The Washington times., 1907-01-01
HAUNTED SLAYER"
WAS IN hADHOUSE
Philadelphia Police Doubt
Confession in Lewis
Murder Mystery.
ARE UNABLE TO VERIFY IT
Find Little Confederation of Story,
But Learn Man Is Drug Fiend
and Asylum Patient.

PHILADELPHIA. Jan. AFTER an
other days police investigation the
Price confession TO the Lewis murder
looks more than ever Ike a message
from dreamland.
The cOn1essOr. John G. Price, says he
killed Mrs. AioIlie Ness Lewis by thrust
ms a surgeons lancet through her neck
in Charlotte Kelly's rOoming house at
zll8 North Eleventh street, at , o'clock
in the afternoon, September 10 last.
But. unfortunately for his credibiity,
il has been found that Price has been
a patient at KIrkbr:de's private asylum
Tor The insane. and al Norristown asy-
lum also. ard besides is a confirmed
morphine eater, a cigarette field, and
a small thief
Donaghy Still Credits Tale.
Prices many confessions have been so
much alike. ard he has stood the test Of
cross-eXamination so well that Captain
Donaghy SAYS he sun believes he is
telling the truth and did 90 the murder
Other detectives under Captain Donaghy
are also willing 10 say that they believe
Corfessor Price.
AT 10 o'clock last night Captain Don
aghy stated that he had been unable
OF the important statements in Prices
confession. The police are anxious to
get yerineati0n because without it the
man cannot be placed ON trial for the
murder Of Mrs. Lewis.
Price has stated repeatedly that he
got the lancet by stealing a case OF sur
glcal instruments from a doctors Office
in Diamond street, near Eighteenth
ha
10 md a doctor who will say that he
lost such a case OF instruments, but they
say they still have hopes of locating
The physician.
Another point in Prices confession
seemingly capable OF verifcation was
ms declaration that after The murder
ne wrapped the case OF instruments iu
overalls and gave the package 70 a
friend
No Trace Of Alleged "Pal."
In another respect the police were dis
appointed. Price had pretended for
weeks that he could not tell everything
about the murder for fear OF '-peaching''
on his pal. who was with him in the
Kelly house. and saw the stabbing OF
Mrs. Lewis But at last he waived
these scruDles and named the pal" tell
ing where he had lived and his various
hangouts.
Detectives went TO the indicated house
yesterday and the occupants declared
they had never heard OF such q person
as the on named by Price.
In one minor point VcrihcatiOn OF
Prices story was obtained by the detec-
Iives during the day. The revolver with
which Price says he tried 10 kin him
self was brought 10 Captain I}Unag1v
by = barber. Lewis Geratsky. OF SIS Co
lumbla avenue, who says he took il
away from Price when he was IN the
chair talking about suicide.
On the morning of September II Price
says he and his comrade IN the muir
der did "a small job" in Eleventh
street. near Susquehanna. He explains
that in running away his ''paf' lost his
hat To replace the hat a cap was
begged at "A house nearby. The police
have found the woman who gave one
or two men cap that morning. this by
way OF substantlation for the eonfessor.
That night, the night OF the nth
Price says he and his pal slept in
a stable. This, TOO, has been corrobO-
rated 20 the extent that the sta bleman
recalls chasing two men away about
that time.
Shooting Story Not Confirmed.
Careful inquiry at the house at ~
Brown street. where. Price says. he
shot himself just before he surrender
10 the police, does not bring forth
strong confederation of this statement
Price is supposed TO have done the
shooting in the hallway while the Seton
girl was in the room adjacent with
Airs. Smith. her dressmaker, and Mrs.
Smiths daughter. None OF these per
sons heard the shot. but al nrSt they
were disposed To accept Price state
ment that he had attempted self-de-
Etructi0n as true.
Al the Gerard House. IN Vine near
Eighth street, chambermaid recalls
hearing "A shot in a room occupied by
Price, after Thanksgiving She went 10
the room. which was half-hled with
powder smoke He said nothing had
happened. The hole through the coat
and vest might possibly be traced 10
this incident