Evening star., 1902-01-13
MRS. DENNIS GIVES NO CLUE
HER MIND A BLANK REGARDING
MURDEROUs ASSAULT.
Her Talk Yesterday With Physician
and Observation-Disclosures InfOrma-
tiOn, but Nothing of Value.

1t is believed by the physicians and
friends of Mrs. Ada Gilbert Dennis, who
was brutally assaulted at her home, No.
I'LL K street northwest, the morning OF
the 10th of last month, that she will re-
cover. She was fully conscious yesterday
and was able to converse with Dr. Az
knson about the crime. Detective Harti-
gan was present at the interview and ques-
tions suggested by him were asked and
answered.
Mrs. Dennis was unable to throw any
| light upon the case. Her mind is blank
so far as the occurrences in her room the
| morning of December 10, are concerned.
She could recall nothing of the affair, nor
could she give the detectives any idea as
to the identity of any person who held
malice toward her. Statements made by
Mrs. Dennis yesterday are at variance with
what she stated at a former Interview and
the physicians are satisfied that she was
rot conscious on the former occasion. al
though some of her statements Indicated
that she was in possession of her senses
Yesterdays interview was anything but
satisfactory to the detectives. Instead OF
assisting them. Mrs. Dennis made the
mystery apparently harder to solve. She
recognized DIR. Atkinson when he entered
the room yesterday, as she had on former
occasions and he informed the patient that
Detective Hartigan was from police head
quarters and was anxious to obtain a
statement from her regarding the assault
She related to the doctor the story of her
movements about the house the night
prior to the commission of the crime. and
told of the condition in which she had left
things about the room. They were GER
tainly not arranged the next morning as
she says they were Monday night.
Mrs. Dennis Statements.
According to her statement, she remained
in her that
doing some sewing, and about 10 o'clock
she heard her mother-in-law, Mrs. Jane
Dennis. put the pet dog, "Fido," out Of
the house for the night. Shortly after this
occurred she locked the doors leading to
the hall and retired.
Before getting into bed she put her re-
volver and her pocket book beneath her pill
low. A dim light was left in the room, as
usual. She was asleep soon after she re-
tired, and from that time until last Friday
she knew nothing of her condition or
whereabouts. The hospital interview lasted
only few minutes and the detectives re-
tired very much disappointed. They went
to headquarters from the hospital and in
formed Capt. Boardman of the result of the
interview. Later Major Sylvester and Capt
Boardman conferred about the case.
The statements made by Mrs. Dennis sur
prlsed the police. Until yesterday she had
volunteered nothing. She had answered
yesterday she talked freely about the as
sault, and also showed some anxiety about
her money affairs. She remembered that
she had left about $50 in her pocket book.
ana said she had received several checks
Monday afternoon. The question of hos
pital expenses seemed to trouble her, but
the doctor made her mind easy about this
IN view or the statements made by the
patient yesterday. the detectives are en-
deavoring to solve the matter of the transfer
Oh the revolver and pocket book from be-
neath the pillow, the former to the table at
the foot of the bed and the latter to the
desk drawer near the head of the bed. Mrs
Dennis is positive that both were carefully
placed beneath her pillow before she re-
tlred IL her memory is not defective in
THIS matter, the police are of the opinion
tnat robbery was not the motive. They
also seem to think that the woman's as
sa1lant entered through the front window
from the balcony. This window they be-
lteVe, had not been securely fastened II is
the opinion of some of the officers that her
assailant went there for purposes other
than murder, and that fear must have
overcome the miscreant from some cause.
Ihe assault, it is believed, was committed
In order TO avoid the possibility of being
detected.
Another View.
1t is believed by some of the police how
ever, in view of Mrs Dennis statement.
that her assailant was familiar with the
surroundings, and that the weapon and
pocket book We're removed just before the
assault was committed. 1t is regarded as
possible that the intruder's intention was
to carry off the pocket book, but time was
not given to get it in the darkness, the as
sault rendering a hasty exit necessary.
detectives Horne and Hartigan have in
vestigated the movements of more than a
score of persons whose names were men
TONED in connection with the case, but
nothing to Justify an arrest has yet de-
veloped.
Mrs Dennis passed a good night after
talking over the case, and this morning she
appeared to be slightly better than she was
yesterday.