The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-12-28

the task of killing Mcog ten minutes. as
McDermott says they We're in the store
that long. McDermoit is emphatic in all
his statements concerning the crime and an
swers all questions put TO him in a manner
entirely free.
DESCRIBES ONLY ONE
MEMBER OF TIE QUARTET.
McDermott was able to describe only one
of the four men. He said each was about
. feet S inches in height. but he noted the
facial features of only one. This man. he
said. had a light moustache. He is posi-
tive that they all were white men, and de
clared that Moog acted when he admitted
them as If he knew them.
As soon as he had heard McDermott's
statement Chief Desmond sent a detective
to the holdover and had Earl Niver and
the woman who first claimed to be his
wife brought to his office. He took them
into his private room and talked to them
a few minutes and then released them.
lhey promised to be present at the inquest
on Moog'5 body Monday morning. which
was postponed at the request of Chief Des-
mond from yesterday until tomorrow morn
ing.
hours Friday night and were also before
Chief Desmond some time yesterday morn
ing. Chief Desmond, it is said, obtained
no new from them yesterday
morning. although the manner in which
Niver got the scratch on his nose was not
explained entirely to his satisfaction.
NO BLOOD SPOTS FOUND
ON NEGRO LEWIS RATCHET.
C.. A. Snodgras. City Bacteriologist and
Patholosist. at the request of Captain Rey-
nolc., yesterday analysed the spots found
on the Ratchet, which Detective Hageman
discovered in the room of Sam Levi. the
negro susneCt. at No. 14l1 Market street.
Professor Snodgras. in a written report to
Chief Desmond. declared that they were not
blood spots. This alone would have resulted
In the release of Levi. whose statements
had been found to be substantially correct.
but the statement of McDermott also took
all suspicion from Levi and he. too, was re-
leased.
Special officers are working diligently to
find a clew to the murder. Yesterday after
noon Tom Scruggins. a negro who lives at
No. 61i Spruce street, was brought III and
asked to explain where he was at the time
OF the murder. He said he was at home.
~Scruggins was arrested four or five years
ago on a charge of murder. but when his
case was called in the Court of Criminal
Correction the witnesses for the State were |
not present, and there was no evidence JUS
ttfyinS the court to hold lin.
The case in connection with which Scrug-
gins was arrested at that time was equally
e5 mysterious for several days as the MOog
case Is row. Henry Hertel, a young man.
had bsen found dead under the Sixth street
v.aduct. At first the police believed he had
fallen while intoxicated and was frozen 10
death.
CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE
STRONG AGAINST NEGRO.
No marks Of violence wee visible. and
ms Theory seemed the only possible one.
Captain Reynclds. however. was not salts
rel he felt Uneasy about the case and be-
lSTtd 1t warranted a moro rigid iEvestiga-
ion. At hs request the Coroner's au:oTsy
held 4 post-mortem in the pres
enc" ~ Detective Bamrick.
Inc CCct'r found Il disease Of tire heart
AMI attributed Hertel's death to this until
he had o%a3'i"c6 The head. The s-a'p was
'erryeG and above tho left temple a TIL
'HE'Ii"r- shared fracture wrs fcu~d. The
'knii WIS crushed end conclusion of the
)r1in NJ dCUGt. according to the Go-to!':
c.f:er.7 his death.
Captain Reynolds at orcn ordered his mon
O r'reW the r effort to unravel the mvs-
'Lr. 90 1aT rom the scene of the murder
corn! r. pin WIS found. L was carried t.
he Fo." Courts ard he'd rs evidence.
g: hS2.nS AMI several othe- negroes wera
ire tee. To is o%n satisfaction CaDt1i1
ErotdS learned that Scrugsins and the
.hef negroes were n a saloon with Her
el. and tina: the white man had boush.
TINES Tor the negroes. Evidence to a:.ow
rat He-tel was followed from Inc saIo,r
I'D assaulted with the coupling hin vas
.lso fund. 90" va
fferfel had carried a box of cigars with
an. Inc man from whom he purchase
heDl was found. The cfa-s ver, later
81 ~ me Possession OF 4 EiOcsr. who
me poliSe that lie bought tn m frIia
cItGSl"s. They Wee iient isd by III.
a.ts"-sn rom WON II eI purCnav 4
lem. ~SSrrggin7 denied his guilt. but the
,groner he'd him on a charge OF homirida
ne cotTt. however. was not JUSTIFIED in
oilg 30 on the evidence the State was abIe
. produce when the case was al ed fnr