The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-06-08
DETECTIVES SEEK
OWNER OF PISTOL
j. Morgan Smith Will Not
Answer Questions.
TAKEN TO THE GRAND JURY
Investigating Episode in a Hotel Where
Woman Is Alleged to Have
Displayed a knife.


! the ownership of the revolver are the
detectives getting in the Young-Patter-
! son case that they are confident of SEN
sational developments in the near future
At a late hour last night Detective
Sergeant Edward Armstrong went to
the apartments of J. Morgan Smith, who
| is married TO a sister of Nan Patterson
| but was unable TO obtain from him in
formation of great Importance 1t Is
understood that Mr.. Smith was in New
winter of 1893.
Upon his refusal to answer questions
relating to the ownership of the revol-
yer with which Caesar Young was
| Shot. subpoena was served upon Smith
dlrecting him to appear this morning at
: CLOCK before the grand jury which
began It's investigation of the case.
Threats Investigated.
Under Instructions from Captain
sweeney, Sergeant Armstrong and other
detectives are investigating reports OF
an episode in a Seventh Avenue hotel a
short time ago.
According to the information in the
possession Of Captain Sweeney. the Pat
| terson woman while hysteTical displayed
knife, which. il is said. was taken
away from her with difficulty after a
one was much excited and II
I IS SAID that threats were made which
the police regard as having a bearing
upon the present case.
The effort made by Sergeant Arm
strong to persuade Morgan Smith to
talk was the second within twelve hours.
ne having been once called to the Office
OF Assistant District Attorney Garvan
Though the brother-in-law of Nan
Patterson assumed an air of grievance
when he was in conference with Mr.
GdrNan. ne refused TO answer the ques-
tons put 70 him.
Loyal to Family.
He explained to the assistant district
attorney that a serious charge had been
made against his wife's sister and that
MS allegiance is due to her cause For
that reason he would take refuge behind
the legal barrier that his answers might
tend to incriminate or degrade him. or
connect him in some manner with q
crime.
In spite Of the reluctance Of Morgan
Smith To answer the pertinent questions
Of the detectives. they believe that they
are now in position 10 get the much
desired information from other sources
II IS expected that the ownership OF the
revolver viii be established shortly, and
that IL will be d mOnstrated that Caesar
1Oung never saw the weapon unless IL
was few seco ads before he was shot.
Captain Sweeney has just conducted e
series Of experiments with a revolver Of
similar pattern to the one with which
Young was shot. He took the wea pom
INTO the basement Of the Leonard Street
police station, and there fired II fifteen
Tunes. He shot for the purpose of show
Ing the penetrating power Of the bullets
fired from it. He also fired while the
muzzle Of the revolver was pressed
against a folded coat Just as the muyzle
OF the revolver is supposed TO have been
pressed against the coat over Caesar
Houng's heart when he was killed.
This last experiment was attempted
for the purpose Of showing whether the
report would be muffied, as Nan Pa tier
son says was the report Of the revolver
which was fired close 70 her ear in the
cab last Saturday morning.
1t was also for the purpose Of deter
mining whether the powder would squirt
back and burn the fingers clutching the
weapon.
There was no mufied report There
We're no powder burns on the captains
fingers after the shots had been fired.
II was demonstrated, however. that
had Caesar Young, when he saw the
revolver pressed against his breast,
grasped il by the barrel, attempting to
push IL away Just as the trigger was
pulled. his fingers would have been
burned as the supposed powder marks
found upon them after. his death indi-
Gated that they were burned
Dooley Not Believed.
No Importance at all is attached to
the story told by James J. Dooley, Of
$40 East Thirty-fourth Street. who
day morning the revolver with which
he was shot an hour later. Dooley at
tempted to identify the revolver. but he
nade the mistake Of previously describ-
ing a revolver of an entirely different
pattern to the one sold by him.
William H. Rothwell better known as
Young Corbett," pugilist who recent
~ was the champion featherweight OF
the world, was one Of those who prom
Used 10 advance the funds required for
the defense Of Nan Patterson. He is
much interested in the young woman,
and does not believe her capable OF
They were good friends in San Fran
cisco. and at one time IL was reported
that they were TO be married
Attempts have been made by some 20
show that Caesar Young was in imam
cial difficulties that might have made
him Respondent Proof was obtained TO
the contrary.
Widow Gets Money.
Not only is Mrs Young left with a
fortune Of at least $4,000, but her hus-
band before his death was we'll provid-
ed with ready cash. II was only a
short time ago that Emil Herr. former
ly the half owner Of the famous race
horse McChesney. bet with and lost &c.
800 to Caesar Young.
At that time Herr was in difficulties.
anu ne iequeob'u iouHb W i't 1ilt u'DI
run for a short time. Young consented,
saying that he was well provided with
money and that Herr might pay him
when IL was convenient. Herr liqui-
dated the indebtedness less than two
weeks ago, sending the money 20 Young
from Paris where he Is now.
It was only after long search that
record Of the sale OF the revolver, No.
a. O50 with which Caesar Young was
killed. was discovered AS was told In
these columns the books OF SchOverling,
DAILY & Gales, covering the years pre-
viOus 10 1900 were burned. The revolver
belongs 20 a lot received by the firm
early In 1898. At the suggestion OF De-
tective Sergeants Flay and Carey,
Joseph Gales, a member OF the firm Of
SchOverling. Daily & Gales, instructed a
force Of clerks to 90 through the sales
slips for 1893 those slips fortunately