Evening star., 1911-06-05

there. hs n reported to have said to Mrs
7 iiiisa your husband. had to do II
He left the house after depositing the
borrowed gun In his room. He said ne
Heights ana surrender. but the county
authorities think he changed his mind
a. he did not appear there.
Members Of the Syphax family were
very much disturbed by the tragedy
The Syphsxes have resided on the prop
erty for the last eighty-six years and
this mornings tragedy was the first
thing In the way of trouble to disturb
them. They own the house in which the
vondermiller and Reeves families re-
sided vondermiller rented the premises
and the Reeves were subtenants.
Called Of1cer to Arrest Reeves.
vondermiller made several efforts dur
ing the night to cause the arrest OF
Reeves He communicated with county
onlcers 1t was about l o'clock in the
morning when he reached the house of
Special officer George Frank Dennis and
asked that the latter arrest Reeves.
Dennis says that vondermiler was a
very uneasy when he reached his house.
He told me about the family and or
their having been fishing" said Dennis.
told me that Reeves was a dangerous
man and that he was afraid to go home
"I had no warrant for Reeves, Dennis
added. land 1 did not care to jeopardize
Dennis said he went to the house OF
Constable Burke. but the latter was not
at home. and he then made an unsuccess-
full effort to procure a warrant for
Reeves.
Snapped Pistol at Him.
'vondermiller." he said. told me he
had snapped a pistol four times at
Reeves. but 1t would not hre-"
1T fired all right this morning." said
Maurice Ferguson, when vondermiller
came and borrowed my gun. He wanted
to leave the pistol with me as security
for the gun, but I was afraid to trust
him. and told him so. While he was
there l tested the pistol"
When Vondermiller reached Ferguson s
house this morning and asked the loan
Of the gun he said he was going cunning.
Ferguson told him 1t was against the
law to gun at this season, and he then
told the story of wanting TO kill hawks.
He was sober and did not seem to be
excited when he came to my house.
said Ferguson, but If had known what
he wanted with the gun would never
have loaned 1t to him.
1t is said that the shooting was wit
messed by two or three persons who
were at the station waiting for the car.
They did not remain at the scene of the
shooting, however, but came to the city
to their places of employment. Persons
residing near Syphax displayed no dispo-
sition to discuss the troubles of the two
families. The latter had lived there only
about three months
Special Officer Dennis. who was among
ing. had the body taken from the sta
ton and conveyed to the home of the
Vondmillers and Reeveses. where it was
later viewed by jury of inquest i'm
paneled by Dr.. S. T. Ashton. acting as
coroner.
Vondermiller, who Is about forty years
old. Ii is stated, was formerly resident
of Canton, Ohio, and he resided with his
wife and two children at SIC 14th street
northeast before he went to the country
to live. Reeves was formerly resident
OF Leesburg, Va. He is survived by his
wife. They had no children.
Sen Says He Choked Father.
Louis Vondermiller. the nine-year-old
SON of the slayer. was much in evidence
about the home at Syphax this morning
while the county officers were conduct
ing the investigation.
Are they going to arrest my ia
ther for killing him." he asked. tears
streaming down his cheeks. HE
choked my father almost TO death yes
terday and tried to throw him off the
bridge. He was going to kill my ia
ther."
Mrs. vondermiller became SO ill over
the affair it was necessary to send for
physician to attend her
While Vondermiller was trying to
find an officer last night to arrest
Reeves. ii Is stated he told several
persons that he was afraid Reeves
would Kill him. He said they had trouS
BILE several times and that about a
year ago Reeves had knocked him un-
conscious
member of Battery X, 4th United
States Artillery. He served at Fort
Washington. Md. and was DISCHARGED
about ten years ago.
Arranged for Lawyer.
Attorney r. c. L. Moncure of Alexan-
dr!a county said this morning that i'm
mediately following the shooting Wonder
miller called him up at his home over
the telephone and informed him of the
shooting and added that he would like to
talk with him about his case Mr. Mon
cure said he made an appointment to
meet him at his office a short time aft
erward. although he failed to put in his
appearance.
Mr. Moncure says that he told Wonder
miller at the time that he would have TO
come carry, lnaSmuch as ne, Mr.. MOncure
was leaving this morning for Manassas
Va
While Reeves was employed merely as
a gardener at the Department of Agricul-
tune. he had recently been put on spray
ing work and was regarded as a prom
ising man DR.. Howard. chief OF the bu-
reaU of entomology, said:
He was a man who had some initia-
tive He was taking well to the work and
I was hoping for good things from him.
II was said at the department by those
who knew the story OF the trouble tNat
Reeves one shortcom.ng was a periodi-
cal spree.