Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-20
CHANCE ARREST
BY POLICE MAY
SOLVE MYSTERY
BARBER BELIEVED TO KNOW
ABOUT MURDER CASE
MAN FOUND WANDERING ABOUT
STREETS OF CITY
Prisoner Examined as to His Mental
Condition, but Gives No APP
parent Evidence Of Being
Insane

The chance arrest of Reuben Reed by
Patrolmen Browning and Bowe on East
Seventh street early yesterday morning
may solve the mystery surrounding the
brutal attempt on the life of Mrs.
George Staehle of S18 Gladys avenue,
who was slashed on the throat while
asleep in her bed beside her 12-year-
old daughter Sunday night.
| The fact that Reed is barber and
| that the assault was committed by a
person armed with a razor such as are
used by BARRIERS, lead the police to be-
| lieve they are nearing the end of thelr
| Investigations.
When seen by the officers Reed was
wandering along Seventh street within
| a short distance of where the attack on
| Mrs. Staehle was made, and he acted
| in a peculiar manner The officers ap-
preached him, and Reed, in the cring-
ing manner of the professional beggar
asked Patrolman Bowe for 25 cents tc
get bed.
Reed was taken into cusody at once
but because of his peculiar actions ii
was decided to have him examined as
to his mental condition before placing
charge against him. Before the Of
hcers left him after he was placed In
the city Jail Reed began to act in a
| frightened manner and cried bitterly
declaring he was guilty of no crime and
the police had no right to imprison
him. He begged the officers to release
him, and declared he would get out OF
town at the first opportunity.
His actions excited the suspicious OF
the officers, and yesterday afternoon
they questioned the prisoner, who ad-
mitted he was within block Of Mrs.
Staehle's home the night she was as
Inv armed with a
white-handled razor.
Acts Like One in Trance
At times the prisoner, who claims he
is only IS years old, seemed to be dazed
and acted like person in a trance. He
admitted he is a barber and has had
considerable experience with the police,
having been arrested three times in st.
Joseph, Mo-; once in Lincoln, Neb. !;
three times in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and
once here on charges of vagrancy.
Reed declares he ran away from his
fathers home because he was unable
to get along with his third step
mother and has beat his way in almost
every state in the United States. His
talk is in the slang of yeggmen and
that of a person not possessed of nor
NAL faculties.
The fact there has been no motive
established for the attack on Mrs.
Stachle leads the police to believe the
act was committed by some person
with an insane desire to slay.
Reed was taken into the receiving
hospital late yesterday afternoon and
was thoroughly examined as to his
sanity by Police Surgeon Wright. Tho
accused, although displaying no par
ticular delusion, acted in peculiar
manner when certain questions were
asked, and although it was found that
he was not mentally balanced, there
was not enough evidence to indicate he
is insane and no complaint charging
him with insanity was issued.
He was taken back to cell in the
city Jail, where he will be held pending
Investigations by Detectives Murray
and Beaumont and Patrolmen Brown
ing and Bowe.
The detectives are working on new
clews which may make the case plain
er, but in the event they do not turn
out as they anticipate further atten-
tion will be taken in the investigation
of Reed.
If Reed is found not connected with
the assault on Mrs. Stachle he will be
arraigned in police court on a chargs
of vagrancy