davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1916-01-16
Dennis Murder Without Parallel Detectives Say

weighed 200 pounds. She was striking
type of woman. She was born in Penn
sylvanla, and went to Baltimore with
her family at an early age. When In her
twenties, she married walter Dennis. a
famous tragedian, who played with
Booth and other renowned actors.
After his death she opened the
dressmaking establishment. in which
she catered to the society trade OF
Washington and became intimately ac-
quainted with many of the social lead
ers here.
Among the mass OF information we
obtained were the facts that man
who was said to have been one of her
ardent admirers and that he came to
Washington frequently to visit her. Al
though not definitely suspecting him,
put being ready and eager to entertain
any semplance of a clue. we investi-
gated to ascertain whether or not he
was in Washington on the morning of
the assault. We obtained definite and
irrefutable evidence that he was not in
washington. and dropped him after
further running him out"
Ihen Horne took up the thread and
related the strangest Of all the strange
features OF the puzzling caS, the sui
cide OF q man who had left note
strongly intimating that he knew the
Identity of the murderer.
Wore strange than this. however. was
,he fact that on key ring found in
this mans pocket was a key which
opened the front door OF Mrs. Dennfs'
residence, but did not fit the lock on
tne door OF her room. Yet, in the face
or all these condolences. the detectives
ascertained to their satisfaction that
the suicide knew nothing of the crime
papers.
We were desperate for clues" said
iorne, and ready to believe almost
anything in connection with the case.
We rather hesitated to believe the
stories which came to us about "a Gov
eminent employe. which were to this
erect: That on several occasions i'm
cluos, barrooms and cigar stores this
man said to those gathered about him,
me detectives want to know who
killed Mrs. Dennis. | can tell them
can give them an accurate descrIp-
tion OF him. Then he would give q
description which fitted no one but nim-
sell. He also talked of having come
from town where a young girl was
beaten to death with hatchet and said
her slayer was never caught.
we took this man into custody and
talked with him for hours, during whicr
ne convinced us that he knew nothing
ABOUT the case and that he was Just
talklng to hear himself talk and to at
tract attention to himself from the nun.
dreds OF persons who frequ ented these
public places and began discussing the
Dennis case.
The Washington times., 1916-01-16
535 CANADIANS DIE
IN AN ENGAGEMENT 7
Reports Reaching Ottawa Indi.
cate They Fell in important
Battle on West Front.

OTTAWA. Ontario. Jan. 16.-Reports s
reaching Ottawa indicate that Canadian
troops have been In an important en-
Hagement. presumably on the west
front. and have suffered severely. The
losses are officially stated to have been
5S5 killed and wounded. The regiments
in the fighting which have suffered are
the Third c. NJ. r.. OF Medicine Hat
Alberta. and the Thirtv-frst Infantry
Battalion. Of Calgary. under Lieut.. A
II. Bell.
The Third Canadian Mounted Rifles is
one of the finest battalions Canada has
sent to the front. 1t was recruited in
Medicine Hat. and Is under the COM
mand of Lieutenant Colonel Whitaker.
The men composing the regiment are
drawn from all corners OF the globe
Many are Americans.
There ARG. no details Of the engage
ment. only the bare statement OF the
535 casualties being given. General
HuFes cabled to the war office for de-
tails.
The Washington times., 1916-01-16
Skull Fractured, Jawbone
Broken, Arms Battered

Il was at my home when thef case
was first reported at Headquarters" ."
said Dad. Horne yesterday. "and re-
ceived orders by telephone to go inn
mediately to tho X street house. where
a woman had been brutally assaulted.
''I hurried to the house and found
Detectives Helan and McNamee already
there. crowd had gathered inside
and outside the house. although 1t was
not daylight.
Mrs. Dennis lay on the bed with her
skull fractured. her iawbOnc broken. her
arms battered and her body weltering in
blood which covered the torn and dis
heveled bed. DR.. Wade Atkinson was
there preparing TO dress Mrs. Dennis
wounds.
"ielan. McNamee. myself and other
detectives at once made an investiga-
ton of the premises and the crcum-
stances of the finding OF the body.
Mrs. Dennis bedroom adioined the par
lor on the first floor She conducted
The Washington times., 1916-01-16
Case Against Porter
Was Nolle Pressed

