Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-23
A QUEER COMBINATION
CHIEF BoARDMAN's REMARK RE-
eARDINa TIE SMITHS.
Letters Written by Them Before the
Case Of Poisoning Of the
Hamiltons.

Very little has been accomplished in the
case of the poisoning of members or the
family of George Hamilton, colored, at $50
11th street northeast as published In sat
urday's Star. Late Saturday afternoon Jo-
seph Stephen Smith and his wife, Maggie
Smith were arrested and held on suspicion
Mrs. Smith Is the colored fortune teller
who occupies the house between the home
of the Hamiltons and the Israel Baptist
Church Her arrest was made by Detec-
tfves Helan, Hartigan and McNamee be-
cause of the letters she had written 10
George Hamilton and the police. The wo-
man admitted to the detectives and star
reporter that she had written five or the SIX
letters the police and Hamilton had rece1v-
ed The sixth letter. she stated. was written
by a friend at her request and she dictated
It's contents. Capt Boardman was surprised
to find that the Smith woman and her nus
band really believed what the woman had
stated in the letters about the HamHtons.
That they were thoroughly frightened there
could be no doubt and that It was due entire
ly to their imaginations Capt Boardman did
not question. He was unable to understand
how the whole family could be made to pc
lieve such things when there was not the
slightest foundation for them. George Ham
ilton is known by the police as hard-worK-
ing law-abiding colored man. He mas been
In the employ Of Attorney Campbeii Car
rington for about twenty years ana MS EN-
ployer speaks In the highest terms OF MIN.
That he had operated as a so-cailed night
doctor" the police characterize as extremely
absurd. The Smiths. however, were thor
oughly frightened at them and their littie
daughter had been made to believe that
the Hamtitons were just what their parents
imagined they were.
A Queer Combination.
Hr. .,,1o, oo,,, htp atiop " rpmarked
Capt. Boardman after he had interviewed
the Smiths. 81 could understand how
colored woman engaged In the fortune tell
ing business might draw on her Imagination
to an unlimited extent. but 1 can't under
stand how the husband and child can be
brought to share her belief.
Mrs Smith told Capt. Boardman sub
stantially what she said to a Star reporter
earlier in the day, and her husband and
child seemed only too anxious TO suostah-
tiate her statements.
Saturday afternoon when the detectives
went to the house at 634 18th street to ar
rest the Smiths they founu that the lower
floor had been rented to a family named
johnson. The two rooms occupied by the
Smiths were in a horribly filthy condition,
but the three members of the family pre-
scented highly respectable appearance
when they were ready to accompany the
detectives to police headquarters.
Are you going to let my child go with
me?" was the womans anxious inquiry.
IF she has to stay here it will kill her.
she added.
The mother and child were taken to the
house of detention after they had been In
terviewed by Capt. Boardman. and the hus-
band was given accommodations at the
sixth precinct station.
At the house the detectives found the
shutters to the back windows nailed and
the occupants of the rooms had done every
thing they could do to secure their premises.
The First Letter.
The first letter written by Mrs. Smith was
the one addressed to George Hamilton AL
though she lives in the house adjoining the
Hamilton home she mailed the letter, which
reads:
Mr. Hamilton.
Dear Sir: I am sorry to sayI regret it
very much indeed to address you in this
style, but circumstances compel 1t. We
came from the same place. We know each
other well, and to know what i do is very
hard indeed. When We were talking about
the man running my husband every morn
ing, trying to catch him for the doctor, we
did not think it was our next door neighbor.
The police have been here time and time
again trying to see what we know about
you, and we have tried our very best to say
it Is lie.
And then you are making your threats
that you are going to kill my husband the
first time you catch him. was told that it
neve it about you and her? That you and
her. that come from my own home, are
seeking to kill US both. May God have
mercy on you for such an act. What have
we ever done to you or Martha for you to
want to kill us sell US to the doctors?
don't think you know we know this. You
are carrying loaded pistol to shoot me or
my husband the first time you catch US in
close place, You could have killed us
long ago. for God knows did not believe 1t
about you when 1t was first told to me-
The police say it was you. but my husband
said it was lie and did I. / don't think
God will let you kill us for nothing. I have
to let you know that knowsthis. 1 can't
rest until let you know. You said you
was going to kill my poor little child. For
Gods sake. what is the matter with you and
Martha to want to do anything ike that,
carrying pistol to shoot my husband
From MRS MAGGIE SMITH"
Letter to Lieut.. DAILY.
One lengthy letter written to Lieut. Daley
covered substantially the same ground as
that received by Hamilton. The other let
tiers called the Heutenant's attention to
what the writer alleged was going on in
the Hamilton house and marked the letters;
Strictly private" One was signed white
citizen" and the others either bore no Sig
nature or We're signed Citizen" Mrs
Smith, as already stated has admitted re-
sponsibility for all the letters.
The letter which the woman admitted
having dictated to friend reads as fol-
lows:
L was passing through 11tn street FRI
day night when it was raining and a stout
man and black woman, from 636 18th street
northeast. and they followed me down to-
ward G street In the dark, and the woman
got on her knees and crawIed toward me
like dog and tried to grab me. I scream
ed, and they had something like chloroform
l screamed. and they ran. This Is the third
time they done this. 7 am afraid to walk
out that way after night l live up town,
but have business to attend in that neigh
borhood. Please have something done for
this. 1t Is dangerous walking
Poison in the Tea
Prof Hird found large quantity of
poison In the tea turned over to him by the
detectives. but win not be able to determine
whether 1t Is anthony or arsenic until
late this afternoon. The result of the
analysis of the contents Of the stomach of
Mary Hamilton Will not be known until
later in the week. The finding Of the moi
son in the tea assures the police that the
child's death was due to poison admins
tered by some person with the intent to
take lffe Who this person is the detectives
doing 70 toip