Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-08-28
Mysterious Death.
a week.

The finding of the body Of Frederic
Dahl, q Norwegian sailor, who came
here recently on the schooner Nellie w.
Craig, is still causing speculation. 1t
was at first thought that the deceased
accidentally fell overheard Saturday
night while straying about the dock near
Fishtown. The body was found short
distance north of the dock in which the
Craig is lying. From the circumstances
brought to the attention OF DR.. Purvis,
the coroner, an inquest was not deemed
necessary, and the body being in an ad-
vanced stage of decomposition, it was
inferred Monday afternoon in Penny
Hill Later developments have caused
some, especially his sailor companions,
to suspect that Dahl was victim OF foul
play. and they impaired their sus-
picions to the police. The fact that
cries of murder we're heard Saturday
night in the direction Of the dock
in which the body was subsequently
found and the suspicious action OF
young colored man named Edgar Sim
mons, have caused Capt Lano and the
sailors on the Craig to become more pro-
nounced in the belief that DahPs death
was not due to an accident An inves-
tigation started by the police resulted
last night in thearrest of Simmons, who
is said to have been the last person seen
in company with Dahl. Simmons, 1t is
alleged, had been employed on the
schooner Manuel w. Cuza which left
here several days ago for Boston with
cargo of railroad ties. While the two
schooners we're here Simmons applied
several times to Capt. Lane, OF the Craig,
for employment, stating that he was dis
satisfied with his position on the other
vessel. Dahl failed to go aboard the
Craig Saturday night, and Simmons
again on Sunday asked Capt. Lane if he
did not have vacancy, to which the
captain replied in the negative. Sim
mons went aboard the Craig on Monday,
saving that Dahl was locked up at police
headquarters, and asked to be allowed
to fill the vacancy, stating that he was
anxious to go to New York. He was
again refused, and the three sailors re-
ferred to above went to the police station
and found that the description OF the
drowned man corresponded in every
particular with that Of Dahl who had
been missing since Saturday. The
shoes taken from the body were recog-
nized as those worn by the deceased.
The insistence of Simmons aroused the
suspicions of Dahl's friends aboard the
Craig. and when it had dawned upon
them that he had misinformed them
about Dahps whereabouts they caused
his arrest. Simmons says he knows
nothing of the circumstances in connec-
ton with DahPs death. He said his
companions were always women, except
when he was thrown with men during
working hours. He protested that he
could account for all of his movements
on Saturday night last. Simmons
claims to be native of this city, and
that his father is Rev. William SIM
mons, a Baptist peeacher of Washing
ton. He also says that he has an uncle
in Washington. He was unable to
give the name of the church of which
his father is the pastor. Simmons was
brought before the Mayor TINS
morning when he gave rambling
account of his movements SATURDAY
night last. His statement did no
agree with previous ones made to mem
bers of the Craig's crew nor to the
policemen last night. Among othe
things he said he was en- Alexandriar
and was born on Wolfe street. Las
night he told the officers he had llvec
at $500 Wolfe street. Of course there
is no such number on that street. ID
knew nothing of Wolfe street and wa
unable to gi7e the names of neighbor
or incidents in connection with tn
locality. The Mayor concluded to hole
the prisoner for future hearing.