After DR.. Atkinson had dressed her
wounds. Mrs. Dennis was carried out
TO the front OF the house to bc placed
In the Garfield Hospital ambulance. /
heard faint cries coming from her and
suggested to DR.. Atkinson that she
might be conscious and able to give us
some clue or Information upon which
to begin our search for her assailant.
'Dr. Atkinson leaned over the
stretcher in which Mrs. Dennis lay
wrapped in a blanket. and asked:
DO you know who l am. Mrs. Den
nis?'
Yes. you're Doctor Atkinson faint
ly replied the wounded woman.
= That's fine said DR.. Atkinson to
us as he again bent over the stretcher
and asked:
q" Did somebody hurt you"
Yes somebody replied Mrs. Den
We'll. Detectives Horne and Evans
are here and want to find the person
who hurt you. Can you tell them
Never mind that,>now. murmured
Mrs. Dennis, as she rolled over on the
stretcher and lapsed into unconscious
ness and was taken to the hospital"
Here Detective Evans took up the
narrative again to tell of the various
clues Investigated and the results OF
the inquiries
We thought robbery was the mo-
tive" he said. "cven in the face OF the
discovery of the jewery and money In
the room. for sometimes a burglar is
frightened by the sight of his dead OF
dying victim, loses his nerve. and runs
away for fear other persons will be at
tracted to the scene by the screams or
| groans.
I'VE were Immediately confronted
| with the fact that the person who COM
mitted this crime must have had a key
to Mrs. Dennis's room door, and that
| he went there unarmed trusting to
| luck. evidently, to find some weapon
! in the house with which to dispose OF
any one who interfered with his ne.
/ farious intentions.
The porter employed by Mrs. Denni:
was arrested when he came to work
| He was questioned and cross-ques-
toned for many hours, but stoutly
protested his innocence. insisting that
he had been to a dance, and thus ex,
planned his tardlness. Investigation
proved he had attended dance. After
several days confinement, during which
| his every statement was Investigated
he was released.
| subsequently he was arrested again
and yet again, the last time being or
November Z. 1902, about three weeks
after Mrs. Dennis died. He was des.
| perately i'll. and believed to be near
death. but he could give us no infor'
nation of value.
"A coroncr's jury. however. held him
for the action of the grand jury. This
was done probably more because he was
| in custody than because of evidence
against him. We had very littld Other
than suspicion against him. The grand
| jury indicted him, but upon investiga'
! tion OF the meager evidence the Dis
| trict Attorney asked the court TO nollt
| PROSE- the case, and it was dropped
from the record, the porter thereupor
! being released"
The Washington times., 1916-01-16
Not Even In Town
On Day of Crime

He told us he was Just running on,
ana retracted everything he had been
quoted b. hearers as having said. We
learned he was not even here the day
OF the crime
The remarkable thing, though, was
that few days later this man went
10 his room in the h street house
near Mrs Dennis, sat down and wrote
long, rambling note about the dark
ages. his mother police persecution and
the Dennis case. in which he intimat ed
mat ne was implicated more than the
world would ever know. Then he
dragged his bed over to gas burner
IN the room. attached a rubber hose
TO the jet and put the OTHER end in
ms mouth after turning on the gas.
He was found dead in the gas-fiIied
room about thirty-six hours after the
gas was turned on
His suicide attracted our attention
hack to him. although we had salts
fed ourselves that he knew nothing
gan, went down to n town in Texas.
where this man came from, and learned
, that a girl had been beaten to deaf h
there a number OF years before the
Dennis case. Tho man who did the
killing was caught. however. which dis
posed Of the suspicion that the suicide,
had anything to do with the case
fIartGan learned from the Texas
authorities that tho suicide. who
was born in Arkansas and went TO
the Lone Star State TO teach school
had led an exemplary life, and was
never suspected Of having committed
any crime whatsoever. This disposed of
him as A suspect in tho Dennis case
1T docs not matter what he said or
what he wrote. We satisfied ourselves
that IT was case of alcoholism. pure
and simple with him, and that he was
more in the dark about the Dennis case
! than We were, IL such state OF af-
fairs could cxist
The Washington times., 1916-01-16
Man Living Near the Scene
Committed Suicide

