Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-17
AFRAID OF WILLIAMS
Queen Anne Girl Talks OF the
Death Mystery.
OFFICERS HAVE NO CLUES
Says Aged Farmer Wanted Her to
Elope With Him.
GIRLS PARENTS SPEAK OUT
Tell What They Know About the
Relations Between Their Daughter
and the Dead Man.
GIRLS PARENTS SPEAK OUT

| DOVER, Del, July 17-Although three
days have elapsed since the body of Will
| liam Williams was found hanging to a
| perslmmon tree In a thicket near Tenn
| piev1lle, Queen Anne county, Nd. near
| the Delaware line the mystery arising
| over the manner in which he was muir
dered remains unsolved. Sheriff George
Whitley of Queen Anne county and Con-
stable William Dunn of Church Hill,
| Nd, who is working on the case with
the sheriff, are no nearer getting the
criminal than when they started to work
Yesterday afternoon Constable Dunn ar
rested Caleb Watson a negro, on suspi-
cion. but there is little or no evidence
against him. On Monday and Monday
| night he helped John Vessel, a son-in-law
of Williams, to search for the old man.
and the authorities hope that by getting
him away from his friends they may be
able to get some evidence out of him.
Growing Into a Belle.
After refusing repeatedly to have any
thing to say about the case. Mr.. and Mrs,
Samuel Walls and their daughter, Eliza
beth Walls, to marry whom Williams had
secured a license in Caroline county. Md.
allowed themselves to be interviewed
yesterday. The girl denied that she had
ever had any intention of marrying Will
liams, and insisted that Williams atten-
tons to her had been unwelcome. Mr..
and Mrs. Walls say that under no cir
cumstances would they have allowed
their daughter, who is only thirteen years
There was fifty-one years difference in
their ages. Walls and his wife and
daughter, in response to questions put
TO them. stated in no uncertain terms
that the girl had never been engaged to
Williams, and that any thought of such
marriage was out of the question.
Elizabeth Walls, or Lizzie, as she is
called by her intimateS, is healthy and
bright girl She is a typical farmers
daughter. She should be the belle of the
neighborhood when she is four or five
years older. She is little large for her
age, but she Is child in her manner.
appearance and in her thoughts. She
does not look like one who contempla ted
clipping with or marrying any man. let
alone one SO far advanced in years as
Williams was. She repeatedly made the
statement that she was too young to
marry.
Her recital of her relations with Williams
show. according to her story. that instead
of being in love with her aged admirer
she was afraid of him and avoided him
whenever she could. She Is badly scared
and her childish grief at her predicament
Is touching. There can be no doubt that
Mr.. and Mrs. Walls have asked her the
most searching questions.
Child Tells Of Lovemaking.
After being asked number Of questions
her mother abruptly asked her If she had
ever promised Williams that she would
marry him or would run away with him.
Honest mother" she replied, as she
wept softly. Il never. promised him any
thing of the kind. Il liked Mr.. Williams
all right, but never did promise to marry
him."
lid he often talk to you about getting
married?' she was asked.
Yes" she replied. Mr.. Williams asked
me several times and told him, always,
that / was too young. Whenever I was
about the farm he would meet me. and II
nobody was in sight he would put his
arms around me and kiss me. At first I
did not mind that, because Mr. Williams
was such an old man..
How many times did Mr.. Williams ask
you to marry him."
Il don't know how many times he asked
me to marry him. At first he wanted us
to get married at home but / told him
that papa and mamma would not allow
me. and then he asked me to run away. I
told him / wouldn't He then told me that
to be married he would go away and never
come back again. l liked him, but 1
wanted to stay home with papa and
mamma. and told him SO. l cried when
he told me he would go away and never
come back again."
Tracing Old Mans Footsteps.
In the investigation the officials have
met with contradictory statements, par
tcularly as to the time Williams was last
seen alive. John Vessel said that Will
liams was last seen Saturday, but neigh
Dor yesterday declared that he saw VIII
liams the Vessel farm Monday.
v2Qfor hn cv,1
his wife went visiting Saturday night,
leaving their children in the care OF
Grandfather Williams. On his return Sun
day. he says, the children told him that
shortly after he and his wife left the
house Saturday Williams also left, tell
ing the children that he was going into
the orchard. The children. badly frighten-
ed remained In the house. and upon the
return of their parents informed them Of
the disappearance of the aged man. A
search was instituted for the old man on
the farm, but without success.
Samuel Wells, father OF the thirteen
yea--old girl, was questioned yesterday.
He said that his daughter Elizabeth was
not able to read write. and that VIII
liams had never given the girl anything
but d brown wedding dress.
Mystery Deepened.
The mystery is deepened by the frank
statement made today by John Vessel, his
son-in-law, at whose house Williams spent
last Saturday. After his arrival there
Vessel and his wife went away to spend
Sunday with Mrs. Vessels brother, John
Williams. leaving the old man with their
two children, aged eleven and eight years.
Shorty after the departure of Vessel and
his wife Williams left the house on the
pretext of going to the orchard. but never
returned The children became alarmed,
as they feared to venture out In the dark
ness.
Vessel and his wife, upon their return
home Sunday evening. were informed by
their children of the absence OF their
grandfather. Vessel claims that he at
once began search of the premises and
of a nearby swamp. seeking the aid OF
neighbors in the search, and falling to
locate him. supposed he had walked to
Temp. eville or Marydel where Williams
sons lived. His team was left at Wes-
sells and was found there when Vessel
returned home Sunday.
Despite the existence of the marriage
certificate, which is puzzle to them,
members of the family express doubt that
Williams ever intended to marry Eliza
beth Walls. the thirteen-year-old girl de-
claring that frequently they had heard
him assert that he would never again
put a halter around his neck for any