The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-03-27
MORSE WAS
WALKING
IN CROWD
Officers Testify TO Placing Him
Under Arrest After tho Shoot.
Ing of Miss TOombs.

! The police officials who arrested Morse
after the murder OF the Tcombs girl. and
William H. Dyer. who was near the spot
where the shooting took place. testified
/ az yesterday afternoons session OF the in
quest into the death OF Miss Julia r.
/ Toombs BY Coroner Lincoln.
Officer Patrick A Sullivan was the
hrst with So About II O'Clock nc was on
his beat on Messer street near Westmins-
ter street when he heard that a man had
killed a woman near Long Pond. He
heard the murderer was coming toward
his beat lie strongly denies that any
man named Blake or anyone else took
hold ~ Morse
The officer says that he found Morse
walking alone with the crowd at his heels.
He recognized the man by his general
appearance. ne being very big and surly,
After the officer seized the man the
crowd said that was the right one. The
officer felt TO see IL Morse had revol-
Yer and somebody I'm the crowd shouted
that the revolver had been thrown away.
officer Devine I'm citizens clothes came
up afterwards and the three walked to-
ward Messer street and met the patrol
wagon from the Seventh station, They
bundled i'm the prisoner and took him TO
the Seventh station. in Elmwood.
At the station the officer asked Morse
why he shot the girl and he replied Be
cause ! wanted to-" He said the girl was
his sweetheart. He appeared perfectly
sane and sober He gave his name as
william Stevens Morse and he explained
his discharge papers from the navy read
ing William Stevens bS saying that he
did not want 10 give his full name I'm the
navy. He SAYS he arrested Morse on his
own responsibility and was only too glad
there was an officer there 10 do IL.
The next witness was officer Patrick
Devine. He heard OF the shooting and
went To the scene. The body OF the muir
dered girl lay I'm the hallway or the
house where IL was taken. Then he saw
Officer Sullivan coming into the crowd
from the opposite direction. Both police
men got there about together Officer Sui
livan took hold OF Morse and asked IL he
was the man. No one had hold OF Morse
before the officers got there, Mr.. Devine
asserted. +,
officer Sullivan took Morse by the right
arm and officer Devine took him by the
left officer Sullivan asked for the revol-
yer. and young man giving the name
OF Randall or Crandall brought the
weapon, which officer Sullivan put In his
pocket Then they went To Messer street
and met the patrol wagon.
The prisoner seemed dazed and made no
trouble. lie rode with the officers To the
police station He said he went by the
name OF Stevens In the navy, but his
right name was Morse. When asked why
he shot the girl he said he did not know.
He said she was not his wife. but his
sweetheart He was seized with n At OF
weakness and asked To sit down He was
given drink OF water and locked In a
cell
volver and found four empty shells, one
loaded and one empty chamber. IL was n
six-shooter. and the extra cartridge was
found I'm the prisoners pocket. The revol-
yer was marked for identification and left
for the captain.
Mr.. William ". Dyer was the next wit
ness He testified TO seeing Miss Toombs
talking with a man with red NOUS
tache. He had gone about 80 feet when he
heard the pistol shots.
lie saw Morse run and n man after
him. The girl fell and Mr.. Dyer stayed
with her. while a woman came out and
raised Miss Toombs' head. lie assisted In
carrying the girl to the doorway Miss
Toombs did not speak. She only gasped
The witness remained there about half an
hour and then went TO the police station
and identified Morse. Mr. Dyer heard
three distinct shots and says there might
have been four. He saw no holes I'm the
clothing. and said: "You wouldn't know
she was shot" Miss Toombs lay I'm the
hall, with a pillow under her head. when
Mr. Dyer left Morse seemed impulsive
with the woman in his conversation.