Evening star., 1909-05-20
Authorities Now Will Wait for
Mystery to Solve Itself.
ALL SEARCH IS ABANDONED
Rumors Of Strange Man on Road
Point to Trail Of Fugitive.
THEORY OF STATES ATTORNEY
Believes That Father Killed Wife
First and That He Was Then
Slain by Son.

IA PLATA Md. May 20.-Now ttat
the news of the murder of Mr. and Mrs
William p Forrest, presumably by their
son Joseph has spread through ST. Mary
and Charles counties thousands OF per-
sons are on the watch for the fugitive
and hope is entertained that he VIII oe
apprehended before the close of the week
Final sarch of abe woods in the OAK
willie section yesterday convinced pe-
tective Mayer of Baltimore and SheriH
Dent that the youth is no longer In that
vicinity Opinion is divided as 10 his
whereabouts.
According to the conductor OF the raii-
road to Mechanicsvie a young man an
swering Joe's description is said to have
gone UP to Baltimore the Tuesday fol-
lowing the murder. Many persons be-
,ieve he has gone to that city.
Still others are confident that he is still
in the county. Many think he has com
mitted suicide.
Rumor Of Strange Man.
Most plausible of the many tales SO far
related is that given to Detective Mayer
at Leonardtown by two separate persons
from the Chaptico section. who report
that a youth exactly answering Joe's de-
scription had been seen at Budd's creek,
where he had inquired the way to Bene-
dict. which lies miles off in another di-
rection.
Al the same time he obtained food from
negro. to whom he paid 10 cents, re-
marking:
There seems to be lot of strange
men around today. They look like sher-
iffs. Are they looking for any one?
The young man was extremely nervous
and soon disappeared into the woods,
where later search failed to disclose his
whereab bouts.
On advice of Detective Mayer Sheriff
Dent decided TO investigate the story
and has sent a deputy into that section
today: Like the many other tales OF the
youths appearance in various places.
however. the occurrence dates several
days back. and the trail Is now cold,
though it. once may have been full OF
promise.
Another persistent rumor places him
near Scrabbletown, in the Oraville sec
tion, but this tale originates with negroes
who are not considered reliable.
Graves Visited for Clue.
Detective Mayer also visited the graves
of Mr. and Mrs Forrest on the banks Of
the Patuxent. on the bare possibility that
the youth. having yielded to remorse or
desperation. had taken his life at the
mounds of his victims. The graves are
situated in the center of great corn
field in full view of the old Forrest home
stead, to which William Forrest had TAX
en- his bride twenty years ago. and where
Joe was born.
The boys body was not found there nor
was any trace seen of recent visit.
THAT settles it." said Mayer. If the
hoy is in this section he will give himself
up TO some one in course of time If he
has gone away he will be captured
In response to a letter from Dr. Joseph
v. King. brother-in-law of the murdered
man, Miss Matty Morgan. sister Of Mrs.
Forrest, has arrived at Oakville and was
taken as a guest in the home Of DR.. King
Miss Flora T.. Forrest, sister of William
Forrest. also arrived at DR.. Kings, COM
ing from Baltimore.
Miss Morgan Is generally accepted as
the heir to the property. as Joe is elimi-
ing her arrival DIR. King sprinkled lime
pentifully through the house and then
locked everything up. Guards will be left
there every night.
Another Theory Of Crime.
Practically the only person who now
doubts that Joe committed a double MUIR
der is States Attorne.- Coombs OF st.
Mary county. who says:
Il believe that Forrest killed his wife
and that Joe killed him in revenge
No one else however. now shares tnis
belief. The general opinion, from thorough
Investigation, is that Forrest. while TAX
ing afternoon nap. was attacked by
his son and that Mrs. Forrest drawn to
the room by the noise, was pushed into
the bed by her son and was done TO death
like her husband
The room had always been occupied by
Joe and his father a joint sleeping
chamber. Mrs. Forrest sleeping on the
ground floor.
Permission will be sought from the
courts to burn the house. as il is accepted
that no one will ever occupy 1t again. The
belief prevails that its presence causes
deterioration in the value of the property.
The value Of the place is estimated at
about 81 COO.
Convinced that he can do no more in
this section. Detective Mayer went to
Mechanicsville last evening and passed
the night there, being unable TO obtain a
conveyance TO La Plata twenty-five miles
farther. He returned to Baltimore today,
carrying with him the ak with which the
murder was committed.
Sheriff Dent has now assumed comma nd
and will send circulars broadcast, giving
description Of the fugitive.
Among the articles uncovered in the
house was An envelope addressed to Joe.
with the sender's address given as 1909
West Fayette street. Baltimore. The en-
velope was pcstmarked June g. 1907.
With the departure OF Detective Mayer
active search will probably be abandoned.
and the popuace will simply sit by and
Nait for Joe to show up and be captured.