The Saint Paul globe., 1905-04-09
HOW MUCH CAN A MAN FORGET

wanted by Chief of Police Kiely of
Plainfield. The only variation was the
absence of the mustache, which Wood
said he had no recollection of having
shaved off, although he had worn it as
late as Monday, and this was Friday,
the day after the killing.
In point of fact the man seemed to be
completely mystified, repeatedly de-
claring that he had not been in New
Jersey and had no notion of what the
whole thing meant. 1t will be better,
however, to give his statements as he
made them recently in his cell. Mean
time the detectives were weaving
around him a strong chain of circum-
stantial evidence.
They learned that Wood had visited
the home of his grandmother, Mrs. Pol
lock, on the Tuesday preceding the
murder. He spent the same night un-
der the roof of his fatherin-law,
George E. Whitten, former village
schoolmaster, who lives near Mrs. Pol
lock. Whitten had made his will only a
few weeks before and had made no
mention in ii of Wood or his wife Viola,
but the neighbors say that Whitten's
estate is of little consequence financial
ly. Still the making of that will has TO
be reckoned with.
Furthermore, it was found that Wood
had registered on Tuesday at Jacob
Blimms Farmers hotel, in Somerset
street, Plainfield, as George II. Wood.
New York city that he left there the
same day, but was back again Wednes-
day. His room was searched and a
new suit case was found and opened.
1t contained several of Woods business
cards and letterheads, as well as two
collars. Besides these was a partly
filled box of cartridges, but no pistol.
1t was cartridge of the size of those
in the box that had entered Williams
back.
In spite of these discoveries, how
ever, there still remained the fact that
Williams and Wood were entirely un-
known to each other and the absolute
lack of motive for the crime. The po-
lice could find mo- other theory than
that Williams had been the victim
either OF a crazy man or of a plot that
still remains unfathonable, but why
there should be a plot against the life
of an inoffensive, domestic and well
liked farmer no one can conceive.
Nor is ii easy to fancy that the
young man in the Jail of the tranquil
little village of Somerville could have
done so desperate a deed. There are
half dozen cells opening on a stone
paved room, which is itself a kind of
cell, and all the prisoners except Wood
were lounging in this larger compart-
ment. He was I'm his cell lying down,
as IL he did not care to mingle with the
others, who are mostly petty thieves.
In answer to call from the jailer he
presently emerged. What the visitor
saw was man of about 26 years, with
fine round eyes of a perfect blue and
very light brown hair, rather straight
and stiff. The jaw had a good side line,
but the chin was small and weak, and
the cheek bones somewhat too high.
The nose was straight, but with an up
turned nostril, and the teeth were
prominent. The prison pallor was on
his face and the eyes wore a weary ex-
preston, the lids being heavy, with
dark rings around them.
He wore a black flannel shirt and
dark trousers, and his sleeves were
rolled up to the elbows, showing mus
cular arms. Indeed, he is of sturdy
build, although somewhat below me-
ydium height. His phrases as he told
his story were we'll chosen, his English
was good and now and then he betray-
ed evidences of good breeding, as when
he interrupted his narrative to say to
the caller, who was about to take
seat on a stairway leading to the up
per corridor, Pardon me, you will get
grease on your clothes If you sit
there"
Tells Story Willingly
There was no trace of reluctance or
hesitation in his manner as he set out
to relate his strange experience. In
the first place, he said he lived with his
wife and three children at 576 West
131st street, New York, where he fol-
lowed the trade of an ironworker. Then
he went on in this fashion:
II can't tell you very much, because
l don't remember. 1 left home about 8
o'clock in the morning of Monday, Jan.
80, to go to Scarsdale, Pa, where in
tended to make loan for business
purposes. First. ] went to a barber
shop at 131st street and Amsterdam
avenue, and then 1 went over to Third
avenue and bought a suit case for SO
cents or $1.9S, don't remember which.
l also bought pair of gloves, and then
went down to Cortlandt street ferry.
Down there met a man named Mack
/ don't know his first name or where
he lives, but he's civil engineer.
Harry Wolf a friend of mine, also
met me. Wolf is a travelling agent for
some wood firm in Greenwich street
but / don't know the name. Well, we
met about 10 o'clock and took a train
from Jersey City on the Pennsylvania
railroad. We had been riding for about
an hour when we got to a junction
through train to Scarsdale. / don't
know where this junction was.
I'VE had to wait a long time for the
through train, and somebody suggest
ed that we go up to the restaurant and
get something to eat. We did this and
had some drinks, too. j can only re-
members drinking one glass of beer,
though.
What did you do then?"
well, / can just remember seeing
Mack and Wolf sitting there smoking
and drinking, and then / can't remem-
Der anything else until sort of came
to and found myself in the Tombs."
What were your feelings then?"
"I felt sick and what you call 'dopey,'
and there seemed to be a cloud before
my eyes, for couldn't see to read"
Have you any recollection of any
thing in the meantime?"
mo; except that have a sensation
that was continuously riding in
trains"
His Recollection Vague
How is 1t that you went to your
sisters house when you got back to
New York instead of to your own
homer"
81 don't know. 1 only have a vague
recollection of being there at ALL
DO you mean to say you don't re-
member the visit of the reporter and
your going to the police station?"
mo, it's all a blank. / didn't know
anything definitely until l woke up in
the Tombs."
When you left home on Jan. 80 did
you have a revolver with you?"
mo. / never owned one in my life
and never carried one"