The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-01-12

OF the tree house in the Agricultural
Department inside Of three days
your store viii be burnt by the Black
Hand Society. BEWARE.S
This note, deliberately decorated with
cross bones, skulls and Black Hands.
was found urder the door OF Moore q
Woods store, at S95 Tenth street north
west, and last evening resulted in the
arrest of Walter Reeves and Neil 6
Edgett, two marines, who are now "held
for investigation" at the First police
precinct station.
Beth deny any knowledge OF the let
ter, but Captain Williams and Detec-
tives Johnston ana Owens say the pTis-
oners will be held until a thorough in
vestigation has been made
Decoy Letter Used.
The marines were arrested by means
| cf a decoy letter. which was placed in
/ the large California redwood tree house
near the Agricultural Department build
/ ing. after a second letter had been re-
ceiyed The first letter was found Tues
/ day morning. The second was discov-
| cred Thursday. The second letter fol-
/ lows:
/ Moore & Wood Co.
II you fail 10 put S1J0 in the top Of
/ the tree house in the Agricultural De
| Dartment Park your store viii pay the
! penalty Ny men viii either burn il
/ down OF blow il UP. This is a second
and last message. You have until Sun
/ day. Don't try 10 play me false.
| "P- S.-Dou't dare notify the police.
ROXY BARANDO."
The letters were in different hand
| writing. One was written on a sheet
/ from q stenographer's notebook, while
/ the other was penned on a piece of
white stationery with indentatious
/ around the edge. Both contained very
| crude drawings Of Black Hands and
/ skulls and bones. In addition TO the
drawings of an amateur both were
| stamped with a hand, the index finger
extended so as 70 point TO the skull and
| bones.
Victims" Start inquiry.
After receiving the first letter. L.
! WilloUghby Moore and Charles W.
! Wood. oil dealers. notified Captain Will
| Jams, commanding the TenderIOin pre-
! einct, and asked that an investigation
| be made. The letter was turned over
| 10 the police as a possible assistance in
| experimenting the Black Hand artist
who made the ircendiary threat
| Thursday afternoon the second letter
was given to the detectives.
Yesterday morning the decoy letter
/ was filled with billheads and scrap pa
/ per SO as to resemble an envelope
stuffed with paper money and placed in
he top of the tree house as per instruC-
| tons Owens and Johnston accompanied
/ Mr., Wood TO the tree -ouse about 10
| clock yesterday morning, and saw him
| put the letter in the south end OF the
| tree house.
Marines Arrive on Scene.
Afterward Owen stationed himself
near the spot to watch for any man
who might enter. The detective sat On
a bench and pretended to De absorbed
in newspaper. He saw two boys enter
the tree house and leave Ii few mo-
ments later Half an hour afterWard
the two marines, after scanning from
right to left, entered the tree house and
remained for some time.
His suspicious aroused, Owesis as
eended the steps Of the tree house and
found the marines still there. The de
tective looked for the decoy letter, but
failed to find it. He Immediately asked
the marines what they had dOEe with
the letter. Both laughed and said they
had opened the letter and afterward
put it in the north corner Of the tree
house.
Their explanation of their presence in
the house at a time when some one tx
pected a letter containing Sl00 or $50
was not satisfactory, and both were
taken to the statiOuhUuSe. where trey
were Tigtdly crOss-questoned by The de-
tectlves and Captain Williams
The prisoners were licked IN separate
cells with the charge held for investi
cation opposite their names on the
! EiOtter.
Both Recent Recruits.
Reeves is twenty-nine years old. BE
was born in KewaRee, H., and enlisted
in the Marine Corps at Fort Wayne on
December 4. The next day he was or
dered to Washington. Edgett was born
in PitaUaiis, Mich, and Joined the Ma
rines in Chicago on November 50. He
came TO Washington early In December.
Both men appear younger than their
given ages. They did not take their
arrest seriously, and the police admit
that they have not the strongest case
| IN the world against them.
/ Tomorrow, should the prisoners still
| be held, the case will be taken I'D with
District Attorney Baker, and the threat
/ lee MID in Il