Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-09-01
The Murdered Sailor.

That Frederick Dahl, the Norwegian
coll. VIII. body was found IN COCK
s .s. oC P;sbtown on Monday morning,
August "a, was murdered, is now an es-
sahI;sbed fact and the belief Is steadily
growing that Edgar Simmons, the negro
Who was arrested on suspicion OF having
caused his death, is guilty of the crime
There has so far, however, been no posi-
five evidence, direct or circumstantal'
70 fssten the murder upon him, but ne
l. still in confinement and will be held
until existing suspicious against him are
cleared away. As was stated IN the
Gazette, the autopsy yesterday evening
proyed beyond doubt that Dahl had been
= victim of foul play and that his death
had been caused by wound in the eye.
The optic was removed by DR.. OBrlen
in the presence ofDr Purvis, the Cor-
oner when it was seen that orb had been
MERGED through and the instrument
rsed had penetrated the brain. 1t is be-
Iiaved the wound was made with mar
line spike The head was also opened
and the wound in the brain exposed to
view. Simmons has had two hearings,
at each of which he made rambling
and contradictory statements, while his
voluntary descriptions of his life and
whereabouts on the night of the murder
as given to officers have been incoherent
and conflicting. At both examinations
he attempted to prove an alibl on the
night of the tragedy, but his witnesses
Yesterday could only testifyto his where
sbouts ND to eleven o'clock on the night
of Saturday, the 22d of August The
cries of murder we're heard about one
o'clock the next morning. he tailed
IN show where he was from eleven O'CLOCK
Saturday night until Sunday morning
He at the first hearing told the court ne
LODGED with colored man named ben
HUGHES on the night of the murder, but
II subsequently appeared thathe was with
Hughes on Monday night. HIS state
ments 80 far have been contradictory
although no one has been found who saw
him with Dahl previous to the latter :
J;sannearance. The murdered sailor had
drawn 80 Saturday evening from the
captain of the schooner Nellie W. Craig'
ON WHICH. he was employed. According
20 the evidence of his shipmates VINO
we're with him during the early part "l
the night. he spent half of that sum ano
was known to have had the remainder o.
the money in his pockets when ne lei
them Dahl about eleven O'Clock wen,
70 Mr.. Dan Henry's saloon and received
two packages he had left there early II
the NIGHT aud started for his vessel
.,bich was at w. A. SmoOt q Co. q COCK
80 souares east. He manifested m
svmntonis of being drunk when he lett Mr.
Henry's house. This was the last seel
Of him alive When the body was fo1n'
NO money was in the pockets. Inc lac
that Dahl did not report on the scnoone
newt morning caused no Apprehension
from the fact that it was Sunday ua
ON which only necessary work Is POI
formed His prolonged absence, mo-"
over and the fact that Simmons asKe
To be shipped in his stead and the nt
eros observation to the effect that Dan s
va. in A safe place and his suggestlo
~ thc captain that the missing sallC
NAV have been locked up, cause
snsnicion and the police we're notine'
when Simmons was arrested nc Ia
* cents in his pockets. While there
8 possibility of the darby being ,nnooei
&C tho terrible crime of which ne
snspected. it is noticeable fact that
Is difficult to get direct answers wh II,
n,,os,;ons are propounded to him. Il
Invariably wanders off into unlmPorIal
and irrelevant details. The poIicemt
are exerting themselves to their utmo
70 fathom the mystery. The schooon
rnon which Dahl had been employ
Vii leave tomorrow for New for
An inquest was held this evening
nemaine & Sons undertaking establis
ment at which a number OF witness
were examined and everything possit
dome to ferret out DahPs murderer
,Che taking of testimony was IN p
Dress when this report closed. i
1risoner denied all connection WIN
aueged murder, but was, as on Torn
occssions. much mixed in his sta
ments. oooh;no
vord;ct adjourned subject to the call
the foreman.
A Social Triumph.