Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-03
FIGHTING FOR RELEASE
SMITHS MADE LIVELY FIGHT
AGAINST RETURN TO NEW YORK.

In many quarters in Cincinnati Saturday
and Sunday it was stated that Mr.. and Mrs.
J. Morgan Smith, arrested there for crimi-
nal conspiracy in connection with the death
| of Caesar Young, the turfman, would not
be returned to New York as soon and as
easily as the detectives anticipate.
! BY several who are apparently in posi-
| ton to know it is declared that the charges
| embodied in the indictment returned by the
| New York grand jury were extortion and
| threatening violence. The exact legal
| phraseology cannot be quoted, but the
above is the substance of 1t.
These two charges, 1t is said, constitute
felonies in New York, but in Ohio are mis-
demeanors, and 1t Is this technicality
which, 1t is believed by several, will cause
trouble, as 1t is held that no person can
be taken from this state to another on a
requisition when charged only with mis-
demeanor.
The situation assumed several interest
ing phases Saturday. chief among which
was Mr.. Shays threat to cause the arrest
Of Detective Akin Of the Thiel Detective
Agency, who, with Detective Ward of Dis
trict Attorney Jerome's office, trailed the
fugitives from city to city and caused their
arrest in Cincinnati
The Letters to the Smiths.
Akin had in his possession a bundle Of
letters which had been received by Mrs.
Smith from Washington, D. C. He was
keeping the possession of these letters a
secret until he received advice from Dis
trict Attorney Jerome. 1t is believed that
Mrs. Smith told Mr.. Shay about these let
tiers, and the attorney made an attempt to
gain possession of them.
Detective Akin said. In response to ques-
ton, what are those letters?" well,
there is enough in them to send ]. Morgan
Smith to the electric chair, tell you that.
Isn't that right. Ward?'
Mr.. Shay, when asked regarding the con-
tents of the letters, said: why, they were
simply letters that one frightened sister
would write to another, and they convey
no damaging information at all. Detective
Akin had been carrying them around in his
were given to him by Mrs. Smith, who still
believed he was her friend and was there
to be of some assistance to her.
According to the detective she told him
that if the letters fell into the hands of
the police they would be used against Nan.
Akin refused to further discuss the con-
tents of the letters but 1t was learned that
the majority of them were written to Mr..
Smith by Harriet Lowell of Washington,
who is said to be a sister of Mrs. Smith.
One of the letters is addressed to TIES
Sic which, Detective Akin says, is one
of the names adopted by Mrs. Smith on
her hurried journey around the country
In the letter she refers to Alex which
name Akin says, belongs to ]. Morgan
Smith.
Why Smiths Escaped Arrest So Long.
Detective Quinn, who, until the arrival
of Sergeant of Detectives Mcknight, has
had absolutely nothing to say, explained
Saturday in full why the Smiths were not
arrested before.
Il went to Montreal with Pawnbroker
Stern" he said, expecting Stern to iden-
tify Smith as the man to whom he had sold
the revolver, which he had already iden-
titled.
Smith had left and had gone to Toronto.
We trailed him there and cornered him in
barber shop. Smith was In a chair. L
saw him. There was a balcony about the
room. and l sent Stern over that to get a
look at the man. If he said it was the
man to whom he sold the revolver which
was found in Youngs pocket intended to
wire to New York. He would have been
arrested then and there and would have
been indicted with Nan Patterson on the
charge Of murder.
Smith Saw Stern in Mirror.
Smith had just been shaved and was be-
ing Strengthened up in his chair when he
glanced in a mirror and got a glimpse of
Stern. Stern could not see anything but
the back of Smiths neck. Smith quietly
arose from the chair, replaced his collar,
tie and coat and slipped out without turn
ing his back
Il had already made arrangements with
the chief of police to make the arrest and
as l arrived at the barber shop with de-
tectiyeS and warrants | was astonished to
| be told by representatives of Thiels agency
that the bird had flown.
Lost Smith Several DAYS.
I'VE lost him then for several days, and
finally located him in Toledo. 1 returned
to New York from Toronto and then the
process of having them indicted upon the
criminal conspiracy charge was instituted.
Its purpose was to return him to New
York from any country, since, until Stern
identified him. he could not be indicted for
murder, nor could he be returned for con-
tempt of court In which he always stood
since the trial of Nan Patterson.
Smith was on his way to New Orleans
when arrested. We have letters to show
| that. Once he got to that port he would
eerned. The Indictment and the arrest
here were made none too soon"
Friends Decline to Talk.
| At the Mt. Pleasant home of the parents
| of Nan Patterson no information can be
| obtained as to whether Mrs. Harriet p.
| Lowell. sister of Mrs. Patterson and of
| Mrs. ]. Morgan Smith, is the author of
| the letters signed III. L. which were
/ found in Mrs. Smiths possession at the
/ time of her recent arrest In Cincinnati.
/ At the Patterson residence yesterday it
was impossible to obtain either a denial
n lar a1rffx t<-ff