The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-01-29
POLICE HOPEFUL
IN REID CASE
Major Sylvester Says Men
Are Doing All They
Can.
Murder Probably Due to
Revenge, Is Officers
Theory.

With all available men on the detec-
tive force working in conjunction with
the police Of every precinct in the city,
the mysterious murder of Henry w.
Reid proprietor of a saloon at COO North
Capitol street, is as far I.om a solution
today as ever. Major Sylveste: said
this morning:
Il think things will work out al right
IN the end. and the mystery cleared up
Ia a day or two The men are doing
everything they can to ind the muir
derer."
The theory on which the police are
now working is that Reid was the vic
TIC of well-laid plot by negroes. The
detectives contend that he was put
away by negroes who sought revenge
because one OF their number was killed
by a white man while resisting arrest
by an officer of the Sixth precinct, or
that he was killed after being lured
1Eto one OF the houses along II street
and knocked scnseless while inside the
dwelling.
Picked easy Victim"
On the theory that Reid was muir
dered for revenge because of the death
OF a Colored man while Detective Arm
strong was placing him under arrest
last summer, the police say that they
do not think the negroes sought to muir
der Reid IN particular. but that they
selected him as an 'easy victim to
carry out their plot.
on the Other hand, the detectives as
sert, Reid was on friendly terms with q
great majority OF the negroes in the
neighbOrhOOd, and no one living in the
vicinity would nave sought 20 Kill him
unless there was a grudge held against
him personally. Ills saloon was fire.
Quented by coI0red persons; in ract. the
bulk OF his business was from this
source.
CoIored women are also said TO. have
been seen in the place frequently, and il
is known that they purchased liquor at
Ihe saloon. Before the grade Of u street
was changed and 1t was necessary 10
move the saloon TO the second floor.
Reid had a room on the first floor where
he served women.
Say Reid Was intoxicated.
The police say that there is no doubt
that Reid left his place shortly after
midnight last Friday under the influ-
ence Of liquor. He had been drinking
all Jhe evening, and staggered when he
left the bar to go nome
Police Heard Nothing.
His body was found IN front OF the
house at p + street. Octavia Bell, col
ored, who lives III the house. says that
she heard q scufle which lasted fully
five minutes When she looked out Of
the window the body was lying at the
foot OF q steep embaEkmeHt in front
of the house.
The Bell woman claims that she was
awakened bv the noise of the scrim-
mage. She asserts that both the win
dow and blinds We're closed. but that
she plainly heard the men tussIiug. A
peculiar feature in connection with
the woman's statement is the fact that
TWO policemen had just left The Sixth
precinct station, and were standing at
the corner OF New Jersey avenue and
il street, WneU the COiOred woman
slsIms her attention was attracted by
The noise.
The policemeu-Scriven and Aahan-
ey-say they heard nothing. Their sus-
pIciOnS were first aroused when they
saw a hack draw up I'm front OF the
house Without stopping the driver CON
tiuued I'm their direction. and informed
them that q woman had her head out
OF the window and wanted a policeman.
Ine place where the policemen were
standing is less than 100 Yards from
the scene of the murder. yet they
did not hear the noise which aroused
the Bel woman from sound sleep with
both the windows and blinds closed.
The police found Reds hat and
glasses on the sidewalk at the TOP OF
the embankment. This led them to be
neNe that he was attacked there first
and then ran down the steps to reach
a place OF safety 1t is certain that
the mutilatiOn OF his head and face with
the oyster knife, which was found near
the body, was done just where he was
lying There was no blood except di-
reCtly under his head.
The only suspect now held at the
sixth precinct station is Charles Philips
the ColOTe1 porter at Reds saloon He
was the last person to see Reid alive
The HarOor precinct police last night
arrested James Parker. cOlOr6d twenty
four years old, o. = Draper court. Par
Eer was lettering around the oyster
Vharves yesterday, and ne viii be held
untu able TO give a satisfactory account
HfmEllF for TIa 11Gr faer- dove