Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1908-08-28
The Atlantic City Shooting.

we'll on the way ID a solution to the
mystery yelling the shooting here Wee
nesday night of Charles B. Roberts, the
Baltimore clubmsn and millionaire who
was fatally injured while riding In
chair with Mira. 1. G. Williams, of Balh-
more-the wife of his best friend. With
bullet 10 bis liver and his chances of
recovery hourly fading, Roberts sticks to
his story that he was shot by masked
highway man. Mrs. Williams, In the Sc
clusion of her room at the Hotel Brigh-
ton-where Roberts was also stopping
declines to talk. Not the slightest clue
is In evidence as to the whereabouts of
the man who fired the shot,
Bssing their belief on the fact that
Williams elieved his wife WAS In New
Hampshire with her children at the hour
at which she was figuring In tragedy,
the police believe Roberts could tell more
il he wishes.
Although the negro, Jackson, corrob-
GRATED the story Of Roberts at first in
the mater of the latter's assailant being
masked, be has weakened on this
point aud the police hope to get
an admission from him before
the day is over that will show that
the man who fred the shots at Roberts
was not only unmarked, but that he wss
a we'll dressed business like appearing
map, giving no evidence Of being thug.
It is known that The Atlantic City police
are today searching for a Maryland
automobile, fer which New Jersey
license was said ia have been issued the
day before the shooting. They expect q
trail thereon to lead them to Baltimore
Witnesses have been found who ssy an
automobile stopped short distance from
the boardwalk where the shooting
occurred. The evident determination Of
Roberts to throw veil OF myttsry about
the affair has increased the suspicion Of
the police that there is nothing in the
theory fret advanced by the victim that
be WAS shot by would-be highwayman.
For the first time since the shooting
of Mr.. Roberts statement was today
made OF the details of The occurrence, as
recited by Mrs. Williams. This story
of the occurrence was given to Mr.. Will
COX by Mrs. Williams last evening and
by him repeated to reporter this morn
ing. The story is as follows:
'Tne an hslted the chair and came
face to face with us and was walking
slowly. The man peered through the
glass Windows, behind which we sst,
and laid mis- hand on the chair and
showed one of the windows aside, mt the
same time showing revolver. Think
iue the man wanted money / offered him
my chstelsine bsg, The stranger waved
It aside.
al don't want your purse; want the
mans money" replied the man.
"At this point" continued Mr.. Will
cox, "Mr. Roberts sprsng from the
chair and grsppled With the robber,
who shot him and made his escape 10
the darkness. In the meantime the
negro chair pusher had run away and
lett the couple at the mercy Of the high.
sayman and Mrs. williams was thus
left alone with the wounded man. As
sis.ance soon came, however, and she
accompanied Mr.. Roberts TO the hospitll,
whence she returned at once to her hotel
and Notified Mr.. J. Olney Norris, who
| Immediately wirel to me to come down
to Atlantic City.
Ia statement sent to the Atlantic
CITY police this afternoon n. Caveddish
Darrell, law partner of Williams, stated
on behalf of the latter that Mr.. Williams
knew all the time that his wife was IN
Atlsntlc City. He declares that the
husband is fully cognizant OF the insinu-
stious thst have been cast and that he
would come here to personally refute
them.
at is possible that Mr.. Williams did
state latt night that he believed his wife
was in Boston" explains Darrell, "but
he was nervous and excited when he
SPOKE, aud the error was due to his con-
fessiOn.
Unable longer to carry out their al.
legged project for covering up the crime
the police this afternoon started probe
which will make necessary the answer
ing of some questions By Mrs. Williams
male relstives. The woman st II denies
herself to newspaper men, but the police
have succeeded in intsrrogating her and
t Is said have procured from her n
positive statement that the man who
shot Roberts was not and could not have
been her husband. Mrs. Williams il
said to have denied mphstically the re-
ported declaration of her friends assail-
ant "you will never take her out to
dinner again" as he fred the shot.
Roberiy condition this afternoon is
reported very grave and the officers are
making proportions to get an ante
norton statement from him at the first
indication Of a sinking spell.
The story that Mr.. Williams htd
been in Atlantic City on Wednesday
has been disapproved 1t being positively
established that Mr.. Williams has been
at the country home near Baltimore
since his recent arrival from Europe.
While the highwayman version of the
shooting is accepted, there are many
hints of developments that may be
looked for within q short time, that
will make the bones ia more than one
closet do a merry jingle. Mrs. Williams
was Miss Belle Deford, the eldest daugh-
t,r of Thomas Deford. Her brothers,
Frank B. Thomas AMI John Deiord, sre
all prominent 10 business aud social
life.
Mrs. Roberts arrived here today from
New England where she hes been spend
Jog the summer with her children. She
declared that she could furnish no clue