The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1910-11-17
GUARD SUSPECT.
ASbury Park Aroused Over
Brutal Murder.
CROWD SURROUNDS JAIL
Euard Doubled to Prevent Mob
Violence on Thomas Williams,
Held For Killing lO-Year-
Old schoolgirl

Asbury Park, n. j.. Nov. 15.-Around
and about the Asbury Park jail
threatening crowd waited for a leader
to start a demonstration against
Thomas williams. alias Black Dia'
mond, the negro who is believed 10
have murdered tenyear-old Marie
Smith, the Asbury Park schoolgirl
whose mutllated body was found IN
the woods near Wanamassa.
Black Diamond was arrested ana
placed in the lookup before AsDury
Park citizens were alive to the cap
ture. He made a statement to the
police. which was partially disproved'
in which he undertook to establish an
alibi accounting in detail for his move
ments last Wednesday, when the crime
is believed to have been committed.
II was shown from investigation
that Black Diamond was in the lmme-
date vicinity of the woods about the
time Marie was trudging home from
school Wednesday morning. Blood
marks on the leaves were discovered
twenty feet away from Third avenue,
along a narrow path which led into
the woods. The marks were trailed
for 500 feet and traced to the spot
where the body was found.
The discovery leads to the supposi-
ton that the child was enticed into
the covered pathway and there as
saulted. Then 1t is believed her body
was dragged further into the woods
across Third avenue and finally to the
spot where it was found.
Suspect contradiets Himself
Black Diamond told the police he
was drunk on Wednesday. He said
he left Grifins saloon at Wanamassa
at u O'Clock. The barReeper said he
went away at 10 O'Clock. still main
tanning his innocence. Williams was
cross questioned by Officer Bfo1erick
and confronted with fresh facts learn
ed. He ia said to have contradicted
himself repeatedly. and Frederick be-
lieves he was on the point OF confess
sing. when he closed his lips tight and
refused to be questioned further.
He was taken from his cell up a
stairway inside the building and clos
eted for two hours with Chief Of Pc
lice Smith and detectives. who put
him through a rigid examination. 1t IL
stated the prisoner weakened under
the strain, but stuck obstinately to his
first story Black Diamond was com
mitted by Police Justice John Borden
without bail No date has been set for
the coroner's inquest
Il was the first impression Of the
physicians who examined the child's
body that the marks on the nose, the
face and the left hand had been caused
by burns. and the absence Of any burn
ed leaves near where the body was
found for a time strengthened the be
lief that the child had been murdered
somewhere else and her body thrown
into the woods. Later 1t was found
the marks weren't burns. Those on
the hand proved to be caked dirt and
were easily washed OF.
Given Third Degree.
The body Of the murdered girl was
brought to police headquarters in a
covered wagon and laid out in Chief
Of Police Smiths private Office. Black
Diamond was brought from his cell
and taken to the room. When his eyes
fell upon the victim the. negro broke
down and declared before God that he
had never harmed her.
Last night the crowd about the jail
assumed alarming proportions and the
temper of the bystanders was ugly.
The guard had been doubled and a
special Gordon Of officers remained all
frH4 Int