Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-12-07


dow in Mrs. Albright's home was
broken and told William Herman. a
night watchman. and Harry Klugh,
500 North Sixteenth street. The two
men investigated and found the body
of the murdered woman on the bed.
The house had been ransacked.
The First Clue
The first clue to the murderer was
given to Harry White and John Muir
name. the detectives. by Wilson Sim
mers. an employe of the Harrisburg
scription of colored man answering
that of Thomas Smith. Smith was
seen before the murder, wearing
slouch hat similar TO the hat found
back of lounge at the Albright home.
While the police were hunting for
Smith the robbery at the Levin home
occurred. The colored man described
by Mrs. Levin left no doubt as to the
robber being Smith. He disappeared.
Smith was traced to Lebanon, Reading
and Philadelphia and then the police
lost track of him. on November 8
Smith turned up in Harrisburg and
was arrested. When brought to the
police station he growled to j. Edward
Warden. lieutenant of police:
II Didn't Kill Anybody"
81 didn't kill anybody. If / did,
hang me for it. What have you ar
rested me for?'
on the following day Detectives
Murnane and White took up the evil
dence which they had and began a
search for information as to where
Smith had been since the Albright
murder. The testimony of the Leb-
anon witnesses and others with whom
Smith had come in contact was told to
Michael r. Stroup, district attorney.
and he instructed Detective White to
nttf a FsYsp mt no net SEf1fF
Asked For Getaway Money
Evidence in the H. Ids of the police
show the whereabouts of Smith from
the night of the murder up to his re-
turn to Harrisburg. on the night of
the murder, Carrie Black, colored.
now in Lebanon. met Smith at the
Washington House on Walnut street
The colored man was drenched to the
skin, and covered with mud. 1t was
raining hard that night. Smith asked
her for ten cents. saying he wanted to
get away. When the woman asked
Smith what he had been doing he re-
marked:
"The old -- had nothing. She
is either dead or will die soon" The
woman went to Lebanon to visit
Pauline Davis. Two days later the
colored woman heard of the murder.
Smith came to their home soon after.
The Davis woman said:
did you hear of the murder of the
old woman on Allison Hill?"
Smith answered: II don't want to
hear anything, I am going away"
Has Long Record
Smith then went to Philadelphia
where he was arrested on a petty
charge Later he returned to Read
! ing, then visited Lebanon, and came
TO Harrisburg. Soon after reaching
I this city Smith tried to return the
money he took from Mrs. Levin. Two
! hours later he was arrested by
! Brine. Owens and Balthaser.
! Smith halls from Savannah, Ga. He
has a police record and is also known
as Archie Smith, William Jones
] Courtney Smith and Henry Jackson
Soon after leaving Harrisburg he serv-
ed time in Philadelphia for larceny
He has been known to the Philadel-
phia police for sometime, having beer
arrested five times in that city since
1910 for highway robbery larceny
and robbery
! Wilson SINNERS, the Railways
+ Company employe called at the jai
several times and is certain Smith is
! the colored man who had beer
prowling about the Albright home
prior to and on the night of the
murder.
1t is said that Mrs. Albright made
! frequent visits to the Harrisburg
| lace and other goods. Smith met, the
aged woman there number of times
and was of the opinion that she had
money. One witness will tell of a re-
mark made by Smith prior to the
murder. during which he said: THAT
! old has money. 1t might be
worth going after some time"