Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-30

ISsS.-Ns~~o
made. that Roberts was attacked by q
htghwayman at lonely point on the
Boardwalk. Both Mrs. Williams and Mrs:
Roberts are at the Hotel Brighton and
were surrounded today by relatives and
close friends.
May Never Be Solved.
That the true cause of the shooting
may be determined only in the event of
| the death Of Roberts is believed by many.
The death of the society man. the police
say, would make Mrs. Williams a mate
| rial witness and open the way to public
inquiry that would preclude the POSSIBLE
| lily OF concealing any important testimony.
Prosecutor Goldenberg of Atlantic City
today went carefully over the circum-
stances Of the shooting as presented by
the men assigned to the case by Police
| Chief Woodruff. They waived the posi-
bility Of Williams having been In Atlantic
| City.
| After considering all the information so
Tar gathered In the case the prosecutor
evidence than at present he would make
no attempt to arrest anybody.
A story which may have some bearing
on the case IL told by the Rev. Henry
Fisher. whose family occupies cottage
at New Hampshire avenue and the Board
walk, two blocks from the scene Of the
shooting. He says that at the time OF
the shooting he was preparing to retire
Tor the night when he was attracted by
He went to the window and saw three
men running down the Boardwalk. They
turned into New Hampshire avenue and
hurried toward Atlantic avenue. He lost
sight of them in the darkness and can
give no definite description.
Heroic efforts were made today to save
the life of Roberts. Two surgeons from
Baltimore. after consultation with those
from the local hospital. performed an I'M
usual operation on the patient in an eff
fort to locate and remove If possible the
bullet that penetrated his side.
long incision was MAIDEN the abdo-
men on the right side at the point where
the ball entered. Through this opening
the entire abdominal cavity was ex-
plored. It was found that the bullet
| had passed through the liver and lodged
| in the muscle of the back.
It was deemed advisable to remove the
| bullet After all the arteries had been
libated the wound was packed.
1t was stated that Roberts passed
through the operation we'll. The opinion
was expressed that if he lived through
the effect Of 1t he would recover
The danger in his case was from blood
poisoning or hemorrhages.
Woman May Have Been Assailant.
A theory was suggested to Chief Of Po-
lice Woodruff today to the effect that
| Charles B. Roberts assailant may have
| been a woman disguised as a man, and
that Mrs. Williams may have been the
real target in the tragedy Of Wednesday
| night on the Boardwalk.
Only two facts support this theory
One is that the highwayman. according
| to the occupants Of the chair and Jesse
Jackson, the colored chair pusher, was
of slight physique
The other is that at close range, when
Roberts. stepping from the chair, made a
move toward the stranger. the latter fired
Two oP ,1ot, ~x~,
its mark
AS Is usual in criminal cases that at
tract wide attention. the police are be-
ginning to receive anonymous letters in
which the writer's attempt to help the
authorities to clear up the mystery
Today one letter came from Baltimore
and another from Camden, N. J. Both
are believed to have been written by
women.
Chief of Police Woodruff refuses to d.
vulge what the letters contain. He con-
siders them important enough to notify
| the Baltimore authorities that he had re-
ceived them.
The letter from Baltimore, it is said,
contains a statement that certain per-
sons connected with the case were seen
together in Boston.
Mrs. Charles B. Roberts, wife of the
wounded man. today denied absolutely
her husband and Mrs. w. s. G. Williams
which would lead her to believe anything
other than the robbery motive as the
cause Of Wednesday nights shooting on
the Boardwalk.
The robbery theory is the only one
that I entertain for a moment Mrs.
Roberts said. You have heard the po-
lice theory of personal vengeance. Of
course It Is foolish.
Mrs. Williams and I are the best Of
friends and have been since childhood.
We live close together in Baltimore and
in the country. She had the right Of old
and close friendship to be with Mr.. Rob
erts.
There is absolutely nothing in this ex-
cepting an attempted hold-up. just the
facts that have been made public"