Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-31
SHOOTING PUZZLES POLICE;
ROBERTS UNABLE TO TALK
Mrs. Williams Leaves for Baltimore
With the Sanction Of the
Authorities.
Special Dispatch to The star.

Special Dispatch to The star
ATLANTIC. CITY, n. J., August 81
Charles B. Roberts Of Baltimore, the VIC
tim of the Boardwalk shooting, has not
thus far made a statement to the police
Roberts. when first brought to the hos
pital. would not acknowledge that he had
recognized the man who did the shooting
Now the police believe he may be more
communicative IL he regains SUFFICIENT
strength to understand the situation and
tell the story.
A great deal depends on a statement
from Roberts, for the police are prac-
tically at standstill as far as concerns
the Baltimore end of the case. where
they sought to obtain information from
Williams that might lead to a solution.
Williams statements, however. which. the
police say. have been contradictory in
some respects, have. nevertheless. shown
pretty clearly he was not In Atlantic City
the night Of the tragedy.
Story Told by Cousin.
But a new feature was injected into the
mystery last night. which may lead to an
investigation along lines not heretofore
followed. The new angle concerns
statement said to have been made by
Talbot G. Williams. a cousin of w. s. G.
Williams. in Pittsburg. According to an
alleged conversation between him and the
Pittsburg chief of detectives yesterday
following questions:
Where were you Wednesday night
last?"
IT was at Atlantic City
Whom did you see there and under
what circumstances"
while walking on the Boardwalk We'd
nesday evening / passed man who
walked SO remarkably like my cousin. w.
man told me that ! must be mistaken
and passed on, leaving me greatly sur
prised."
Whatever weight the police attach to
the alleged statement OF Williams cousin.
they are still as much puzzled as ever
that the unknown man who did the shoot
ing could have got out Of Atlantic City
unnoticed the same night.
Only two thoroughfares leave Atlantic
City. and the few trains leaving after the
hour OF the shooting were watched by
force Of detectives. while police were sta
toned on the two thoroughfsres. Detec-
tives and uniformed police in the mean
time drew together in circle about the
point on the Boardwalk where the shoot
ing took place. Within forty minutes
after the attack on Roberts they had
secured every street within mile In
big contracting ring.
Detectives at the railroad station saw
no one unusual; the police at the two
road barriers halted two automobiles,
both Of which gave New York numbers
and well known names of owners. The
Gordon of police rounded up all suspects
in the streets that were worth attention.
There was but one possibility. that the
fugitive hastened up Atlantic avenue and
caught a train on the Pennsylvania cleo
tric line to Philadelphia before the gem
eral police alarm had been turned in.
De Ford Not Suspected.
Perhap for lack of other avenue OF
talk. rumor centered for a while yes
terday on Thomas De Ford. brother OF
Mrs. Williams, who was said to have
been heard to warn Roberts week ago
in Baltimore. in Mrs. Williams inter
ests But De Ford's planation that he
was in Chicago Wednesday night was
backed up today upon the arrival Of
word here from the De Ford Leather
Company that Thomas De Ford, an ON
Ger OF the company. had written them .
letter from Chicago. now In their pos
session.
There is little disposition as the case
sta ands today to assign to Thomas De
Ford any part whatever In the case.
Those In charge at the Brighton Hotel
said yesterday that Thomas De Ford
had neither been seen about the place