Evening star., 1909-04-15
No Evidence to Prove Him
Murderer of Reid.
CASE NOT NOLLE PRESSED
Developments Might Make Trial De-
sirable, Says Prosecutor.
RELEASE ON PERSONAL BONDS
Justice Gould to Be Asked to Liber-
ate Negro After Fourteen
Months in Jail.

Unless the watch taken from the per-
son Of Henry W. Reid. the saloon keeper,
just before or after he was murdered,
January %. 1908, should be located and
thereby clue as to his murderer be
discovered. the crime will remain in i'm
penetrable mystery.
For over fourteen months, Charles
Phillips, the colored helper about the
saloon conducted by Reid. at North Capt.
tol and F streets. has been held a pris-
oner in the District Jail, six months of
the time as supposed witness to the
crime. and since July II, 1908. under an
Indictment charging him with first de-
gree murder He will be released to-
morrow.
After careful investigation Of every
clue obtainable. including the story told
by Martha Phillips. wife of the suspect,
United States Attorney Baker has
reached the conclusion that the govern
ment has no case ready to submit to a
jury against Phillips. Accordingly he
will ask Justice Gould. presiding In Crimi-
nal Court No. 1, tomorrow morning. to
sonal bonds.
may connect the prisoner with the mur-
der, Mr.. Baker is unwilling to nolle pros
the case.
Attitude Of Prosecutor.
Mr.. Baker, in speaking OF his decision
not to submit the case to q jury -on the
information In his possession, today said:
I'm the ordinary course OF business this
case came on for investigation in Decem-
Der last, and at that time was taken up
by this office. Upon making further in
time some doubts as to the advisability
of placing Phillips on trial.
Thereupon i referred the case to Har-
vey Given and Mr.. Turner for special
investigation. They took the matter up
with the detectives, and for the last two
months every clue connected with the
charge in the indictment has been run
down and thoroughly sifted and reported
10 me.
Il am OF the opinion that the case Ia
not in q condition at the present time
when it should be submitted to a fury
In view OF the fact, however. that other
circumstances may develop that will war
rant trial Of Phillips. do not desire
to dispose OF the case by nolle pros, but
VIII ask the court to take his personal
bonds In order that he may be liberated
from confinement"
Phillips Was Suspected.
When the body of Reid was found in
front of premises q FS street northwest
early in the morning Of January 2j it
gave evidence Of twenty-one knife wounds
on the head and neck. The person thus
hacking at another would most probably
be besmeared with blood: 1t was the in
ability to secure any evidence of blood
stains on the clothing or body of the sus.
pect that went a long way toward secur-
ing his release from Jail.
A witness who saw a man going
from the scene of the crime said he was
clothed in a dark suit. including an
extremely short coat. Phillips. II was
discovered by Assistant United States
Attorney Harvey Given, in his investi-
cation of the case. was seen a square
away, going to his home about the
same time, differently clothed, and
wearing a light colored topcoat. This
also appeared inimical to the govern
ments case
Implicated by Wife's Story.
The indictment returned against Phil
lips was based largely, it is reported, on
the testimony of Martha Phillips. wife
OF the suspect. who told of a conversation
with Phillips when he returned home the
night OF the homicide. in the course of
which ne declined TO make plain a certain
remark declaring that women talk too
much She also identified blood stained
handkerchief as belonging TO Phillips
TINS identification proved unsatisfactory
TO Mr. Given during his investigation
Mrs. Phillips left the city some months
ago and was recently brought here by
Detective Grant for further examination
by MI Given Just what fault he found
with her testimony Mr. Given declined to
state.
The examination evidently satisfied him.
In the light Of his other discoveries, that
IL would be useless to depend on her
evidence to secure a conviction of the
prisoner.