Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-01-13

night. Crawford says tho man car
rled bucket In his hand, which he
thought at first contained oysters, but
later ON 1t was ascertained to be oil.
When the stranger came UP to the
desk to register, Crawford says he
asked for some water and while the
clerk was getting the water the
strange man. according to Crawford.
broke open the money drawer and
set fire to the office desk When
Crawford heard the noise he hurried
~ ran back into the office. The
stranger. he says, grabbed him and
threw him against the door. Craw-
ford says he got his Winchester rifle
and releasing himself, fired number
of times at the man as he left the
hotel through the rear. The firing
aroused all the guests of tho hotel,
who started at one time to raise a
purse of money for young Crawford
after listening to his thrilling story
OF how be battled with the intruder.
Crawfords shirt was torn, but care
full investigation failed to elicit the
slightest bruises on his person or any
evidences of struggle.
After listening to Crawfords state
ment and looking into many other
features, Night Sergeant Watts deter
mined to put him under arrest until
thorough investigation is made.
When searched at the jail Crawford
had bunch of stamps in his peck
cts, which Mr.. Read, the manager of
| the Augusta, recognized as having
been taken from the cash drawer.
Mr.. Read said Crawford did not have
access to the cash drawer and there
| fore he was unaware of the fact that
no money was left in 1t at night
Escaped from Reform School.
A letter was found on Crawford
from w. D. Griffin, former superin-
| tcndent of reform school In Ala
bama, in which the writer expressed
genuine regret that Crawford has es.
capped from the school and besought
him to live a pure and good life and
refrain from bad company. From
this it is believed that Crawford was
| in reformatory.
Has One Good Record.
Crawford, who Is bright and twenty
years old, says he has been q mess
attendant on the survey ship, En-
deavor at Old Point. He says he en-
listed on November Ord. and that he
was discharged honorably at his own
request on January 3rd. He has a
certificate from the officer of the En-
deavor in substantiation of this claim.
The certificate gives him n good
record and Crawford says that HIS
pal, William Pattison. took hls place
on the Endeayor. The police may
visit the Endeavor to ascertain
whether or not Crawford's certificate
| is genuine or one of his own compo-
sition. Crawford stoutly denies ever
having been in Baltimore and laughs
at the idea of his being Herman Brit
tingham. He stoutly maintains his
innocence OF any connection with the
| hotel fires and sticks to his story that
he was attacked in the lobby by the
unknown white man with black
moustache,
Tell Tale Box of Candy.
When Crawford was searched at
the Jail pound box of candy was
found upon him. The candy bore the
name of Oscar Williams Pharmacy
and last night A. Curtis Moore, n
clerk In the drug store, identified the
candy as box stolen from his store
on Friday night. Mr.. Moore told
Night Officer Watts that Young Craw-
! ford came to the pharmacy about 10: 80
O'Clock to get a prescription filled.
There was no one in the store at the
time but the clerk While the pre-
/ scription was being filled the youth
| is alleged to have slipped the candy
! from the counter into his pocket.
Mr.. Moore preferred the charge of
petty larceny against Crawford.
Other Small Robberies.
| Night Sergeant Watts. who started
to work in earnest in weaving web
of evidence, was also informed that
several bottles of whiskey were taken
from the bar at the hotel and that
evidence discovered connected Craw-
ford with the theft of these goods. 1t
is charged that he took the whiskey
to Brittingham's wharf and either
sold or gave 1t to workmen there.
Crawford has III mis- possession a
small twenty-five calibre Winchester
rifle and Officer Watts feels conf.
dent that this too has been stolen by
the boy from someone. The rifle may
have been taken from the survey boat
Endeavor.
According to the opinion of Officer
Watts there Is hardly any doubt but
what the arrest Of Crawford is very
important one, and that he can be
proved guilty of the fires in the Au
,gusta hotel. The idea seems to pre-
vail that the youth started the fires
to get the guests to leave their rooms
so that he could ransack them and
steal what he could find In the ex
element.
The arrest of Crawford was accept
ed by many yesterday who invests
| gated the fire as the untaDgling of a
deep mystery and Officer Watts and
\ Officer Leslie F. Curtis, who took him
to Jail, we're warmly congratulated.
n Thee insurance men seem to fee