Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-01
Evidence Strengthens Theory
Webster Was Cremated.
STAINED BRICKS EXAMINED
Michael Barrett, Brewery Employe,
Says Jet Acted Strangely.
SUSPECTS SUICIDE OF CRIME
Wife and Mother Emphatic in Re-
iterating Charges
Sitting Missing Man Mystery.

Evidence was discovered today which
the police say they believe may bear out
the charges of Mrs. Ella Webster and
her mother-in-law, Mrs. NJ f. Webster
wife and mother of Arthur A Webster
who has mysteriously disappeared that
his body was cremated in furnace at
the National Capital Brewing Company's
establishment, 18th and d streets south
east
Following the report of the charges of
the wife and mother, printed exclusively
IN The Star yesterday, that they believed
Lentie l.. Jett who committed suicide
Sunday night at his home, placed the
body of Webster in the furnace and de-
stroyed it, Inspector Boardman. chief of
detectives. today detailed Detectives
Cornwen and Baur to make an investiga-
ton at the brewery.
The evidence which the detectives say
they believe is material in the case con-
sisted of a score or more of blood spots
on about dozen bricks in the wall in the
rear of one of the furnaces.
Spots Declared to Be Blood.
The bricks were examined by Dr. R. L.
Lynch. chief chemist of the District health
department. He pronounced the spots to
be those of blood
The spots were directly under clean
out door, in the rear of furnace No. 6,
behind which, Michael Barrett, helper
to Jett at the plant. declared he saw
Webster sitting the morning of his disap-
pearance, September II. The detectives,
with Star reporter and employees of the
brewery. had made thorough investi-
CATION of five of the furnaces when, upon
examining the rear of No. & furnace, the
blood spots were detected on the bricks.
These spots are of a dark red color,
and, as neither Chief Engineer John
Lorch nor any Of the other employees of
the engine room could account for them,
the detectives promptly reached the con-
clusiOn they were blood marks. No
finger marks were found on any of the
bricks about the doorway, however.
The door, which is about sixteen inches
high opens into space of about three
feet between the rear of the furnace and
the outside wall of the engine room
That the body of a man, after having
been rendered unconscious or killed, could
be pushed through the door into the back
of the furnace and within a few minutes
burned to ashes, is admitted.
Two of the Bricks Removed.
Two Of the bricks, which bore several
clots of the blood. were removed by
Chief Engineer Torch and turned over
to the detectives. A careful examination
of the brick pavement behind the furnace
failed to reveal any blood marks, al
though this. it is declared, could be ac-
counted for by reason of considerable
dust which had fallen there.
The detectives took the two bricks to
police headquarters. After being exam
ined by Inspector Boardman they were
taken to DR.. Lynch to be microscopically
examined.
Other evidence which the detectives
think has a bearing on the case is
statement made by Michael Barrett,
helper to Jet, who says when he left the
plant the morning of Webster's disap-
pearance Jet and Webster had engaged
in an apparently heated conversation and
that the two men were there alone.
Barrett was taken to police headquar-
ters from his home, 800 II street south
west, this afternoon to be questioned by
Inspector Boardman. He told a Star re-
porter that Jett acted very strangely
when he called goodbye" to him shortly
after o'clock the morning of September
II. as Barrett left the brewery.
II usually called to Jet that I was
going home and he would either joke with
me or just call out so long. That morn
ing, he did not even answer me-" Barrett
continued :'He just turned his head to-
ward me and went around the side of
No. 6 furnace.