The Washington herald., 1906-10-22
HATLEADS TOARREST
Police Hold Ralph Croft in
Miles Murder Case.
PRISONER ADMITS A FIGHT
Does Not Remember Having Used n
Knife-TeIls the Police story OF
Oceurrence-Was Once in the En-
pIoy of Admiral Dewey in the
Capacity Of II butler.

Within less than twenty-iour hours
after the killing of William Mekeim
Miles Of 500 Sixth street southwest, the
Young man who was stabbed early Sun
day morning AT the corner of Four-and-
a-b,tlf and F. streets southwest, the police
had Ralph L. Croft, twenty-five years old,
of 2l7 f street southeast locked up at No.
police station to await the outcome OF
the coroner-s inquest, which will be held
at II O'Clock this morning
The initials "R. l. g." in "a hat found
on the scene of the killing furnished the
clew
The young man, who is said to have
been at one time employed as second
butler in the family of Admiral Dewey,
and also in similar capacity with the
famHy Of Senator Hale and other prOmi-
ncnt people Of Washington, was arrested
about 2;l0 o'clock yesterday afternoon by
Detective Conwel. Of headquarters, at
his home. He admitted having been in a
night with two men, but said he did not
know whether me stabbed Miles or not
as all three were considerably under the
influence of liquor.
Croft Admits Encounter.
Ralph L. Croft is a metal worker. and
lives with his mother; brother. z. w.
Croft. and his sister-in-law. He has never
before been in serious trouble, and in a
frank manner related the history of sun
day mornings sad affair.
Il left home about o'clock Saturday
night" he said, "to so down town to
pay some bills I arrived at Rupert
saloon, on Seventh street, near X north
west, and played pool till about Il
O'Clock, when I took a Seventh street
car. intending 10 transfer east and go
home 1 fell asleep, and when ! got of
] found myself at Seventh and 1 streets
southwest 1 started north, but finally
landed at the corner of Sixth and +
streets
i saw two men on the corner fight
inE. and heard one say. There he Is,
now with which remark the taller Cope
Iand) struck me in the mouth. 1 hit
back and then ran, but the shorter, who
must have been Miles. followed. and
caught me half way down the block. The
three of US fell to the ground sCufiiing,
and when I got free / ran again. l ran
east on + street TO FOur-and-a-half and
when midway of the block was again
overtakcn 10y Miles. who held me till
Copeland came up. a third time I pulled
away and left the two fighting each
other. ] do not remember stabbing any
body 1 had pocketknife. but do not
know what has become of It.
This is the story told to the detectives.
who put the man through "a severe eX-
animation. during which De did not vary
i'm his account Detective Hartigan said
D.
TRUTH When seen M the Fourth precinct
station hy "a Herald reporter the young
man appeared exceedingly self-pOsSessed
and said that the story he had given the
police was the only one he had 10 tell
and that ne had nothing 10 say further
says All Were Drunk,
Thomas f. Copeland whom the police
at first thought 10 be i'm some way i'm
plicated, was seen at the Fourth precinct
yesterday afternoon and again related
the story he first told when arrested
He does not know the prisoner and had
never seen him until the night Of the
night Copeland admitted that he, as
wei as the other two men, was under
The influence OF liquor.
Copeland says that while attempting to
raise some one in the house TO let them
in, a man came by and started trouble
by wanting TO know why they were
waking people up at that hour in tho
morning. After few words a fight
started. He explained that the man fol
lowed them 10 their home. Copeland
says he does not recall having given
chase 90 Croft, as the latter asserts.
During the scuffie Copeland's cap came
off. and the stranger picked it up and
left his own, a derby. bearing the mi
tials "R. L. e." II was by means OF
these that The man was apprehended
Detectives COrHwel. Muller, Hartigan