Omaha daily bee., 1908-08-30
POLICE ON WILLIAMS TRACK
His Movements on Day Of Roberts
Shooting Being Traced.
SEEMS TO ESTABLISH AN ALIBI
Omcers Abandon Theory that Crime
was Committed by Highway
man-ROberts May Die
of Wound.


BALTIMORE. Md. Aug. 29.-wrnam
s. G. williams. whose wife was with
Charles 3. Roberts when the latter was
shot at Atlantic City. last Wednesday
night was interviewed by police detec-
tives today. Williams. It was learned,
seemingly Satisfied the officers that he
was not In Atlantic City on the day and
night in question. The detectives, It was
said. will visit Mr.. Williams home at
Long Green tonight to verify statements
made by Williams.
Mr.. Williams told the detectives that he
slept at his Long Green home from noon
last Wednesday and nightly until Friday
morning, His statement was verified by
his colored butler. It is understood Mr..
Williams sought the interview with the de-
t~ectives.
Roberts May Die.
ATLANTIC CITY. N. j.. Aug. 2e.-ChArles
B. Roberts, who was mysteriously shot on
the board walk last Wednesday right, is
still In the Atlantic City hospital and is
very weak. The bullet. which penetrated
the liver. 1t is feared. caused a wound
which may prove fatal. The police are
firra in the belief that the solution Of the
mystery surrounding the shooting will fol-
low an investigation of the movements Of
w. S. g. Williams on the day Of the shoot
ms.
The allegation that Williams had been
in a sanitarium undergoing treatment and
not abroad was made to the police by his
wife, who was with Roberts in a rolling
chain at the time OF the shooting. Accord
ing to the police, she contradits a state
ment given out from williams law office.
The police OF this city have entirely absn-
/ doroa ~, tbonr,, tb.t A. n...gt-. -
Baltimore man was a highwayman. They
are awaiting a report from the Baltimore
authorities, who are tracing the where
abouts and actions of Mr.. Williams on the
night Of the shooting.
Two disclosures just made by the negro
who was pushing the chair in which Rob.
erts and Mrs. Williams were riding are
considered important by the police.
~ Negro Gives information.
When questioned In regard to the CONVEX
sation which passed between Roberts and
Mrs. Williams during the chair ride, Jesse
Jackson, the negro, said:
II did not hear Anything except one re-
mark OF the gentleman. l heard him say
Just before the man with a mask came up
to us: You have broken my heart" 1
did not hear what the lady answered"
In addition to the fact first related by
him in regard TO the shooting. jackson
now says that the masked stranger applied
an epithet to Roberts as he ordered him to
get out of the chair. The negro also in
sists that he heard TO demand for money
following the first order, Hold up your
handsI'
Malcom Woodruff, chief of police. said
today: ~
1.-THE h~ighwayman theory has had little
weight with us from the first. The shoot
ing occurred at 10iaO o'clock. The wounded
man was taken to the hospital and the
woman back to her hotel. As soon as /
learned that she was not his wife 1 asked,
Where is her husband?' sent several
messages to Baltimore before II O'Clock
that night. asking the police there to let
me know at once whether Willis ms was in
that city, 1 believed that a quick answer
to that question would go far toward SOW
ing the mystery. 1 anxiously awaited "a
reply. None came and 1 have not heard
a word since from the Baltimore police on
that feature.
Married Life Unhappy. -
Harry Wilson. one of my detectives, is
now at work on 1t. Many things that Mrs.
Williams has told us of her husband are
important as showing their feelings toward
SdCH ONnOIs Olt bdiu that htT eighteen years
OF married life nave been misery to her.
Three times, she declared, she has had her
husband put in a sanitarium. Last Tues
day he left the sanitarium and went to
Baltimore. According to his wife's asser.
ton, he called her up at the Hotel Brigh-
ton and asked her to come home with the
children. She refused. saying she preferred
to remain until Saturday.
'In the conyersatiin williams becama
aware that Roberts was also at the Brigh-
ton. An this Mrs. Williams told us. be-
lieve that 1t is the truth. but I also believe
that II her husband came TO Atlantic City
from Baltimore that day she was not aware
of IT."
Further evidence of the desire of the fam
lilies OF the principals in the affair to sup
port the 'highwayman" theory was given
today by County Prosecutor Goldenberg Of
Atlantic county.