Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-14
ALEXANDRIA AFFAIRS
William Whalen, jr.. Accused
of Grave Crime.
HIS TRIAL TOMORROW
CITY MERCHANTS WANT TRANS
PoRTATIoN FACILITIES.
Loss Of the Columbia Causes Prompts
Acknowledgment Loop on Penn
sylvania Railroad.
Evening Star Bureau.
701 King Street.
Bell Telephone 106

1OI King street.
Bell Telephone 100
ALEXANDRIA, Va, May a. 1903.
William Whalen, jr.. young man about
nineteen years of age, was arrested here
this afternoon by Policemen knight and
Gill on the charge Of attempting criminal
assault on Miss Lima Davis, the eighteen
year-ofd daughter of Capt. George Davis,
q riverman, residing Lower Prince
street. Whalen was taken Immediately TO
the station house, where he was locked up
pending an investigation of the charge by
Mayor Simpson in the police court tomor-
row morning at o'clock.
The news Of the alleged assault came to
the police department in the form OF a
mysterious story Of an attack made last
night by unknown parties upon Miss Davis
and Whalen, who were walking together In
the southeastern part Of the city. This
morning. before his arrest, Whalen visited
the police station and stated that he and
consisting OF five men, one of whom mad
felled both him and his companion with
stone.
The manner in which he told the MARIA
tive and the differences between his state
ments and those made later by Miss Davis
threw the suspicion OF the police upon
him, and he was carefully watched until
the officers thought they had obtained suf-
taken into custody.
Tells Rambling Story.
Miss Davis Is at her fathers home suf-
fering from a severe cut on her temple and
a badly blackened eye. She has been in q
dazed condition ever since the occurrence.
Whalen has several teeth dislocated and a
severe cut on the chin. He also seemed
considerably dazed by the blow he said he
received. At the station house this morning
he told Capt. Webster a rather rambling
story of the affair. He said he met Miss
Davis last evening shortly after o'clock
near the house of a friend she had been
visiting on Queen street. They walked
leisurely down through the southeastern
part of the town, he said, and were strollfng
down Royal street near the Catholic ceme-
terry, when they were assaulted.
Whalen said he noticed five men standing
on the other side Of the railroad track at
that point. when one Of them suddenly and
without warning threw heavy stone at
him and his companion. The missile, he
said, struck him on the jaw and glanced and
struck Miss Davis on the head. When he
was able to gather his wits together the
men were nowhere to be seen. His COM
panion had collapsed. and 1t was with diff
Guilty that he succeeded in conducting her
to the Office of physician. There. he said.
he was advised by the doctor to visit a dem
fist, which he did. the young lady being
still with him. His teeth being temporarily
attended to. he said. he went with Miss
Davis to the office of DR.. Arthur Snowden
on King street, where the cut on his jaw
received treatment. Then, Whalen stated,
he sent his companion to her home.
The Lady's Version.
When Miss Davis was seen at her home
by Officer Gill this morning she gave a
very different account Of the trouble. She
thought the assault had occurred about
$50 o'clock, and was sure that the place
was on Prince street between Fairfax and
Lee streets. instead Of on South Royal
street. She said she lost consciousness
after receiving a blow on the head, which
seemed to have been inflicted by a stone.
The next thing she remembered, she said,
she was sitting on the steps Of DIR. Snow
denis office. From that time until her ar
rival at her homo she could give but an
fnd1stfnct account of what occurred. She
was found wandering on the street in an
aimless manner, and alone, by a friend
between II and II o'clock, who conducted
her to her fathers residence. Officer Fer
guson this morning went to the spot in
dicated by Miss Davis as the place Of as
sault and found several drops Of blood on
the street.
Effect Of Columbia's Destruction.
The severe blow to the Alexandria gro
Gerry trade inflicted by the loss Of the ferry
steamer Columbia by fire at her pier In
Washington last night has stirred the
wholesale merchants of this city to activity,
and already they have taken energetic steps
with view Of maintaining their Washing
ton business. This morning the usual large
bulk OF merchandise from the local tobhers
was Smppeo TO washington on steam cars
Messrs. Charles King Son. one of the
iargest OF the local wholesale grocery firms