Evening star., 1905-08-26
Williams Of Montgomery
After Coberth.
A REVOLVING CRIME
DETAILS CLEANED BY THE STAR
REPRESENTATIVE.
Citizens Did Not Realize Its Serious
ness Until After Accused
Had Escaped.

GERMANTOWN, Md, August 26, 1905.
Last night when Sheriff Williams went
up the road on train from Rockville. he
expressed himself as being confident that
he would have Coberth in custody today or
tomorrow morning. He had received In
formation from reliable sources telling of
his whereabouts and was on his way to
follow up the clue 1t was believed by
some of the people here that the sheriff
knew just where to find his man or that
he was already in custody.
1t did not dawn upon the people here
that they had made a mistake in permitting
George NJ. Coberth to walk quietly away
from the town Tuesday morning until he
had gone some distance. Then they be
gan to pay more attention to the revolving
treatment he is alleged to have given Miss
Rosa Holly. AS additional particulars of
the alleged crime were learned the excite
ment became more intense and the people
talked of taking the law in their own hands.
Sheriff Williams has kept in touch with the
case. and yesterday after 1t was reported
that Coberth had been seen near IfcksVllle
in the morning and above Point of Rocks
later the sheriff left Rockville on the Fred
erick train to go in search of him. While
the people here were considerably wrought
up over the affair. the excitement about the
vicinity of Gaithersburg and Darnestown
was even more intense when the truth OF
the case became known. Everybody
throughout this section of the county is dis
cussing the affair, and the telephone and
telegraph wires have been kept busy since
Tuesday.
Miss Holly the alleged victim of the
blacksmith. Coberth, or Cooley" as he
was Familiarity called. IS a native of this
county, her father. William Holly, having
been millwrght at Black Rock, not far
from Darnestown, many years ago He is
Georgetown. ID. c. Coberth, who is also
Il native of the county. has been In busl-
here for about three years. having
kept a blacksmith shop at Buck Lodge be-
fore coming here. He is married and has
wife and grown children living in George
town. not far from the home of Mr.. Holly
and his daughter. Star reporter visited
the blacksmith shop yesterday and made
thorough investigation of the premises in
an effort to obtain hing in the nature
Of evidence of the crime Coberth is charged
with having committed. but beyond TWO
blood stains on the pillow cover and the
presence of several hairpins. supposed TO
belong to Miss Holly. nothing was found.
Coberth left here about IL O'Clock Tuesday
morning and the night of the following day
somebody in the blacksmith shop. 1t
is believed that the shop was visited by
friend of Coberths for the purpose of get
ting some of his clothing or other enects
for him. He stopped his buggy in front of
the shop and made no effort to conceal the
fact that he was there. Thursday COL
Ored man sold some of Coberth's chickens
and. 1t was believed, the blacksmith would
return there that night. The shop was
watched all during the night. but he did
not appear. 1t was thought that he went
from here Tuesday and made his way to
Chinquapin Hundred or that vicinity and re-
mained until Thursday morning or We'd
nesday night When 1t was reported yes
terday morning that he was seen by the
mail carrier walking the railroad ties near
Licksville II was believed that he was max
ing his way to Baltimore, as Licksville is on
the line leading in that direction. He
changed his course completely, however. as
he was seen about three hours later on his
way toward Catoctin. Another report had
II that he had been seen to board train
going west, but this report was afterward
denied. AT the time 1t was received mes
sages were sent ahead to Brunswick and
other places notifying the people 10 be on
the lockout for him.
Blacksmith Shop In Alley.
The blacksmith shop in which Coberth
conducted business IS lane leading
from near the railroad station, and is
known to the people here as the alley. 1t
was along this alley that Coberth half car
ried and pushed the sick woman shortly
after she got off the train from Washington
Saturday night In one end OF the shop
is a room in which the blacksmith lived.
y folding bed, two chairs, table a few
dishes and articles of wearing apparel were
found in the room yesterday. There was
not the slightest evidence OF cleanliness
found there The blacksmith's shotgun and
revolver were missing, but he had LEFT
plenty ammunition behind. That he was
armed with the revolver when he went
away seems certain. and the people who
knew him think he would not hesitate 10
use It If the officers got him in tight
corner. Behind the shop he had pen, IN
which he kept several hogs, and there is
also small structure in which his chickens
lived. Frank II. Reed. who has charge
of the stable Of Mr.. Perry +. Waters, owner
of the blacksmith shop. has been caring for
the live stock since the sudden departure
of the blacksmith 1t is thought that the
lra Alr ,iNtAN
Will fully substaut1te the charge that has
been filed against him in a warrant issued
by Magistrate Kelly. There are a number
of persons who We're witnesses to different
parts of the affair. and some of them
unwilling To tell what they know unless
they are summoned to court. Dr. l. n.
Shippers, one OF the men who rescued the
woman from the dingy room and who af-
terwdrd prescribed for her, told Star re-
por,er that 1t would be violation of pro-
fess.onaI ethics for him to discuss the case
at this time. There were others who We're
willing TO discuss Il, however, and their
statements indicate that something terrible
occurred in the blacksmiths room during
the many hours Miss Holly was in there.
Promised to Look After Her.
At the time Miss Holly aighted from the
train Saturday evening her unsteady gait
caused the belief that she was either in
toxcated or was suffering from an attack
OF something similar to paralysis Leaving
her satchel in the station. she started along
the road TO go to the house OF a relative
named Mansfield. After passing the grain
elevator at the mill of Bowman Bros. she
walked but a short distance before she fell
in sitting position in the weeds and grass
George NJ. Coberth was near the railroad
bridge at the time and the first to
reach the fallen woman. He was somewhat
under the influence OF liquor. his normal
condition. but he said he would look after
the woman and his willingness was appre-
Ciated by those who were there
Although he was frequently under the
influence OF liquor" said DIR. Rome a
veterinarian, "he had always conducted
himself in gentlemanly manner and l
looked upon his conduct an act OF char
ity and remarked that he deserved credit
II he would only get colored woman to
stay with her.
DIR. Rome had seen Miss Holly when she