Evening star., 1904-03-22
ON A GRAVE CHARGE
WILLIAM HENSON, ALIAS RIVERS
BEHIND THE BARS.
Superintendent of Police Offers Reward
of 500 for Information
Regarding Culprit.

William Henson, alias William H. Rivers
colored, twenty-three years old, was iockeo
up last night by the detectives detailed on
the South Washington assault case other
arrests were also made but Henson was
the only one who was held on suspicion
that he had murderously attacked Jacob
Levin, the grocer, who is in hospital III
critical condition. While the suspects real
name is William Henson many OF ms
friends know him as ''Chap" Henson. He
was taken to the first precinct station ana
head, while the other persons arrested were
taken to the fourth precinct. Henson was
wearing gray coat such as was descrlpeu
as having been seen on the man who was
discovered in the store of Levin about the
time the latter was assaulted yesterday
morning. The prisoner was held at the sta
ton until this afternoon, when he, was
taken to police headquarters shortly before
9 o'clock that the witnesses might see him.
Mrs Kelly and Mrs. Gordon reached head
quarters about 2:30 o'clock and saw Hen
son.
They were unable to identify him. Major
Sylvester this afternoon offered reward
of 500 for information leading to the lden-
tification and arrest of the grocerS as
Sailant.
Levin Rallies.
Levin rallied from the severe operation,
and last night he was able to answer ques-
tions asked him by the police. He gave
them some information, and the police be-
lieve that should he recover he will be able
to identify his assailant. His recovery Is
by no means certain, however. for his con-
dition is extremely critical. Quite large
piece of his skull was removed by the sur
geons in order to relieve the pressure on
the brain. He was seen by one or the
police of the fourth precinct this morning,
tN,,% hn int
surgeons deemed it advisable not to
trouble the patient again, and other re-
quests for interviews had to be denied 1t
was stated this afternoon that the patient
was holding his own, but the doctors were
not able to hold out hope of his ultimate
recovery.
Interest in the case was increased last
night after the detectives had arrested
Chap" Henson, and when it had also be-
come known that Levin was related to
LaZier Gozman, who was murdered and
robbed in his store on Gordon avenue f1f-
teen months ago. In the GoZman case
there was a suspect named Henson who
was indicted, but was not tried On that
Sc. He was tried on a charge of having
snatched a pocket book from woman In
the vicinity of the Gozman home, and was
sent to the penitentiary. Some of the de-
tectives who are working on the present
case recalled last night some of the faces
that were prominent at the time Of the
Gozman murder.
Previous Trouble With Colored Man.
Mrs Levin has told the detectives that
her husband had had trouble with a col
ored man in the store several days ago.
but she had no idea that her husband
had been assaulted by that man. William
Levin, brother of the wounded man, is in
the grocery business at 9th and N streets.
Georgetown. His brother had told him of
trouble he had with man in the store.
and said he told him that the coiored man
had uSl0 the word "1VnCh' In connection
with him.
James Ross. colored was arrested by Po-
liceman Hayden last night and locked up
in connection with the case. They then
went out to look for Chap" Henson, but
learned that he had already been arrested
by the detectives. Henson was taken to
the first precinct and placed behind the
bars. He admitted that he was at the
stable opposite the Levin store yesterday
morning from a few minutes after o'clock
until about two hours later. He denied
that he had been in the store, and said he
did not leave the stable during the time
stated.
Another colored man named William
Stewart. who was with Henson yesterday,
said to the police that he accompanied him
to the stable, and it was after 6 o'clock
when they reached there.
Assaulted by Customer.
In his statement to the police Levin said
he was assaulted by colored man who
bought cider The colored man, he stated,
had been in his store on previous occasions,
and he had seen him standing at the stable
opposite his place of business. The patient
also told his wife that colored man had
assaulted him.
When the detectives obtained informa-
ton last night which led them to think
Henson might know something Of the af-
fair they went to Dixon court and found
him visiting near the home of his grand
mother. where he had a room. He made
no effort to get away, and willingly ae-
companied the officers to the station Stew
art said that Henson had money when he
met him early In the morning. and that
while at the stable he said he would treat
the boys. He went and purchased half
pint of whisky, Stewart declared. but con-
sumed the liquor himself, giving none of
1t to his friends
The detectives today found the third wit
ness in the case, Emma Shanklin, and she
said she saw a colored man in Levin.s
The information obtained from the wound
ed man was that he had been assaulted by
a man who lived In the alley.
The Probable Weapon.
A mule shoe found in the store was taken
to the fourth police station by Lieutenant
Mathews, who believes 1t Is the weapon
used upon Levin. There were stains of
blood and hair on the shoe. but people who
saw it yesterday morning failed to notice
ttldt IL coutdiueu any Stdlns Lieutenant
Mathews took the shoe with him to the
hospital and showed 1t to the surgeons
The latter agreed that such an instrument
might have been used, but thought It would
have required an unusual amount Of
strength on the part of the person using II
to have inflicted so serious a wound. The
detectives are inclined to believe that the
heavy bar used for fastening the front door
was the weapon employed
Because she was Jealous Of another
woman. Mrs. William Greenfield, thirty-fiye
old child recently at Des Moines. Iowa.
Mrs Greenfield locked herself and the chill
dren In her room and turned on the eas
She had been dead for six or eight hourn