Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-26


Rogers. Hardin and Parker yesterday
afternoon crossed the District line into
Prince Georges county, Md, and made
an exhaustive search for the money and
other property that was declared to
have been taken from Bennett at the
time he was murderously assaulted in
his wagon last Monday morning
Policeman Hardin took the searchers
to the vicinity of Gitchie Spring. where
the crime was committed, and the party
went over the ground from there to
the house of John and Cleveland Walker.
Cedar Heights, where James Smith had
resided a short time prior to the as
sault on Bennett, and where he was
| arrested by John Walker and escorted
across the District line and turned over
| to Policeman Strobel-
From place to place the searcners
| learned of the several directions taken
| by the alleged assaiiant of the Cedar
| Heights grocer. Abe and b. s. Gold
| stein, who saw him passing through
Capitol Heights, pointed out to the
searchers the route they saw him FOLLOW
| Monday morning, less than two hours be-
| fore he was arrested.
| Witnesses put the fleeing man as Tar
away as White station on the Washing
| ton, Baltimore and Annapolis electric
raj way line. He had previously passed
| through several subdivisions in the Dis
| trict and Maryland.
Hopes to Verify Dream.
| Policeman Strobel, who made the ar
rest, and Policeman Hardin spent much
of their time In the vicinity of Cedar
Heights, while the others were making
their way across country, searching
| woods and roads and occasionally exam
lining the interior of outbuildings and I'M
finished structures. L.
II have an idea that Benefits money Is
hidden near a post" one Of the policemen
explained. when comment was mace
about his following the lines Of fences.
You see." he added, somebody
dreamed that the money was tied in a
handkerchief and secreted In mole
near a fence post. I can't tell who 1t
is unless / find the money"
Considerable time was spent about
the vicinity of the house of John and
Cleveland walker. John Walker &C
companying the officers. Several unf1n-
ished structures near his home were
searched At one Of them the front
porch was partly torn up. while in
small house. said to belong to the
man who is believed by the police to
be Kabusta the search was 80 thorough
that even loose paper was torn from
the wall.
The plumber was not found in any
of the buildings. excavations or under
the fallen leaves on the Walker place
and the policemen went to st. Mat
Perhaps it is in one of the old
tombs,'' one of the searchers remarked.
and a slab that had been put In posi-
ton not long after the close OF the
revolutionary war was lifted. a.
Nothing in the line Of booty was dis
covered. Across the road from the bury
ing ground the searchers found former
acquaintances of the prisoner killing hogs.
They were eager to learn what had devel-
oped in the case.
Smiths characteristics
Smith seemed to be pretty good sort
of a fellow" John Walker remarked. 'fbut
IL he has done what the police charge
against him he Is not the kind OF q man
who Is wanted in this community"
Walker said that Smith seemed peace
able and quiet, although he was always
able to "hold his own"
During the search the police learned
something of what persons residing IN the
vicinity Of the District line had to say
of their former neighbor. That he recent
ly planned the murder Of Selie Posin, q
Bergman avenue grocer. and James Cod
frey, a lifelong resident OF Cedar
Heights, were two allegations made
against him.
der me-" said Mr.. Godfrey. He followed
me into the woods. and I believe he
would have killed me had It not been
that a child appeared at the time think
he planned to execute the deed
charm the day he says he thinks he had
the narrow escape.
Conduct Arouses Suspicion.
Policeman Trumbo was told that the
conduct of Smith at the store of selie
Posin only a few days ago Indicated
that he was there to fix Posin in the
same manner he Is to be charged with
having treated Bennett. His informa-
ton was that Smith appeared at the
store just before closing time one night
and invited the proprietor to accompany
him a short distance from the store for
The purpose of making an estimate, but
the dealer declined the invitation.
Early the next morning, the policeman
was told, Smith was on hand at the
store, and wanted Posin to deliver an
order for cement a short distance away.
The order was not delivered.
Conducting q further investigation into
the assault and robbery of Bennett, the
police have become satisfied that the
grocer was robbed OF at least $3.50. and
possibly a hundred or two more. Last
Friday evening Bennett made an effort
to jot down on paper the amount Of
money taken from him, but failed to
write plainly enough to give the exact
amount. His writing. It is said. showed
that he was robbed Of at least $3.50.
Benefits watch Is also missing. Fur
ther, Mrs Bennett is unable to account
for the disappearance of deeds to prop
erty her husband had on his person the
day he was murderously assaulted.
Another feature, and one which the po-
lice believe strengthens the case against
the prisoner, so far as Bennett is con-
cerned, is the claim that Smith went to
the Bennett house on tw6 occasions the
day before the assault was committed,
ii is believed by the police, for the pur-
Calls on Bennett Sunday.
The Bennett store was closed SUNDAY.
II Is said that Mrs Bennett bad been in
the habit of spending Sundays with rela-
tives, but last Sunday she remained at
home. The man they knew as Smith. II
IL declared, called at the house that morn.
to buy a horse, asking Bennett to &C
company him to the stable and show him
the an NAL.
Bennett Informed him that he did not
want to sell his horse. Smith - said
| to have insisted upon being taken to the
| stable and shown the animal, but the
grot er declined to accompany him. LIZ
lie Jones' colored, who waS employed In
| the Bennett home. declares she saw q
wooden handle protrlding from Smiths
pocket.
| handle of q hatchet." she told Star
reporter yesterday. but it certainly did
| look like one"
Sunday night Smith was again on hand
at the Bennett house When Mrs Ben
nett asked her husband who was at the