Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-16
REVIVAL OF INTEREST
STICKFooT CREEK YIELDS CLUE
TO JoRDoN MURDER.
Overcoat and Pocket Book Found in
the Stream, the Coat Bear
ing Bloodstains.

After nearly three months of uniagging
energy directed toward finding the slayer
of Mrs Kate Jordon, the colored woman
mysteriously stabbed to death Christmas
eve at her home in Howard avenue, Hills
dale. the police and detectives have had
their hopes of the successful termination
Of their efforts revived by the finding of
what are now regarded as the two most
important clues that have yet come to
ngnr, even exceeding in Importance the
bloody dirk left In the throat Of the vic
tim by the murderer. Stickfoot creek, the
winding stream that runs from the hills
through the colored settlement to the river,
yielded up these two clues most unex-
pectedly Friday evening. when there were
discovered along It's banks just In the rear
coat, believed to have been worn by the
murderer the night of his crime, and a
ragged pocket book, the latter supposed to
have been the property OF the unfortunate
woman.
The former article was found by a Mrs.
Newly, colored woman living in the To-
cality, and Police Sergeant w. T. Ander-
son, who has directed the case throrghout.
and Officers I. A. Lusby and M. E. Reidy
brought to light the pocket book. The find
ing of the pocket book in proximity to the
overcoat is believed to be significant, and
to go toward proving the theory formed by
robbery was the motive that induced the
criminal to visit the house Of Mrs Jordon
the night of the tragedy.
Discovery of the Coat.
Mrs. Newly had gone to the marsh near
the creek, which is only a little way from
her house. in order to look over some wood
that had collected there. when she discoy-
cred an object imbedded in the sand
nearby. She decided that 1T was an aban-
doned infant wrapped up in a sack She
sent messenger after Officer Reidy. The
officer responded. and found half buried in
the mud and sand an ordinary meal SACK,
upon unrolling which there was brought to
view a dark gray overcoat, stained with
mud and water. Reidy carried his bundle
to the police station in Anacostia, where a
better examination was made, and the con-
clusion being reached that the overcoat
was connected with the tragedy, it was
placed in place to dry out
In the meantime Sergeant Anderson and
Officers Lusby and Reidy went to the spot
where the overcoat had been picked up,
and close by they found the pocket book,
one corner of which was barely protrudng
from the mud and sand. 1t was empty,
but seemingly had been in use. 1t was in
a defective state from the water and mud.
and was put away with the coat. 1t was
not until yesterday that the articles were
in a condition to bear much handling. De-
tective headquarters had been informed by
the sergeant of the discovery Of the ar
ticles. Detective Muller later visited the
station in order to view the coat and
pocket book, and Officers j. W. McCor-
mack and w. E. Stewart were on hand to
gather up new points Careful handling Of
the overcoat was necessary in cleaning
from it the mass of mud which covered 1t
thckly, so not to interfere with any
blood stains that might be present The
officers were not long In ascertaining that
on the collar of the garment was band
h. irSa irtin IN r q
Paris, New York and Philadelphia. 1t
was in good condition when cleaned from
the mud. and must have been serviceabe
garment when thrown away. All the but
top being loose, while the others were
sewed on firmly. Nothing could be found
in the pockets.
Believed to Be Blood.
What Interested the officers most was the
search for blood stains. Down the right
sleeve Of the coat and on the under side
was found a rusty smear. which greatly
resembled blood. while on the back Of the
coat was discovered a mark Of the same
reddish hue, also thought to be blood.
These spots were quite large, and could be
readily detected with the naked eye. II
smaller spots existed 1t was supposed the
chemists examination would bring them
to view.
The opinion was general that the garment
was the one worn by the murderer, to the
detection Of whom 1t was believed 1t would
ultimately lead. Nothing was disclosed by
an examination Of the pocket book.
No effort was made to have the articles
identified, and they were quietly removed
to police headquarters. where the coat Will
be given to the District chemist to be tested
for blood stains. The smear on the right
sleeve of the garment Is such as the police
think would be received after a person had
inflicted knife wound similar to the one
that killed Mrs. Jordon and which pene-
trated her throat. The place where the
articles were found. the officers believe.
shows that the murderer must have had
some knowledge Of the locality. They are
inclined to the idea that the criminal Is
local man. 1t Is possible they say that he
did not secrete the garment or throw Ii in
the creek until some time after the crime
was committed. The exact spot where the
finds were made Is little distance west of
where Mrs. Jordon lived and to the rear of
her home, below the Baltimore and ohio
railroad tracks and in the direction of the
river.
Police Will Renew Efforts.
The officers of the Anacostia force will
now turn their attention to the Identified
ton of the overcoat They take it that the
criminal is undoubtedly colored. The man
who was said to have escaped from the
Jordon house when the victim OF the crime
ran out, bleeding to death, Is said to have
worn such a coat. The police will again
traverse the entire ground of the case, and
those persons who figured in the past in
vestigation will be once more called upon
for information.
The finding of the overcoat and the
pocket book was not allowed to become
generally known outside Of police circles.
The officers think 1t will be easier to locate
the owner OF the overcoat than 1t has been
to find the purchaser of the fatal dirk.