The Washington herald., 1909-07-18
MAGNESS' RELEASE
MYSTIFIES POLICE
Supposedly in Portsmouth
Prison, Yet Seen Here.
PISTOL SHOT HEARD IN HOUSE
Husband Of Late Senator GOrman's
Daughter Reported TO Have Left
Prison ship Yesterday, but Police
men Assert They Saw Him Monday.
wife Did Not Go 90 Meet Him.

] Either tie prison ship authorities al
. Portsmouth. \. II. or the police Of the
/ Eighth precinct are IN error regarding the
I release OF Charles H. Magness. the naTy
+ Geserter who married the daughter ot the
{ late United States Senator German. or
/ there is a double 20 the ex-navaI musician
residing at The home prepared for him by
his wife.
According 10 a report given out by the
/ Portsmouth authorities yesterday. Charles
AIagness. formerly on the United states
cutter Dolphin. was released al s o'clock
yesterday morning from the prison ship
Southery, two days before the time OIL
ciaIly announced The authorities assert
THAT MsEness Immediately left FOR his
home in Washington
Policeman Ricketts,. OF the Eighth pre-
cinct. was called 10 the newly rented
residence Of Mrs. MagneSs at II 10 O'Clock
last Monday night following a pistol shot
Arriving there. he saws he was greeted by
a somewhat hystericaI gentleman in neg
ige, who told him that lie was owner
Of the house.
Fired Pistol once.
The man declared al intruder had en-
tered and that the pistol shot was
simply sign by which the visitor
might know that he was unwelcome.
Neighbors living within a few doors OF
the 8lagness home say they heard the
pistol shot and saw the man IN CONVEX
sation with Policeman Ricketts,. Rev.
/ DR. L. c. 3. Pierce. Of 1918 Riggs place.
heard the shot. but paid no attention TO
IU
At the home OF Mrs. Nagness last night
II was declared that the ex-naval nusi-
clan would not be released until Nondav
thus adding a third date OF departure and
making the entire affair more interesting.
When a reporter for The Washington
Herald arrived AT the Magness home.
l6l6 Riggs place. last night. he found ali
the doors open and the surroundings sug-
gested festivity and joyOusness. The par
Tor OF the new house has been fitted Out.
in anticipation OF 8Iagness' speedy. home
coming. with dark mahogany furniture.
Heavy hangings protect the insiders frona
the too curious gaze OF the public. and
long tapestried curtains screen the din
ing-room. In the dining-room IS a dis
plsy OF silverware.
a woman. well-dresSed and bearing q
resemblance 10 Mrs. Magness. was Sc
lecting a roll OF music for the automatic
plano player as the reporter came in. and
on the dining-rOom table were the re-
mains Of a hight lunch.
Said 10 Be Visiting.
Mrs. Magness. or rather the maid who
looked Ike Mrs. Magness. dropped the
roll when questioned as 20 the deserter's
Whereabouts. and announced that she
had heard nothing concerning him. Her
mistress. she said. was visiting her
mother. Mrs. A. P German. and prob
ably would not return until late. She
said she had heard nothing Of any shoot
ing, and indignantly denied that AIagness
would be released before Monday.
There have been no visitors in this
house while I have been here" she ex-
claimed again and again.
Following the receipt Of a dispatch from
Portsmouth stating that Magness had left
for Washington, a second visit was made
to the Riggs place home. and a second
time the maid appeared. This time she
had on her hat and carried a suit case.
The dining-room was brightly lighted. and
music rolls were strung about in a man
ner indicating that the maid" had been
amusing herself with a freedom seldom
enjoyed BY one OF her class.
Mrs MagnesS. she said. was stiu visit
ing her mother. and would probably re-
main there for the night. She had heard
nothing Of Mr.. Magness, and supposed
that he must be in New York. II he had
been set free.
Asked whether she would meet him. the
maid Indignantly DENIED any intention
OF calling on the husband OF her mistress. !
Sac was morally certain Mrs. MagBess /