Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-11-20
POLICE NOW SEEK
MAN OF 50 SEEN
WITH SLAIN BOY
Detectives Nearly Ready to
Drop Theory That Aged
Criminal Murdered Eight
year-old Albert Kraft.

new clue to the murderer of S-year-
old Albert Kraft, of 1887 South Fallon
street, was obtained today by detectives
at work on the case. from Christopher
Copeland, of 52d street and Elmwood
avenue
Copeland told the detectives he saw
man and hoy he believes 10 have been
Kraft standing In a vacant lot at 56th
street and Gibson avenue at o'clock
on Wednesday afternoon, the day of the
murder. The man was about s5 years
old.
The police today we're nearly ready to
abandon the theory that young Kraft was
killed by an old man. They believe the
boy could have put UP such strong re-
sistance that an old man could not have
subdued him. The theory has not yet
been dropped, however
Two young men who were working near
the sewer arch beneath which the body
was found yesterday morning were taken
to City Hall today and questioned by
Captain of Detectives Cameron and De-
tective Emanuel, of the murder squad"
1t was thought they could throw some
light on how the body came under the
arch, but they knew nothing about it and
accordingly were released.
Dr. William S. Wadsworth, Coroner's
physician, today declared after an autopsy
on the body at the Morgue. that the boy
was smothered, and not strangled.
Late yesterday the police arrested
William A. Swan, IS years old, of 6154
Gray's avenue on a clue furnished by
o-year-old Frederick Sykes, 1443 Fallon
street, a companion of the murdered boy.
An hours questioning developed evidence
on which the aged man was set at lib
erty. and the search began anew.
That there was another old man who
haunted Bartrams Garden and prowled
along the railroad embankmont near the
deserted culvert, the police learned while
investigating today. Information con-
cerning the new suspect was given by
Carrie Wardick, a daughter Of Mrs En-
ma WardicS with whom Swan boarded.
BOYS TELL OF QUEER OLD MAN.
Boys who played in Bartram's Garden,
the city park only a hundred yards from
the deserted culvert. have described the
sinister figure of an old man who walks !
with a heavy stick and shakes his |
shoulders" The man has been seen fre- |
quently in the neighborhood. On Sun |
day morning some one who answered the |
description went to the home OF Mrs. |
Gertrude Stewart. at 5sth street and Glib ,
son avenue, and asked fer something TO |
eat. Mrs. Stewart, alone in the house. |
was frightened by his looks and slammed |
the door.
the neghborhood is looked upon as evil
dence that he has no permanent home, |
and the search for him will be the more |
difficult. Those who live In the vicinity |
of Seth street and Gibson avenue are a |
neghhorly sort however, and queer fig |
ures are an oddty to be remembered. and |
talked about. Information and descripr |
tions are not lacking. |
GLOOMY SCENE OF TRAGEDY.
Awed crowds of the curious gathered
at the entrance to the dark culvert yes
terday watching the police at their work
and standing in the rain with eyes fasten-
ed on the spot where little Albert Kraft
lost his life A long walk through a
rough field bristllng with weeds Is neces-
sary to reach the culvert. At the top of
the depression leading to the place an
ancient road leads down into a hollow
filled with broken bricks and tiles, the
ruins of an oil refinery operated a half
century ago.
From the ruined refinery in the hollow
the culvert. about 10 feet wide and IS feet
high, leads through the embankment and
to fence barring the way to the Gulf
Refining Company's property Up a hill
TO the left lies the western boundary of
Bartram's Garden. There Is no sign Of
human habltation to be seen from tho
bottom OF the hollow. It would be hard
to md a lonelier spot within the bounda-
ries Of Philadelphia.
On Information from companions OF the
boy and neighbOrs who have
seen the old man the police are baslnR
their hopes for todays search. The
scene OF the murder was watched last
night in the hope the slayer would re-
turn TO the spot. and the neighbOrhood
was secured for information To-day
clues gathered last night viii be run
down. and the police are looking for ar
rests before night. Thus far they are
inclined to the theory that the crime
was committed by some one in the
and not by tramp walk
ing the railroad tracks, who might after
ward have climbed aboard a freight
train and escaped