Nor does the fact that n man liNinS
near the home of the slam woman
intimated i'm a note which he left after
committing suicide that he knew some
thing about the crime shed any light
| on the case. 1t was established by the
detectives that he was irresponsible at
the time of writing and that he was
not in Washington when Ike woman
was beaten fatally as She lay in her
bed in the still early morning hours.
Jhe Dennis case vas not one to wiIch
two or three Central Office detectives
We're assigned. \ british and reVoltlnS
crime it thoroughly stirred Washing
ton and aroused Major sylvester ant'
Inspector BoardmGn to detail every
available detective in the city to ieGd
his wits. energy. knowledge Of GRIM
inoloSy and criminals to lie search.
After weeks of futile investigation by
the detectives and police, during which
they unenrthed 4 lumber Of clues, all
of which proved yalueless, a reward OF
81, ,OOC was offered Tor the capture of the
slayer. That reward still stands, 80 far
as the police are advised, but 1t Is be-
lieved to be perfectly safe from any
At police headquarters there are two
grim reminders OF the Dennis case
which will not let the police forget the
battling crime.
lLIood.spattered. Cherry-stained birch
piano stool, now IN the property room
wrurpeG in a piece OF torn and 1aded
yellow paper and covered with dust.
Attached to the piano stool is a tag
bearing this inscriptions:
Piano STOOL the top Of which was
| used in SsssultinS Mrs. Dennis. Otficer
| rNocdon. December II. 1901.
The other is a record in the hom'cido
| book which was made by Detective
| "Bipp" Philips. a Police Department
clerk, on October %, 1902, the day Mrs
Dennis died. 1t follows:
Mrs. Ada Gilbert Dennis. fashion-
able dressmaker. was found in bed in
her room at her home in k street
| northwest, about > o'clock a. m. De-
cember 10, 1901. in an almost dying con-
dition. She had been brually assaulted
by some unknown person. Her skuil
had been fractured. her jawbone broken,
and her left ear almost severed from
her head. Her left arm bore num-
Der of bruises. such as would be re-
| ceived in a struggle.
Robbery could not have been the
motive, for on a table at the foot OF
her bed was a small box in which there
was pocketbook well filed with
money. as we'll as some money in the
box and nothing to hide it from view
| ut was about ) o'clock when Mrs
Dennis was found. She was partly
| Miss Mary Doyle and Mr.. Smith Win
| chell. who were roomers in the house
| and heard groans through the heaters
| or fiue They went to her room. which
they found locked. and Mr. Winchell
| broke open the door. finding Mrs. Den
mis- in the aforementioned condition.
| Mrs. Dennis was taken to Garfield
| Hospital in an unconscious condition
| While being carried to the ambulance
on a stretcher several aaonizing cries
| indicated that the victim was conscious
and DR.. Atkinson leaned over the pa
| tient. inQuiring.
The Washington times., 1916-01-16
Conscious, But Would Not
Tell Who Assailed Her

