Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-15
BODY SECRETED IN CLOSET
Three Bullet Holes and Gashes Tell
the Tale.
HATCHET STICKING IN SKULL
Terrible Revelation to Father, Who
Called Seeking Cause Of
Absence Of His Son.
Special From a Stan Correspondent.

TRAVILAH, Md. August 14.-Follow-
ing close upon the assault committed here
Thursday morning on Mrs. Harris. and
for which her nephew. Ollie Harris. has
been arrested and lodged in Jail at Rock
vile. comes news from Pennyfieid lock,
on the Chesapeake and Ohio canal, less
than three miles from here. OF the mur-
der of Henson Poole, twenty-five years
of age. His body was found in his cabin
between > and : o'clock this afternoon by
his father John, famliarly known as
Jack Poole. who went there this after
noon to look for his son.
There are three bullet holes in the skull
of the dead man, and a hatchet was still
sticking in terrible cash it had made
in the top of his head when the body was
found. Wrapped in quilt and secreted
in a closet, the badly decomposed condi-
ton Of the body indicated tnat the crime
lad been committed many days ago. Rob-
berry, it is believed, WAC the motive for
the crime. Poole is believed to have had
about 500 in cash and a watch and
| chain in his house shortly before he was
| murdered, but no trace Of either was to
be found this afternoon.
Considerable excitement was occasioned
by the finding of the body and quite nat
| urally people about the canal are highly
| incensed over the crime. 1t Is said that
is well known In that section. and he Is to
be kept under surveillance. although no
effort has yet been made to apprehcnd
him
1t was only about five or six weeks ago
that Henson Poole moved into the house
at Pennyfeld. having gone there from
Poolesville. Montgomery county. where he
had worked for Jerome Offutt, farmer.
and where he was highly regarded. Be-
| fore leaving the employ Of Mr.. Ofutt ana
about the time he went to Pennyfield and
| rented the house from Mr.. Charles Penny
| field he is said to have had more than
| 500. and 1t had always been his custom
to take care of his cash without putting
/ it in bank.
Knew He Had Money.
That. many persons about the canal
| knew he had the money seems reason
| ably certain. Poole, it is said, was
thoroughly honest and reliable, and in
variably looked upon others as being the
same. exhibiting little care about pro-
tecting his property or himself. Before
he went to the Pooleville section to work
for Mr.. Offutt he boated on the canal.
running boats from Cumberland to
Washington. 1t is stated that he has a
wife living in Washington. He had no
| children.
| John Poole, father of the young man.
| lives at Seneca. He saw his son about
the time he moved to the vicinity OF Pen
| nyfeld, and had seen him once or twice
| since. but not having heard from him
for several days he went from Seneca to
Pennyfield this afternoon to make in
/ quiries about him. Several persons were
asked about the young man. but mono
having seen him for five or six days, his
| father went to the house to look for him.
Sheriff Mullican and the states's at
torney are expected to visit this section
| Of the county the first thing tomorrow
morning, IL not late tonight, to begin
a rigid investigation of the murder The
people hereabouts are wrought up over
the murder and are determined to use
every possible means to put a stop to
such lawlessness. Camping only a short
distance from the scene of the murder
are a number of Washingtonians, who
| are quite naturally apprehensive Of their
personal safety.
| At late hour last night reports from
| Pennyfield were to the effect that the Of
| ticers working on the case had a man
| under suspicion
Former Murder Recalled.
Some of the residents of the river Sec
| tion have expressed the opinion that tho
murder is the outcome of shooting in
| this county about two or three years ago,
| when Poole shot and killed a man named
Peacock. who belonged in Fairfax county.
Va. Poole was acquitted on the plea oe
self defense when his case was tried here.
When it became apparent that robbery
| was the motive for the murder of Poole
the theory that it had some connection
with the Virginia killing was abandoned.
1t is thought that the murderer belongs
either in this section or is employed on
a canal boat running between Cumber-
! land and Washington.
From the condition of the floor il was
evident that Henson Poole had engaged
in death struggle with his murderer,
bloodstains here tand there and the dis
arranged room indicating he had fought
for his life.
Just when the crime was committed is
not definitely known. but it is supposed
that Poole was murdered about last Sum
day. the condition of his body indicating
that he had been dead about one week.
Efforts were made to get Sheriff Multi
can and States Attorney Bowie to the
scene of the crime this afternoon, but 1t
was impossible to locate them.
Magistrate Hall made a careful investi.
cation of the premises. noted the loca-
tions of the several wounds and readily
concluded that some person other than
Poole had inflicted them. Nobody could
be found this afternoon who would admit
having heard any shots fired in the house
nor had any suspicious circumstances
been noted
Autopsy Held.
It was deemed advisable by Magis-
trate Hall to proceed with the inquest
this afternoon. Very little testimony
was heard The jurors. after viewing
the body of the dead man and hearing
brief evidence. returned a verdict of
murder by some person to them un-
known. The news of the crime spread
rapidly through the river section. rssA.