Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-14
THEORY IS MURDER
Mysterious Death Developed
in Alexandria County.
AUTHORITIES SEEK CLUES
Body of Man Found With Shoe
49, strings Tied About Neck.
MAY BE FROM BALTIMORE
Washington Police Incline to the
Belief That Dead Man Com
mitted Suicide.
MAY BE FROM BALTIMORE

BALTIMORE, Md, September 14.-De-
velopments here today tend to show that
a youth, whose dead body was found
with handkerchief stuffed into the
mouth and the strings of his shoes wound
around the neck. at Fort Myer. near
Washington, yesterday, was William
Through, twenty years old, an electrician
Of this city.
A young man, whose name is withheld,
who was last seen with Through, was
taken into custody this afternoon and
subjected to an examination by the
police.
Working on the theory that the uniden-
titled man who was found dead in the
woods near the Signal Corps station. Fort
Myer. Va, yesterday was murdered, the
authorities Of Alexandria county. Va to-
day are conducting an investigation to de-
termine the identity of the young man
and to locate, II possible, the person or
persons responsible for his DEATH
The Alexandria officers are inclined to
believe and the jury summoned to hear
the evidence at the inquest yesterday aft.
ernoon hold that the man met death at
the hands of unknown parties, but the
Washington detectives who were asked to
assist In solving the case have given their
opinion that death resulted from suicide.
AS the condition of the body was such
today that 1t was impossible to take a
photograph which would help In the iden-
tiflcation, Fred Sandberg, photographer
and Bertillon expert Of the local police de-
partment, this morning took finger prints
Of the dead man and also took the meas
urements used in the system mentioned
One theory to the identity of the man
advanced is that he was private Of the
United States army, and it was principally
for a possible Identification at the War
Department that the finger prints were
taken.
None Able to Identify.
When Mrs. Chiffon, who conducts a
boarding house at 72V l. street southeast,
heard Of the finding of the body of the
young man she informed the police that
one Of her boarders had been missing
since last Thursday. Accompanied by a
friend Mrs. Chiffon went to the morgue
this morning, but was unable to identify
the man as her missing boarder
She told the morguemaster that the
clothing worn by the dead man was SINH
lar to that worn by her boarder. Several
other persons also called, but none could
establish the identity.
Acting Coroner White Of the District
will perform an autopsy late this after
noon to determine beyond doubt whether
the discoloration on the right side Of the
mans face, which extends from above
the eye to below the cheek. is a bruise,
and will also investigate what appears
TO be wound on the back of the head.
Regarding the possibility of a person
taking his own life In the manner indi-
Gated by the strings found about the
dead mans neck and the pencil placed
under them, DR.. White said he had never
heard of such case. He said a per-
son twisting the string in such a man
ner would lose consciousness. and with
the hand which held the pencil falling
away the string would unwind.
Basis Of Murder Theory.
The condition of the victims face and
the evidences of hemorrhages in the
mouth, together with the signs OF blows
on the head. induce the virginia authori-
ties to believe that the man was first
struck in the head and then strangled.
The latter method Of ending his life Is
thought to have been used in order that
no blood would result in the killing.
When the body was first discovered
yesterday by Corp. Newman, stationed at
the Signal Corps building. as he was rid
ing his horse through the woods, it was
lying On the left side. while mans hat,
turned bottom side up. was lying nearby
with collar and necktie inside.
Persons. who believe the youth killed
himself declare that it would be most
unusual for murderer. after having
struck his victim down, to linger about
the scene Of the crime long enough
to remove the collar and tie from the
mans neck. then remove the shoe
strings from his shoes and strangle him
TO death. This. those who hold to the
suicide theory contend, indicates that
the man first removed his tie and col
lar, and then placed his shoestrings
about his neck and twisted them tightly
with the lead pencil
The theory is also advanced by those
who contend that a murder was commit
ted that among the young mans effects
were razor and a four bladed penknife.
and that II he intended to commit suicide
he could have used either OF these
weapons. Coupled with the fact that
Avsp;an had thAQA ciPcllN1.