New-York tribune., 1908-08-30
ROBERTS NEAR DEATH
MAJ KNOB ASSAILANT-
Roordualk Mystery Deepems When
poI;ce Get Nen Secret Cleo.
rev relesrsph 10 The Tribune ]


~ ,,,,,e Denertrnent said that he had no in
.,o, q. present Of making arrest IN Baln-
-e hut was working on newer and more
,,,nortart cleW- He would not cfSuiGe she
+,,-e Of his new theory, but said that II had
o+h,ne 20 do with the story OF the alleged at
.e-,,t at robbery. He still believes that Roberts
t-noxs who shot him, but fears that the victim
vii not live to reveal the secret
AT the hospital here II WAS said tonight that
..o baltimore banker growing weaker, and
his recovery is matter OF grave doubt,
We w s G. Williams, RobeFtss companion
a., .l,a wheeled chair, was interrogated closely
-oasv by the police and detectives, and did not
deyiate in the least from her original statement
3, &c said Mrs. Roberts, who is at the Hotel
brighton where Mrs. Williams is also patron,
suid she had known her since childhood. and did
ror consider her in any way responsible for the
shooting OF her husband. either directly or in
otr-rtiy She said that the wheeled chair ride
WIS wholly Justifiable the ground Of old fam
,lv friendship The police learned tonight that
Mr.. Williams left Baltimore az $50 o'clock this
afternoon after conferring with detectives who
sought information regarding his whereabouts
On Tuesday and Wednesday. Whether his des-
rtnsrion was Atlantic City elsewhere the
Baltimore police die not dirulge
Are. talking with Mrs Williams In Baltimore
to-day the police there received dispatch from
HEADQUARTERS that an effort would now be made
20 talk with Thomas Dc Ford. brother OF Mrs
Williams Chief Woodruff stoutly denied that
.his was his new plan. and said be did not
credit the story that De Ford is reported 10
have made the statement that he intended to 90
bodily harm TO Roberts II be found him In COM
na-1v with Mrs. Williams. Chief Woodrun ssio
ne knew ,ust where he could reach De Ford
any time he wanted him
RABBI IMPORTANT NEW WITNESS
tn. Rev Dr. Henry Fisher. rabbi OF the Jew
i.h synagogue, lives IN cottage OVERLOOKING
the Boardwalk near the corner OF Paclfc ana
Maine avenues. about a block and q half from
the scene of the shooting. On Wednesday night
ne had Just left his bathroom and was on the
point OF retiring when he heard loud shouts
closely followed by three four pistol shots
rJe ayers he hastened 10 the window of the back
bedroom which overlooks the Boardwalk and
saw three men running down the boaro"aik
APPROACH Of New Hampshire avenue They ran
up the avenue toward Pacific avenue. and were
soon lost to his sight Then he says he saw a
roller chair being blown by the wind UP the
boardwalk and .n a few minutes II was taken
IN charge by a white man. who proved TO De
the manager of the roller chair stand kept at
the front OF the Royal Palace Hotel
D-. Fisher said he could not the faces Of
the men. nor could he see their clothing suf-
cIenflv well 10 give a description OF them.
Detective Harry Wilson. who was sent 10 Bal
t,,lore by the local Police Department, MADE
report 10 Chief Woodruff this morning and said
he can account for williams's movements with
o,. 9 break ND to the time he telephoned to
Mrs williams from the Baltimore Club on
Wednesday morning but from that time to
Thursday noon, when he was again at the Bal
-i,,7ore Club there is nothing certain Will
iarns's servants say, however, ne was at his
country home The chief learned that the su-
perintendent Of the Baltimore police force is
trother-in-law OF Mrs. Williams.
ROBERTS UNDERGoEs OPERATION
An operation was performed Mr. Roberts
at the Atlantic City Hospital late to-day IN the
hone Of saving his life. The physicians found
that the bullet entered the groin, passed through
the liver and lodged in the muscles OF the back
No attempt was made 10 extract the bullet 1t
WIS said tonight that Mr.. Roberts was weaker
and a fight is being made 20 prevent blood
poisoning. He is also suffering from the shock
Of the operation.
The general opinion here is that il the opera
fion results successfully and the wounded man
recovers the hunt for his assailant may be
given I'D, and the whole matter be dropped
Chief of Detectives whalen and Prosecutor
C4oldenberg- both insist that effort will be
spared to run down Robertss assailant. but II is
derer will not be caught If Roberts gets well
The family of the injured man still stick to
the theory that the shooting was done by high
Tayrnan and that he demanded money when he
first approached the couple Mrs. Williams still
sticks to her story that she wanted to give the
hiehwaynaan her purse, but that Roberts de-
clined to permit her to do So
Jesse johnson. the negro chair pusher, who
was employed by Roberts and Mrs Williams on
the fatal night, went back TO work to-day. He
will not say anything about the affair. for he
has received instructions from the police that
he is not TO do any talking.
Further evidence OF the desire OF the families
of the principals in the affair to support the
hStlwayrnan theory was given to-day by County
Prosecutor Goldenberg. Of Atlantic County, who
said:
a.One OF the most prominent lawyers OF Phil
sdelphia a friend OF both families. called on
me yesterday. He urged me TO accept the rob-
hery theory listened TO all he had to say, but
replied that 1 should have to sift the affair to
the bottom before / accepted any theory"
r3alfin,ore Aug 2a-The sum OF the actual
corplishrnents here to-day in the investigation
into the shooting of Roberts is that Mrs. Will
iarus-s husband is TO all intents and purposes
eliminated from the cSse, he having apparently
satisfied the detectives that he was at bis home
sn Long Green Valley. Baltimore County, when
the shooting occurred
The DAY has seen the development OF sus-
ricions that have already been entertained that
the crime was committed by another BaItl-
moresn. a member OF one OF the ,nvofVeo IAN
.l.es who is said to have thought himself even
more a-grieved by Mr.. Roberts than wliiiafns
,ouId D. ssibiy have believed himself TO be This