinct station, on complaint of
! Harry G. Duck, a guest at the fremont
! House. Third Street and Indiana Avenue
northwest Richard Eckert. n bridge ten
/ der. of 1909 Union Street southwest. has
| also identified Hunter as the assaiiani
who, he alleges. attacked and robbed him
Of his watch several days ago. Today the
! prisoner will nave a preliminary hearing
! in the Police Court. He admits nothing
| of the charges against him. but the
watch-a silver one-belonging to Eckert
was found in his possession following his
| arrest.
Duck and Eckert the men robbed. were
| both beaten by their assaiant. and in
each instance the robbery was committed
at Four-and-a-half Street and Missouri
Avenue northwest. The first case. that
of Duck, who has been in the city for
several weeks on business. took place on
/ the night of October I9 last.
While not far from the Pennsylvania
| Depot, at the entrance of Seaton Park, on
Missouri Avenue. Duck encountered a
burly negro. Before he could make any
outcry or defend himself, the negro had
! knocked him down. and relieved him of
wallet containing considerable money
and valuable papers. The negro made
his escape through Seaton Park, and
| Duck was able to give only a meagre de-
scriptiOn of him. Following the robbery.
Duck was discovered by the police lying
on the sidewalk at the entrance of Mar
Bile Hall Alley in a semi-conscious condi-
ton. He was sent to the Casualty Hos
pital in the ambulance, where he recov-
cred from the effects of his wounds. He
afterward returned to his hotel.
Sergeants Kilmartin and GOss. with De
tective ODea, went to work on this case.
and several negroes were arrested and
held for identifcation by Duck, only to
be subsequently, released. The investiga-
ton was yet incomplete when Eckert. on
returning home from the downtown dis
trict last Thursday night, was held up,
beaten, and robbed by a negro at Four
and-a-half Street and Missouri Avenue
northwest, half a block from the point
of the former robbery.
1t was late at night, and Eckert was
walking along Missouri Avenue. which
skirts SeatOn Park at this point, when
he was approached from behind and re-
ceived blow on the head This feIled
went through his clothes, and took FoS-
session of his silver watch. In the search
the negro overlooked a small amount of
money. He ran through SeatOn Park,
and disappeared although followed some
distance by citizens, attracted by calls
for assistance. Eckert was only stunned
by the blow OF his assailant, and he was
able to go home after the robbery. He
gave the description of the negro who at
tackled him to the police, and this tailie s,
il is said. with that given by Duck week
before.
Suspicion seems to have attached to
Hunter, but the police were still making
an investigation, when Policeman Nor
ris, of the bicycle squad. saw Hunter
standing a; the entrance of Seaton Park,
on Missouri Avenue northwest, about l
O'Clock yesterday morning. Morris be-
came convinced at once that Hunter was
the man suspected of the robberies COM
mitted in that immediate vicinity. noting
especially the likeness of the negro to
the description furnished by Duck and
later by Eckert.
Morris started after Hunter on his BIZ
cycle. The negro ran down Four-and-a-
half Street into Seaton Park. with the
policeman after him. The chase led
through the park, through alleys, where
the policeman abandoned. temporarily. his
wheel, over fences, and through back
yards. Finally Hunter tired and was ar
rested. He was taken to the Sixth pre-
cinct station and locked up. On being
searched the watch of Eckert was taken
from the prisoner, and it has since been
identified by its owner.
Yesterday afternoon Hunter was con-
frOnted at the station by both Duck and
Eckert VINO identified him as their assail-
ant. The negro will be photographed this
morning for the rogues' gallery. He is
thirty-nine years OF age. To the police
watch bv Eckert He denied having at
tackled either Of the cOmplainantS