Mrs. Dennis did somebody hurt
your
Yes, somebody she replied.
Who was it?'
Never mind she replied.
"On December IS. 1901. Mrs. Dennis
became conscious, but after being ques-
no disclosures which would justify an
arrest.
After lowering between life and
death for more than ten months. Mrs.
Dennis died at Garfield Hospital on
October 90 1902. about 4 a. IN.
Richard Cole. colored, who was en-
ployed at the house of Mrs. Dennis as
porter, was arrested November :.
1902, charged with the murder and held
by the coroner's jury for the action OF
the grand Jury. Later the case was
nolle pressed by the United States Dis
trict Attorney. December 5. 1902. and
Cole was released.
"E. l. PHILLIPS"
The mystery in the Dennis case was
intensified and made more battling by
the fact that the slayer went to no
pains to conceal his identity. destroyed
no evidences of the crime. yet left no
clues whatsoever. not even a foot.
print.
The murderer entered Mrs Dennis
room. which was usually locked, beat
her to death. with the top of the piano
stool or some other blunt instrument
left her bleeding and dying on her bed
relocked the door and passed out into
the darkness. to vanish as completely
from the detectives as II he or she new.
er existed on earth.
A circumstance which made the mys-
terry even more impenetrable was thai
Mrs. Denris. who, during the ter
months and twelve days she lay on a
cot at Garfield Hospital, had many
lucid intervals and spells of conscious.
ness. and seemed to be on the verge
of disclosing tho identity of her assail.
ant to anxious detectives. did not, but
instead her tongue invariably Glove to the
roof OF her mouth as il nafalyZed when.
ever she attempted to frame the name
on her lips.
The high nervous tension to which
they had been wrought up. having beer
kept on tenterhooks OF expectancy fol
mouths. and the pitiable aspect presented
nv tho mutilated woman. once RADIANT,
beautiful. unnerVed more than one Ot
case from the day II was first reported
until Mrs. Dennis died.
at was not only the most puZz'inl
and mystifying case on which worked
during my twenty-five years at tn,
central office, but It was the on,
which tore me to pieces. haunted m,
and made me spend the greatest mum
ber OF sleepless nights" said Edward
cDad'O Horne. who is now stationed
at the White House.
The Washington times., 1916-01-16
Neglected to Inform Police
Department In Time

How do you know the crime was
committed after O'Clock in the morn
ing?' Horne was asked.
'On one OF the upper floors Of the *
street house lived John Gross. a news
paper man. who worked at night We
ascertained from him that II was his
practice to turn out the hall light when
he returned home at o'clock every
morning. He was positive he turned the
light out at o'clock that morning
and was equally certain that the front
parlor window was not up, that the
flower pot was not overturned. and
that he heard no sound coming from
Mrs. Dennis room when ne entered.
From other occupants OF the house
particularly Miss Mary Doyle, We
learned that they were awakened be-
tween 4:i5 and o'clock by loud groans
coming from Mrs. Dennis room. The
groans were conveyed to the upper
floors through a eating register flue.
Miss Doyle went to Mrs. Dennis
room to ascertain the cause of the
groans. but found the door securely
locked. She returned to the second
floor and aroused two carpenters who
roomed in the house, and they forced
her unconscious on the blood-bespatter-
ed bed.
They Immediately notified Mrs Den
mis- mother-n-law, Mrs. Abraham Den
house and arranged with him to have
tho wounded woman taken to Garfield
Hospital. 1t was after DR.. Atkinson
was summoned that the police were
| notified OF the crime. I don't know
whether or not this delay had any
bearing on the case, and am not
, trying to aiibi myself or the Police
department. but there is a bare possi-
bllity that. II the department had been
promptly informed. We might have got
ten some thread or web upon which TO
The Washington times., 1916-01-16
\
Continued from First Page.)

