Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-24
POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED
BY COLORED WITNESS
Charles Davis Saw Him Inside Store
of Murdered Man.
STATEMENT MADE TO POLICE
Morris Bennett, Victim of Assault,
Unable to Talk, Indicates by
Motion That But One Man
Hit Him.

William H. Mickle was muir
dered in his store, 1904 9TH street
northwest, one week ago last
night, within few feet of persons
passing the door.
The police are still seeking to
fix the responsibility for the
crime.
James Smith, held in connec-
ton with the assault on Morris
Bennett, admits to Star reporter
that he passed the Mickle store
Thursday night.
frankie Davis, who was allow
ed to go free after questioning by
detectives in the United States
attorneys Office, says that when
she met Smith, shortly before ?
O'Clock, Thursday night, ''he acted
awfully strange; he was nervous
and could not keep still"
Smith says he was not looking
around" in the neighborhood of
the Mickle store at any time last
week previous to the murder, al.
though Harry Hoffman,, bar
Der, then located on 9TH street
near the Mickle store, says he
shaved man closely resembling
the photograph of Smith one night
last week.
Charles Davis of 1911 9th
street northwest confronted Smith
last night and said that he had
positively seen. Smath in the rear
room of the Mickle cigar store be-
TWEEN 6:3o and ? o'clock pm. the
day William Mickle was MUIR
dered.
James Smith has been under a great
strain since he was first locked up in the
dark little cell he occupies in the ninth
precinct police station at II o'clock last
Monday. morning. He has the look Of a
lapse He has been sleeping on a hard
bench and has been questioned con-
santiy.
\ Star reporter talked to him this
morning, trying to find out something con-
cerning the statements Of Harry Hon.
mann. the barber who shaved q man
closely resembling Smith at some time
during the week in which William II.
.diekie was killed. There is a suggestion
in police circles that II Smith could be
traced to the neighborhood Of the Mickle
store ~ any time previous to the murder
it may eventually be proved that he was
looking around to get q line on that
neighborhood.
when did you get shaved Thursday
OF last week. the reporter asked.
Il didn't get shaved at all that
week." replied Smith, who was stand
ing at the cell door smoking a ciga-
rette; that is. not before the end Of
the week"
You didn't get shaved at all? Do
yoI mean 10 say you had date with a
girl and met her wit hfour days growth
Of beard?
That's right.
Fixes Monday as Date.
wei. when did you get shaved-be-
fore Thurstay?";
Il got shaved ton Monday. think. A
one-legged barDer on the Avenue
shaved me. Then I didn't get shaved
again till about Friday or Saturday
when / shaved myself over at the
Walker place"
''And do you mean to say you met that
girl Thursday night with face like
that?''
Then Smith made the statement that he
didn't meet the girl Thursday night. He
declared he met her Friday night. in spite
of the specific statements he had made
10 a Star reporter and to the police last
night that the date of the meeting was
Thursday.
The police believe they now have unas-
sailable proof that Smith was in Wash
ington Thursday night, and claim to have
witnesses who will break down any alibi
he might set up. They say 1t is entirely
reasonable 70 believe Smith shaves him.
self very frequently. as he carried shaw.
ing material with him In his suit case
which is now in Capt. Daley's office at
tie ninth precinct police station
All attempts to get Smith to say he
store before Thursday evening failed this
morning. Capt Daley. however. said he
believed Smith knew that neighborhood. as
Smith had worked for q man named
Holly, at Sth and o streets and had otter
passed up and down the street.
BENEFITS Grip on Life.
Meantime Morris Bennett is affordins
the surgeons at Casualty Hospital tn.
rare sight Of man with four skull frac
lures and a jaw powdered to dust ant
vet retains marvellous grip on life
They believe the man will i've Mrs. Ben
nett called at the hospital last night. an.
her husband, who was at that time In
state of partial consciousness and scenes
better than he has been since Monda,
morning, reached out his right arm AM
CONTINUED on Tasth PaGas