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

William H. Mickle was murdered In his
cigar store. 1904 7th street northwest.
November 16. between the hours OF q
and o'clock pm. within a few feet OF
persons passing on the street.
Maj Richard Sylvester. superintendent
of police. said today the police would
present the Mickle murder case to tha
United States attorney within q few
days. We have stronger evidence in
this case" he said, than We had in the
Brooks murder case twelve years ago.
for which Frank Funk was convicted and
hanged
The police still place entire faith In
Charles Davis. who insists he saw
James Smith in the Mickle cigar store
shortly before Mickle was slain. They
intimate that they are working on a
clue which may develop strong cor
roboration of Davis assertion.
Questioned by q. S. Attorney.
Harvey Given, assistant United
States attorney. questioned John
Walker, Cleveland Walker, Ida Gold
stein, Lawrence Britt, William Ander-
son and Policeman McGrath today and
recorded their statements in writing.
Isaac Berman and Sal Freeman, two
new witnesses, We're discovered by the
police today, and the police say. may be
able to shed some light on James Smiths
past.
Morris Bennett. murderously beaten
while on a lonely road near Benning. Is
slowly recovering James Smith is show
ing great interest in Benefits condi-
tion. although Smith denies having as
saulted him.
James Smith, now held under $4,000
bail for assault with intent to kill Nor
ris Bennett, will be charged by the police
with the murder of William II. Mickle
within a few days. according to Maj.
Richard Sylvester, superintendent Of po-
lice of the District of Columbia
The head of the police department, in
an interview with Star reporter. said
today that he would take the Mickle case
to the United States attorney with the
evidence now in hand, but at the same
time he intimated that there is still TO be
developed testimony against Smith.
That the police have worked to the
limit Of their capacity in the murder
mystery which has held Washington en-
thralled by it's details and revelations Is
admitted by many a man who has never
bothered to praise or condemn public
Official The officials at headquarters ara
daily receiving letters and telephone mes
sages Of OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Of them
suggesting In one way or another that
the police have sufficient of case as re-
CARDS the Mickle murder to be presented
to the grand jury at least.
Police Evidence in Hand.
The evidence which the police can now
take TO the United States attorney, X
written into a narrative, would tell tale
which outdoes fiction. The police will pile
up against James Smith the evidence oe
the finger prints and the Chicago ideuti-
fcation of the man as the can-rushlnss
hoodlufn" who beat one man TO death
with a club and shot another. simply I'D
tide over q slight impecunious period.
when beer money was hard TO get IT
will be the endeaVor to show thaf tho
man who killed Mickle is OF the sort who
can kill men and chickens with the same
lack of conscientious disturbance.
The dark corner on the James Creek
canal where the Anderson woodward
sheltered James Smith. who found no dill
ficulty in making a comfortaDie nome
out of the scant accommodations tnerS.
will be shown to the grand. jury ny the
evidence which the police have. There
is a tool bench in the back room OF tho
office" of that yard and from that
bench the police will show how wrench
disappeared for a month OF more, only
to reappear again when il had been uset
as a weapon to kill a man in most cfuel
and appalling fashion.
Unparalleled in Local CI1mlnoiogy.
In the list OF murders which have
fallen to the lot OF this city there Ia
scarcely one which gathers round 1t
slowly but surely SO many terrible stories
of other murders, other blunt-end, ham
mered-out brainings
No mystery OF fict!on ever asked SO
puzzling a question over pathetic
picture as that of the inoffensive tobacco
seller lying biutany killed. without q
chance for his life: and few writer's or
mysteries and murders haNe dared TO
create a villain who killed Tor SO small
q reason ana with such degenerate dend-
ishness as did the slayer OF Wnnam
Miokle.
For twelve days this riddle has re-