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

ted q
John J. AfcDermott. a 1aycar-old clerk fl
the Offices Of the Meyer Bros. Drug Com
paHy, yesterday afternoon told Chief o.
Detectives Desmond that he was an eye.
witness to the murder OF John MooE in hi.
cigar store al No. lOi South Fourth stree,
on the night before Christmas. and last
night he accompanied Detectives Harriny.
ton and Schmidt to the scene 10 demon.
strate to them what he had seen.
McDermotts statement placed an entirely
new light on the case, and. as a result
Earl Niver. Jessie Gtlaspie. who is known
ms Mrs. NIver, and Sam Levi. the negro
who has been detained by the police, were
released.
Meyer Bros Drug Company's plac. Of
business Is only .. block from Moogss cipar
store. where the murder was committed
McDermott lives at No. 1925 Belmont street
AFTER he had talked with Chief of De-
tectives Desmond nearly all afternoon Nc
Dermott discussed the case with a reporter
for The Republic.
DESCRIBES IN DETAIL
INCIDENTS OF MURDER
u saw the murder committed" he de-
clared emDhatically. II saw two NJ tho
blows struck. but do not know what ve,nor
was used. The murderers extingufshed the
light after two of them had struck the old
1nah, and 1 could see no more.
i had left my brother. Michael. who ives
ut No 8l3 South Second street, after We
had been down to the French Market 70 h,,v
n Christmas tree. We parted at Broadway
and Chouteau. He went home and I went
on up to Union Market, but could not find
a tree that suited me.
sT -
4 was returning to my brothers home
having walked south on Broadway to Wash
ington avenue, and then east to Fourth
street l was on the east side Of the street
when 1 came in sight Of Moog's store, and
saw four men at the door. They were rat
Ting the latch and attempting to get in. it
seemed to me.
AS l got nearly opposite the door of
Moog's store I saw him approaching it from
The inside, and stopped when he opened il
ana the four men entered. He was attIrad
only IN his underclothinE. I watched them
ana SOW one OF the men. who had a light
anustache, strike him from behind Then
another of the four men struck him ana he
fell.
1T suddenly came to my mind that the
men were robbers, and l was considerably
frightened. I rar across the street TO the
Southern Hotel entrance. and as | stood in
the shadows saw one of the men bring his
0'' WI nv tdiip' hla TN store De-
came dark.
SAYS ONE OF THE MURDERERS
DISCHARGED \ FIRECRACKER.
While l was still standing across the
street shiverinE Sith cold as well as fight.
j saw one of the men come out of the store.
and was surprised when he discharged two
iirecrackers."
When asked why he did not give an alarm
when he saw Moog assaulted by the men
McDeTmott replied that he vas afraid If
he called a policeman or summoned ngsi:t-
ance that he would ne Killed h- the robbers.
He said that he had known NIoor for some
time. Il have gone into his store many
times and purchased tobacco from him he !
said. Il know of 4 naIG1er Of railroad men
who have purchased to5Gcco from h n All
have owed him ior il several wn-!,s. He
would trust any person whom he knew. He
was a good old man"
Pressed further Tor his Tc.s-n il rot Civ
ing an alarm NcBc.mo;t could give no
other explanation than .aat ut fz;-eI he
would be killed. lie declared that lie
watched the store II lea"> zen minutes be-
fore lie vert o. his va - MS broth r.: /
house. He said Re did nos tell any person !
about the murde: except his bro;he~. Lntrl
he arrived at Neycr BROTHERS Drag Cnr- /.
pary'a store Yesterday. lie sa.d lie had ngi
read tho newspapers ahrut tee case aEd I'D
not know it had proved mysterious.
BROTHER Is CALLED
TO CONFIRM TEE STORY.
Michael McDe, mott v.aa also requested 20
call at the -Four Courts IL tGc afternoon to
see chief DesmoH IL was G-keI by the (,
thlti 10 tel tn" ..r-. Cf the assault IS his
brother had described it 80 !ia. Chief De-
iaoild requiring him II t..i also of Jha visit
TO the French Market and what irdnsolreI
while they were together Wednesday even
ing.
To Chief Desmond JOHN McDermott had
said that he bought Il Christmas tree at one
OF the markets. Michael McCermutt said
no tree had been purchased. John McDe:
mott afterward admitted that he had ma lc !
a misstateinent regarding the tree. In u!
other respects Michael ..icDernott5 state
was about the same as that of his
Chief Desmond seemed puzzled after his
interview with the young nan who claimed
10 have witnessed the crime. The Chief
declared that M~cDermotts statement tnaI
one Of the men had come OUT of the store
md discharged two frecrackers was the
most unheard-of thing tie had ever i.tsnei
% in connection with such a crime.
The seeming foo'ishness of Such 4 thing
IS firing the cracker when = murder was
,eing committed on TIE ins.6c of the $40 @
s more than Chief Desmond is prepared to
although he does not forget
it was the night before Christmas !
nd that there was much nCisemaking on
he street.
The time spent by the men in the store.
to McDcrmott's statement. Is re-
arded by Chief Desmond as incorrect. He g,
osS Got Hrfr-N tia men were engaged in 4