Evening star., 1909-05-27
JOE FORREST CAUGHT.
Admits Killing Mother, but De-
MES Taking Fathers Life.
ACCIDENT, HE ASSERTS
Driven From Cover by Hunger and
Is Recognized.
WHOLE WEEK WITHOUT FOOD
Gives His Name as Thompson at
First and Then Acknowledges
His Identity.
HE ASSERTS
WEEK WITHOUT FOOD

LEONARDTowN. Md. May 27.-Bare-
footed and worn out from being without
food for over a week. Joseph Forrest.
the nineteen-year-old son Of Mr.. and Mrs.
William Plowden Forrest, was captured
shortly after noon yesterday on the farm
Of r. Brent Davis, at Chaptico. and sis
now safely behind the bars OF the
Leonardtown Jail, charged with the mur-
tilated bodies were found In the second
story Of their home at Oakville, ST. Mary
county, about ten days ago.
The capture OF the youth. for whom a
search had been made throughout Mary
land and Virginia, was an easy matter.
It occurred less than a score of miles
from the scene Of the crime.
Youth Asks for Food.
1t was q few minutes after 12 o'clock
when a barefooted and haggard-looking
youth walked up to the Davis homestead
and asked the cook at the kitchen for a
morsel Of food.
II am tired and hungry. Won't you
please give me something to eat?' asked
the stranger zachariah Fowler and
preached the young man and exclaimed:
Hello, Joe Forrest, where have you
been?"
my name is Thompson" came the
weak reply. "Who is Forrest7''
1--WE know you are Forrest, and we are
looking for you for the murder OF your
mother and father
And while the young man was given
food to eat messenger was dispatched
for Constable Bernard Long. who resides
three miles away. While eating the
youth looked up and said:
II am Forrest
Almost overjoyed at their luck. Welch
and Fowler did not lay hands on him.
but watched the youth as he devoured
the food.
Where have you been since you killed
your mother and father?" they ques-
toned him; but he either did not seem to
was playing the foxy part of appearing
demented.
FORESTS Statement.
came Ashby Burroughs Of Mechanics
Vile and Deputy Sheriff Zachariah
Graves. Both men identified the lad as
Forrest.
Justice T. B. Carpenter was sent for,
and preliminary hearing was held at 4
o'clock. At the hearing. which was brief,
Forrest made his statement, as follows:
Il know nothing about my father. but
l shot my mother in the courthouse. l
was there looking for haw's and she
came In and 1 shot her accidentally
No attempt was made to cross-Ques-
dition. Justice Carpenter held him for
the action of the grand jury.
Forrest later admitted that he had
eaten nothing for more than a week and
abouts since his absence from Oakville.
Forrest was placed In a buggy and
the drive to Leonardtown Jail, distance
of eighteen miles, was begun. William
80 Fo1y t.,
out Of curiosity and not in the nature
of guard. So safe did Constable Long
feel that his prisoner would not es-
cape that he did not put handouts on
Forrest
In a Wretched Condition.
Forrest presented q wretched appear
ance. His face was scratched and his
hands and feet were torn in many places.
showing the contact with briars. He has
every appearance of being demented,
but the food and shelter may straighten
his memory and he may be able soon
to detail the horrible crime at Oak
vile.
Contrary to expectations. there was
no demonstration of any kind when the
prisoner reached LeonardtoWn. None
of the residents turned out to see the
guilty OF killing William Plowden For
rest and wife in most brutal manner.
Nor is there any trace of any selti-
ment that harm will come to the prison
er. On the contrary, a great deal of
sympathy is expressed for him. and
many Of the ST. Mary county citizens
express themselves in terms that lead
one to believe they consider him men
tally irresponsible.
How the authorities will reconcile For
rests statement that he shot his mother
in the courthouse with the fact that both
husband and wife were found in their
room. examination will have to develop
States Attorney Combs will probably
begin at once to prepare the papers in
| the case. An indictment may be found
within the next few days. In fact, the
grand jury will be asked to take up the
case.
There is no indication that the prison.
er has any intention of ending his life
He went to sleep soon after being placed
In the lookup.