The Washington times., 1908-01-28
PLOT Of NEGROES
TO MURDER REID,
THEORY Of POLICE
Two Men Overheard
Discussing Revenge on
White People.
Believed Saloon Man Was
Lured Into House
and Slain.

The most important development to-
day in the mysterious murder Of Henry
w. Reid was a cleW obtained by
police OF the Sixth precinct, which
leads the detectives to believe that it
was possible that Reid was the victim
OF a welI-lsid plot OF a gang OF negroes.
According TO one Of tie policemen,
q man who has an office in the McGiu
building overheard two negroes talking
in the vicinity Of New Jersey avenue
and street, last week. As near as this
man could remember, their conversation
was about as follows:
well. We'll get revenge some way.
Wen show 'em that they can't bull
doze the colored people around here.
Some white man killed a coIored man
for nothing and we won't stand for it."
This Information came TO the police
man through a second party, and the
name Of the man who overheard the
conversation is not known.
In Negro Neighborhood.
Reds body was found at the foot Of
the embankment in front Of q + street.
This section OF the city, is populated al
most entirely by negroes. Several
months ago Detective Armstrong. of the
Sixth precinct. placed a negro under ar
rest III a saloon at New Jersey avenue
and F street northwest for disorderly
conduct. The man resisted, and Arm
strong called TO a white man to get his
blackjack from his hip pocket.
Instead OF taking the blackjack, the
man got hold of the officers revolver.
In some manner the weapon was acct
IDENTIFY discharged.
The bullet grazed Armstrong; finger
end went through the negTO's heart.
killing him instantly. The officer and
the citizen were eXonerated by the Cor
CneF's jury.
The incident. however, is said to have
aroused considerable feeling among the
negroes Of the neighbOThOOd and threats
have frequently been made that they
would get even
This is the only time in recent years
when a negro has been killed by a
white man, and the police can recall
no other affair that would cause COlOred
people to seek revenge by killing a
white man. Whether this has any
bearing on Saturdays mystery Is what
several. of the policemen are endeavOring
10 ferret out today.
LuTed Into House?
Some OF the men who are working
on the case are inclined TO the theory
that Reid might have been lured into
knocked senseless while inside the dwell
ing, and that he was then carried 10
the place where his body was discovered
and his head and face mutilated with
the oyster knife. 1t is certain that
the stabbing was done where he was
found, as the only blood was under his
head. The police admit there is nothing
10 corrOborate this theory, but the fact
that all other clues have proved fruit
"a
every possible line.
The mystery is as far from a soIu-
tiOn today as it was when the police
began work With the exception OF
three negroes. all the other suspects
have been released. Those under ar
rest now are Charles Philips. employed
as a porter II Reds saloon, Richard
Brlghtheart, OF ~ Jackson street north
Fenton place northwest. BTightheart
and Montgomery were arrested early
chis morning. They will probably be
released this afternoon.
Had Knife Sharpened.
The police learned that Brightheart
called at the shop Of w. N. Keys, on
II streets northwest. and asked him TO
sharpen an oyster knife last week.
Brightheart asked him how much lie
would charge, and said he would come
back later. after asking his puddle"
about it
When placed under arrest BrighthearU
told the police the knife belonged TO
Montgomery, On this information Mont
gomery was locked up. He admitted
having given the knife to Rrightheart,
and said 1T belonged TO a woman by
whom he had been engaged to open
oysters.
He furnished the police with the wom-
ans address, and the police went to
the house and found the knife IN her
possession She corroborated the story
told by the two men. The knife which
was used by the murderer was found