The Washington times., 1911-11-22
Passenger on Car
Sure He Saw Smith
Shortly After Murder


ehmeshed was drawn tighter this after
noon, when p. II. Willis, employed by
: the Home Ice Cream Company, visited
the Ninth precinct and partly identified
him as the man he saw board south
above the Mickle cigar store Thursday
night shortly after the murder.
II am not positive enough to swear
saw Smith," Willis said. but I am
morally certain he is the one l saw.
II saw a man board the car, and he
appeared to be under "a strain. He was
excited. His hat was drawn carelessly
over his face, and his back hair was
tousied. He rode to the Public Library,
and Jumped from the car
Willis was taken into the room where
Smith was being questioned, and the
prisoner was asked to don the hat worn
when arrested, and Willis said he
resembled to a great extent the street
car passenger of Thursday night.
Frank walters, 423 Massachusetts, ave-
nue. who said a man answering Smith s
description had spoken to him In a
saloon downtown Thursday night after
the murder. visited the station house
this afternoon, and said he did not be-
dove Smith was the man.
Take Finger-prints.
a set of Smiths finger prints, made
especially for The Times, is being used
today by the, police in an effort to see
Il any marks left in the Mickls cigar
store by the assassin correspond to the
imprints of the carpenter.
9he measurements were made this
morning. and given to the police by The
Times Immediately, Central Office de-
tectives We're sent to the Seventh street
store with copy of these. and armed
with the delicate white powder which
they use in comparing finger prints, and
the large magnifying glasses, went over
the entire building, searching every
thing which the assassin may have
touched on the evening Of the tragedy.
1t is feared that it will be impossible
TO get distinct prints at this time, owing
to the fact that the cigar store has
been entsred a score of times since the
tragedy ey detectives and friends, and
things have been disarranged to a
great extent.
Analysing Blood.
The blood-stained garments worn by
Smith when he was arrested Monday
morning have been sent to one Of the
department chemists, and the stains
are being analyzed. Smith has given
more than one explanation as to how
the blood came to be on his clothing.
A chemical analysis will show whether
the blood came from Benefits body.
1t will be impossible for Bennett ever
" to assist the police in their work of
convicting, his assailant.
This is the belief of the surgeons at
the Casualty Hospital and the Central
fOffice detectives. who have watched the
unconscious man constantly for the
last forty-eight hours.
Benefits skull is cut in several
places, his jaw fractured a number of
times, one eye knocked out, and the
other useless. Today another operation
or six pieces of bone were removed from
his brain.
He is making strong fight for life,
and the fact that he Is alive at this
time, after. receiving such punishment.
Is one of the things the surgeons are
unable to explain.
He Is expected to die at any moment,
the physicians say. Should he survive
the injuries, they declare his mind will
be gone.
Police Seek Woman.
All morning the police have looked
for a Mrs. Sandcrson, of 231 Second
street northwest, at whose home Smith
and a woman believed to have been
Mrs. Davis spent a few hours Thursday
night. According to information re-
ceived at Police Headquarters, Smith
and the woman went to the Second
street house. and SAID they were mar
ried and wanted to spend the night
there,
Shortly after 1C o'clock, Mrs. Sander
son is said to have told friends, the
woman came to her room and told her
that she and nsr husband" were
forced to return to baltimore that night.
They then left her nome together.
Mrs. Sanderson is said to have told
friends that the man answered the de-
scription of Smith.
Smith never was connected with the
Capital Wall Paper Company, as Il
eriver or otherwise. according TO ofli-
Cfals of the company.