The times., 1901-05-14
MONROE SEEKS FREEDOM.
His Attorney VIII Apply for Writ
of Habees Corpus.

Application will be made this morning
| to Judge Bradley, of the Supreme Court
| of the District for a writ of habeas
| corpus to secure the release from jail of
| Lewis Mortimer Monroe. whose identity
is not certainly established and who is
| charged with the larceny of diamonds,
! iewelry, and cash valued at SS.000 from
the residence of Mrs. Olivia c. Starring.
l455 Massachusetts Avenue northwest.
| A. S. Colyar, attorney for Monroe, whose
wife is SAID to be registered at the Met
ropOlitan Hotel, visited the Jail last night
and had a long talk with his client.
Afterward the lawyer spent much time
examining legal decisions in order TO
forcibly present the claims of the prison.
er for his freedom.
out of the mystery surrounding the
Starring robbery. and especially the
| identity of the prisoner. the police find
certIin circumstances tending, they claim,
to establish the prisoners guilt 1t IS
admitted by the detectives. however. that
the true identity of Monroe remains a
secret, Notwithstanding efforts since his
arrest TO fathom his character and learn
| mis- name. The police have abandoned
the theory that Monroe is the noted
burglar and thief Rohan, on which they
at first worked.
corpus, if made. will be urged on two
grounds viz; That Monroe was denied
constitutional right at the preliminary
1 hearing the other day in the Police Court.
This motion viii be to the effect that the
defence mad no opportunity to introduce
evidence, while the Government presented
certain witnesses TO testify against the
prisoner
Mr.. CoIyar says his objection to such
proceedings was overruled, in violation of
the Constitution. The second point, and
the strongest, from a legal standpoint.
which Will be urged by the defence. is
that the warrant on which Monroe was
arrested, and on which the charge against
him is based. was sworn to by Detective
Belau, of the Police Department, and not
by Mrs. Starring. 1t is claimed by the
defence that ibis is unconstitutional, be-
cause the detective certifieS only to hear
say evidence. and to the best of his belief,
instead of presenting certain facts, un-
disputed and sclf-evident There are law
yers who say this point is well taken, and
it is believed in some quarters that the
failure of Mrs. Starring to appear as
technical prosecutor against Monroe may
lead to his release from custody
The identity of the prisoner is the chief
feature of the case. outside of the possible
future recovery of the stolen goods. 1t is
granted that Monroe has thoroughly con
cealed his name, despite searching inves-
tigation. II is believed that the prisoner
is a New York man who formerly resided
in the West. 1t Is almost certain that
Mrs. Monroe is from Kentucky and Is
member OF an influential famIy OF tnaL
State. She has come here to assist her
husband and has had two interviews with
him.
With the police nothing new has de
veloped in the case. Detectives Helan and
McNamee worked all day yesterday in an
effort to locate the missing property but
were unsuccessful. The detectives ap-
pear to have become discouraged in their
efforts to identify the prisoner. They now
await the habeas corpus proceedings,
which. it is said, must reveal the identity
of their prisoner in order to be effective
to any extent.