Evening star., 1908-01-27

the struggle and that he had lost tho
blood but the detectives say they fall To
see any reason why the trail should have
been connected with the case under In
vestigation.
Suspects in Custody.
second William Washington was ar
rested yesterday by the detectives and
held a suspect. Mercer Jackson and
John Smith, the former residing at 2lo6
Ward place and the latter at - Madison
alley. were also taken into custody. Their
arrest. II is stated. resulted from a re-
mark made by Jackson early Sunday
morning that he had been in trouble and
had hit man on his head. He asked
that tobacco be sent him in event he should
be sent TO jail. Jackson and Smith. il is
stated. were In saloon not far from
the scene of the tragedy Saturday night.
but they say they left there long before
the crime was committed. Washington
was released early this morning and the
others will probably be restored to liberty
later in the day.
While Capt Byrnes Detective Arm
strong and others were at the inquest to-
day Detectives Evans. Vermillion. Mullen
and others were pursuing the investig1-
ton. They were endeavoring 10 bring
about the arrest Of tho man who owned
the oyster knife and his companion. and
this afternoon they said they were sails
fled they will succeed within "A few days.
They seem confident that the mystery
will be solved and that the criminals VIII
be brought to justice. The cells nj IN"
sixth precinct station well filled with
suspects. and the detectives believe one
of them is in position to give valuable
information. This man has been inter
viewed number of times. and while n"
has seemed on the verge OF breaking down
he has not yet given the Information
which the detectives think he possesses.
Maj. Sylvester Active.
Maj. Sylvester is watching very move
that is made in the case. He * in COM
munication with Inspector Boardman
early and late. being willing 10 offer
suggestions and take an active ,3art in
the investigation.
Frederick w. Self the pensionar who
was robbed while In front of his home
23 + street. a short while before Reid
was murdered in front of the adjoining
house, saw all the suspects yesterday
and indicated Thomas PoindeXter and
Frederick Phillips as the men who rob
bed him of $3.50 The two men. how
ever. the police say. have accounted for
their whereabouts about the time Self
was robbed. 1t was first Thought that
the persons who robbed Self had also
committed the more serious crime but
the police. are now satisfied t.,at the
crimes were committed by different per-
sons.
Lack of Eyewitness.
1t is realized by those connected with
the investigation that the absence of eye
witnesses of the tragedy served to retard
progress. 1t is not definitely known thet
colored men committed the crime. al
though Indications point to the two col
ored men who We're seen near the saloon
as being the guilty parties
Detectives regard it possible that the
murder was committed by colored men
who were strangers in the city. Several
months ago similar tragedies were. com
mitted i'm different sections of the corn-
try a band of colored men having been
organized for the purpose. While there
was nothing about Reids place to suS-
gest to strangers the possibility of get
ting much money. the locality presented
ideal conditions for hold-up.
An overcoat and shirt belonging to
Charles Phillips. who was porter in Reid
saloon contained what the police believed
were bloodstains. Phillips admitted there
was a spot of blood on his shirt. as here
tofore stated. but he thought the spot on
his overcoat was not blood. Inspector
Boardman this afternoon turned the gar
ments over to the health department. and
DR.. Woodward. the health officer. directed
that chemical analysis be made of the
stains.
Clara Turner colored. who formerly re-
sided at Il + street. but who recently
moved to Moonshine alley. was questioned
at the police station today. She WIS
washerwoman for Reid and had been
working in such capacity during the past
year Mrs. Turner said she had heard
nothing which would be of assistance
to the detectives i'm their investigation oi
the mystery. -
Plans for Funeral.
Undertaken ]. William Lee took charge
of the body and removed it TO his estab-
lishment, where it was prepared for bur-
iaI. Reid. it is said. had often expressed
desire that his remains be cremated.
but in the absence of written instruc-
tions some of his relatives objected to
such disposition of the body.
1t was decided that the body be taken
to Manassas and inferred in the Con-
federate cemetery. where the remains OF
his mother and father were buried.
j. L. Reid an uncle of the deceased;
Thomas Lion of Manassas and others
came here and made the necessary ar
rangements. 1t decided that the
uncle and friends shall accompany the
body to Manassas tonight and that serv-
ices will be held at the Manassas Bap-
tist Church. Rev. T. ID. ID. Clark, pastor
of the church. officiating.