The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1914-12-03
PITTSBURGH COPS TALK
IN Smith Case

and DR.. G. R. MeKinniss, of the Pitts
burgh City Hospital for the Insane,
both said that Smith is suffering from
two of the three phases of dementia
precox and that his illness is rapidly
progressing. DR.. Bowers said Smith
was an abnormal child and that he is
"misft in society,"
At noon District Attorney M. f.
stroup said he had only half dozen
witnesses yet to call, two of whom are
alienists, and that he expects to close
his case by the end of to-day's session.
The arguments to the jury by the at
torneys and Judge McCarrell's charge
will be made tomorrow. A decision
Is expected by tomorrow afternoon.
Sergeant Morgan Testifes
The Pittsburgh policemen said that
when Smith was in the "Smoky CITY"
he neither did nor said anything that
indicated to them that he was of un.
sound mind. All said in effect that
his actions were like those of criminal
who was seeking to make a getaway
and hide his identity.
Finally, when he was cornered and
saw we had the goods on him, he was
ready to tell all, " saide one of the po-
licemen.
Police Sergeant Morgan was the man
who searched Smith at the Central po-
lice station in Pittsburgh. When Nor
gan went upon the stand Smith seemed
uneasy. He shufied his feet, began
mumbling, moved from one position to
another inshis chair and thrust his cap
into his mouth and began biting it,
When Smiths father and mother prod
ded him and urged him to keep quiet
he mumbled something that was not au-
dibe to those ten feet away.
The articles Sergeant Morgan said
he took from Smith have been kept in
safe deposit box since the arrest.
They include pistol, annual pass,
railroad ticket from Pittsburgh to
Cleveland, conductors cash fare receipt
check, some scraps of paper, and
gold, silver and notes amounting to
$2,S27.15. The sergeant said the ac-
cused gave his name as Edward Smith; /;
age, "a; residence, Chicago, occupation,
laborer.
Later the sergeant declared Smith
claimed Baltimore as his home.
Struggled to Keep the Money
"While ] was counting the money!"
the witness continued, "he asked me
to keep the change-between $50 and
S60-separate. When I asked for a
reason, he told me it was his money
When I asked about the other money
he said that also belonged to him and
that it had been given to him by an
uncle who had sold some property.
81 said: Il believe you killed some
one.' AS did so he reached for the
revolver that had taken from him.
Then he said: IF l had that gun you
would not say that. He didn It want
to surrender the small purse containing
the gold and I had trouble getting it
from him. We struggled while before
l finally got it.
Thomas F. Rohan, desk sergeant
at the Pittsburgh Central Police Sta
tion, said there was nothing unusual
about Smiths actions when arrested.
Peter Walsh, Commissioner of Police,
of Pittsburgh, related in substance
three conversations which he had with
the accused before Smith was brought
to this city by Detective James T. Wal
ters.
"The boy answered all my questions
promptly" Walsh began, "and while
| was talking to the lad, Policeman
Swinehart told me that old man Bush
had been murdered and his cottage
burned in Inglenook.
Commissioner Walsh's Story
e" SWINE told the boy that he
killed the old man and the lad said:
They ii have to prove it first. -
When Detective Walters arrived in
Pittsburgh to bring Smith to Harris
burg, We learned that old man Bush
was Smith S grandfatherea eand not his
uncle, as Smith had said. Mr.. Wal
ters asked the boy what trouble he and
the old man had had, and Smith said:
Nothing
Mr.. Walters told us that the cot
tage had been burned and the boy
said: Il guess they will blame that on
me. -
William BrightbiH, an Inglenook
man, who said he had been neighbor
of Smith and of Bush from the summer
of 1910 up until the time of the crime,
told of hunting expeditions he had
made with Smith and added that he
never suspected the boy of being men
tally deranged.
When Writing Was Undignified
Nba