The Washington herald., 1906-10-29
wAsHINaroN HERALp puREAU.
corner Prince end Royal sueets


Alexandria, Va, Oct ga clew which
gives promise Of definite results con
cerning the whereabouts OF William
johnson, the negro who killed Charles
T. Smith in this city October %. is said
TO be in the possession Of the Alex
andria authorities That some informa-
tion which IS considered important has
been obtained in the case is admitted,
but the local officials are reticent in re-
gard to the character Of the develop
meBts They refuse 90 discuss the mat
ter beyond the simple statement that the
officers are following up a supposed trace
Of the fugitive. and that the outcome OF
this effort viii probably be known in a
short time
The reason that the authorities main
tain secrecy in the affair il Is stated.
is that they hope thereby 10 keep all
knowledge Of their plans and movements
from the negro. They fear that should
nc ascertain what they have learned
concerning the course he followed in his
flight after the murder. he might be able
20 thWart their designs Commonwealth
Attorney Samuel q. Brent, Police JUS
tice Cation. Chief GOOde of the police
force, and other officers held conferences
to-day, when the new developments were
discussed at length Should the clew
prove Well founded, II is believed that
definite results Will have been obtained
by tomorrow evening.
In comparing the several statements Of
eyewitnesses of tho. shooting. and of the
prior attack which tho negro made on
Officer Nicholson the police have found
that considerable discrepancy exists as to
the description Of the murderer For in
stance, some declare that the man Is un-
der the medium in size and weight, while
others assert that he is Of stout build
and about the average height. There
was also a difference IN the statements
as % whether nc wore a mustache. Tho
police, however. believe that the GescTip-
tion which they sent out recently is sufi-
eiently accurate for its purposes.
Fire in South 1t. AsaPh Street.
The fire department. was called ont
shortly before > o'clock this afternooh Tor
q blaze in the third story OF the residence
OF George IL. Evans. on South St Asapb
street, near Wolfe street When the ire-
mcn reached the scene the flames. which
had Cuvelopcd several articles Or furni-
ture. were spreading rapidly The fire
was soon eXtinguished. but not befor,.
damage 10 The extent Of several hundred
dollars had been done. The loss Is partly
covered 10y insurance. There was some
delay IN the arrival OF one Of the COM
panies az the fire. as IT was directed
through error, TO wrong destination.
The funeral OF Isador Brown. who shot
himself through the heart Friday. az
Lebanon. Pa, Win take place to-morrov
morning ut u ofeIock from the residence
Of his niece, Mrs. Charles Bendhelm. N2
Prince street. Rabbi Stern. OF Washing
ton. will conduct the services. and the
intermcnt VIII be in the Hebrew Gene
tery.
The members Of Belle Haven Council
No. 81 and Alexandria Council No. q.
Junior Order United American Mechanics.
assembled in their hall, on South Fairfax
street, this evening and marched in a body
to Grace Episcopal Church, where they
heard special sermon by Rev. Edgar
Carpenter. the rector Rev. Dr. Dav d
Wells occupied the pulpit of the Second
Presbyterian Church to-day In other
local churches the resident ministers Of
fciatcd.
A delegation from r. Z. Lee Camp.
Confederate Veterans. of this city, par
ticipated in The exercises hald this after
noon under the auspices Of the District
OF Columbia Chapter L. D. G.. in Wash
ngton, in honor Of the memory of Mrs
Jefferson Davis.
Ellis West, colored man. who Was
rounded up last night by the police while
they were engaged in a movement 10 dis
arm negroes gathered in resorts about
town, viii be given a hearing tomorrow
morning before Justice Cation. in the po-
lice court. on the charge o. carrying
concealed yfauouS