Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-28

manned unsolved. The way to the solu-
ton lies through the United states At
torney's Office and the grand jury. The
police are now free with their stetementi
that they have evidence enough to e
through the forms Of law, and tho law
demands presentation Of the case. Just
what the United States attorneys once
thinks of the evidence cannot be d3acoV'
cred. Officials connected with It &c.
clared today the case had not been oa1et
TO their attention
Davis Most Important Witness.
The most important evidence the 20
lice have is the testimony Of Chesae1
Davis He insists he saw Smith N the
Mickle cigar store shortly before Mckle
was killed, and that Smith had PACKAGE
in his hand Whether or not that teeti-
mony Is supported or proved to DO er'
roneous, the police believe q jury
ought to pass on It. That one reason
for the delay in presenting the case has
been that a very important support to
this testimony Will be produced. was in
timated by a police official today.
Mai Sylvester is morally sure that the
police hold the murderer OF William H.
Mickle In conversation with star re-
porter today he said, among other things:
81 believe the evidence in the M1ckle
case is stronger than the evidence in the
famous Brooks murder twelve years ago,
when William III. Brooks was killed. we
didn't have as much evidence against
frank TT. Funk as we have In the Mickle
case. but Funk's flight was the principle
suspicion against him. He was not
caught for months. but We did catch
him. and he was hanged
Nal Sylvester would not tax ABOUT tne
efforts of his detectives to gain further
,-i1ence hut when asked the direct Ques-
ton he said:
Case to Be Presented Soon.
eve Will present this case to the Omitted
States attorney within few days with
the present testimony Then he added.
signifcantly: UNLESS we get more
He was asked whether the testimony OF
Charles Davis. who said he saw Smith IN
the Mickle store, standing in the doorway
TO the little back room, has Deen oehieo'
fmpeached or doubted: .
mo, sir; it has not. The testimony Is
as good today as 1t was when first
snoken. and there is nothing against Da-
Wis 1t is the biggest thing the poiieo
have obtained SO far
INSPECTOR Boardman, chief Of detectives.
although he is not talking much Apoue
the Mickle case, also said TO-DAY:
THE police have as much evidence IN
the Mickle murder case as they nao In
connection with the murder OF Whnam
III. Brooks twelve years ago, for Whicn
Frank Funk was convicted and nanseo'
Questioned by q. S. Attorney.
John Walker Cleveland Walker, Law
renee Britt. William Anderson. IDA Cold
stein and Policeman McGrath Of the ninth
precinct were questioned today by Har-
yev Given. assistant United States attor-
new. Mr.. Given explained that there was
no development in the testimony ana tnat
none of the witnesses divulged anything
new. The testimony today, however was
recorded by a stenographer..
The testimony Of William Anderson and
Ida Goldstein relates to the wrench FOUND
in the Mickle cigar store, and 1no1cates
that the United States attorneys once
is beginning to look at evidence In that
case Mr.. Given said he does not e1pect
TO ask frankie Davis to come to wash
ington again for Interrogation.
The Walker brothers own the nome
where Smith lived part of the time, ana
Lawrence Britt knows Smith Their testi-
mony related to the assault on MOTIFS
Bennett
Grocer Tells of "Hold-Up."
Two witnesses who the police De-
lieve will be able to give them valu-
able information in their search Tor
the murderer of Mickle were located
today by Star reporter. They are
Isaac Berman, a grocer, of 2o1 IA street
southwest. and John Johnson. colored'
an employee of the grocer.
After relating his story to the re-
porter he told Detective Burlingame OF
police headquarters Of what he be-
lieyed was an attempt to murder him
by man he thinks was James smith.
Berman said that about two weeks ago.
about $50 O'Clock in the morning. soon
after he had opened his store for the day,
a man entered the place. The man asked
for cents worth Of cheese and cents
worth Of crackers.
II gave them to him." said herman,
land when I asked him for the money
he said there was plenty Of time. told
him he would have to pay me.
II was standing near him at the time.
He opened his coat and, putting his right
and inside, drew a handle from MS
pocket 1 looked at it and thought at
first it was a stick he was going to hit
me with I went behind the counter and
put my gun in my pocket l then went
around the counter again and told MIN
did not have plenty of time and wanted
to close the store. / again told MN ne
would have to pay me.
Ratchet in HE Pocket.
when 1 told him he would have to get
out of the store" said Berman. he pulled
the handle out of his pocket, and then
saw that 1t was a Ratchet Just at that
time John johnson, colored, who works
for me, came into the store. The man
then put the hatchet back into his pocket
When I told johnson the man would not
pay for the crackers and cheese he said
he would make him do it. The man paid
me the money and then went out Of the
store.
II cannot say positively that the man
is Smith, because ] have not seen the
man who is locked up. II could get a
look at him would soon tell you whether
he is the man. said herman.
My store is only a short distance from
Anderson's woodward, and the man had
been at my place many times to deliver
bundles of wood. / would know him any
time | saw him."
When shown photographs Of Smith pub
lished In The Star and also OF the Ratchet
with which Bennett is alleged to have
been assaulted, Berman said he could
not positively identify the photograph as
that Of the man who had come into his
store, but that he resembled him. He
said the man had a very rough face. As
to the Ratchet Berman said II was sim.
liar to the one with which Bennett had
been assaulted.
II Is exnected herman and Jo6nson will