The San Francisco call., 1904-06-11
Young Man Who Swore He
Saw Rhodes Killed Now
Denies Story.

OAKLAND, June 10.-The police are
puzzled over the case of young Samuel
Rhodes, the newsboy, whose body was
found Wednesday night on the South
ern Pacific Company's tracks at West
Oakland. William Cody, the striking
boilermaker's helper, who claimed to
have seen Rhodes killed and who gave
a circumstantial statement last evening
to Coroner Mehrmann concerning the
manner in which he says his COM
panion met death, startled the detee-
tives to-day by denying the truth OF
his sworn deposition to the Coroner.
Cody said to-day that he had not seen
Rhodes killed, but that all of the infor-
nation he had concerning the news
boys death he had CLEANED Thursday
from boys who had told him about
Rhodes death. The identity of his in
formants Cody claims he does not
know. but that they live in Oakland
detained young man AYERS.
Contradictions also arise as to the
movements of Rhodes and Cody. The
the dead boy left Sacramento together
and left the freight train on which they
had ridden at the same time Cody
claimed they were standing on the
tracks Wednesday night when the
Berkeley train struck the boy and
killed him. Now comes his story that
he separated from Rhodes at Suisun
and arrived here Wednesday morning,
while Rhodes was not killed until
Wednesday night.
Out of the maze of unreliability that
has developed as a strong element in
Codys statements the Coroner and the
police are at sea. No motive for a
crime can be found, nor would sus-
picion be directed toward Cody had not
his own actions yesterday given rise
to the idea that something might be
wrong.
After the newsboy detectives had
trailed Cody, who gave false address
TO elude the Coroner, he did not want
to go before that official. although Cody
had told the newsboys he had witness
ed young Rhodes death.
With his contradictions to-day the
imprisoned youth offers no satisfactory
excuses.
Il was frightened and didn't want 10
talk about it," was Cody's reason yes
terday for not reporting 10 the Cor
oner. To-day he simply upsets his
own story and let's the investigating
officials take it for what it is worth
DR.. c. E. Curdts, DR.. j. NJ. Kane and
DR.. George c. Reinle held an autopsy
to-day in the case of Rhodes. They
found no evidence of injury that of it.
self would indicate foul play Death
was caused by hemorrhage Of the
lungs, produced by the penetration
from a fractured rib. three of which
were found to have been broken
Mrs. Eleanor Rhodes, mother of the
dead newsboy. arrived to-day from Los
Angeles and requested Coroner Mehr-
mann to make all necessary inquiry
concerning her sons death
Until after the inquest tomorrow
afternoon, at least, Cody will be de-
tanned at the City Prison.
The police tonight located Carl
Boehle Joseph Soares, Manuel Soares
and Mamie Roderick. boys who came
from Sacramento with Rhodes. Joseph
Soares saw Rhodes struck by the
Berkeley local train. Soares said he
yelled at Rhodes, but the boy became
confused and stepped back on the
track Though satisfied that Rhodes
death was accidental. the detectives
cannot explain Cody's peculiar state
ments. The police definitely learned
Rhodes was killed.