ten months and twelve days after she
had been stricken. I'D.
And since that time the question
Who killed Ada Gilbert Dennis?" has
remained 'unans wered. and will never be
answered, the police believe, except to
some sad-eyed priest in confessional |
confidence, or by the murderer, on his
own bed of death.
Since the day they were first con-
fronted with the case. Central Office
detectives and the entire police depart
ment, particularly those Of the Second
precinct, have had 1t in the forefront
OF their minds. They have never stop
ped thinking about II since the day
Mrs. Dennis battered and bleeding body
was first discov cred, but their answer
TO the question today Is the same as
then:
I'VE haven't the faintest idea"
There have been many puzzling cases
Investigated by the Washington police,
but the staying of Mrs. Dennis stands
today as the most mystifying, battling,
and impenetrable ever recorded In local
criminal annals. Beside II all other So
called mysteries with which the police
have had to deal are as plain as the
MONDAY sun.
The fact that Al man was arrested and
indicted for the murder Of Mrs. Dennis
heightens rather than diminishes the
mystery. for the District Attorney re-
allied the Government had no case
whatever against him, and he was re-
leased.
The Washington times., 1916-01-16
Saw Her Rise Out of
Bed and Scream

''On number of occasions I saw
her suddenly rise up from her bed and
scream, oh, my God, l didn't know
God made such men as you Then she
would fall back on her bed and utter
low means and fall to sleep. At other
times she would start up and shield
herself with a pillow as If to ward off
blow or blot out the sight of some
one near her. but never did she utter
the name or give the description for
which we hungered and thirsted."
DO you think she knew the name?'
he was asked.
We'll. that's for tho One Above to
say. not for anyone on this earth" re-
piled the veteran sleuth.
Mrs. Dennis improved to such an
extent at the hospital that on the
bright days in September and October
OF 1902 she was placed in a chair and
wheeled about the grounds. One of
the visitors to the hospital, who was
appearance, was Mrs. Theodore Roose-
Welt, wife OF the President, and both
she and her husband became deeply
absorbed in the case.
At the time Of her death Mrs. Dennis
weighed less than 100 bounds. Records
on file at the Health Office show that
sne was fiftl-two years old. had been
an inmate Of the hospital ten months
and twelve days, that she died from eN-
haustion, superinduced by a fractured
skull and cerebral abscess. and that she
was buried in Rock Creek Cemetery.
The police say that shortly after her
death her mother-in-law. who was
seventy-Cive years old at the time the
assault was committed and unable to
be of any assistance in solving the mys-
tory. died and was buried in the same
cemetery.
Among the men who. investigated the
case who have since died were De-
toctives Iiartigan. Parham. and Lacy;
Inspector Boardman and Capt. M;chae,
Ryrnps
The Washington times., 1916-01-16
No Need for Jurors of Any
Sort in Perry County

MARYSVILLE. Pa, Jan. 16-Old
Perry county Is good. Sheriff D. l..
Kistler has sent word to all grand and
traverse Jurors OF the January court
that they need not appear at court,
which would have convened tomorrow.
The grand jurors are not required
since there are no cases, and the
traverse Jurors for the reason that the
only three civil cases on the list have
either been discontinued or settled.
This action will result in saving of ap-
proximately s240 for the county tax
PAYERS.
The Washington times., 1916-01-16
Worked Along Other Lines
But Always Was Thwarted

'ln the meantime we had been work
ing along other lines, which led us to
Illinois, Texas. and elsewhere. But in
every direction in which we worked
we were unrewarded with tangible clues.
Thinking that perhaps some one who
had figured in Mrs. Dennis past life
might have been the perpetrator of the
crime, we investigated her from the
cradle to the morning of the assault.
Mrs. Dennis was handsome woma n
Of n.ty-one. with n skin Ike marble
raven black hair, large blue eyes, and
The Washington times., 1916-01-16
All Mystery, Deep,
Dark and Unfathomable

'T~ all ms experience as detective
and in all have read OF crimes and
mysteries have never encountered
tho parallel Of the Dennis case" said
netccti"o Evans. uow a. the Central
office hut who was precinct detective
The Washington times., 1916-01-16
Collar Button Kills Bow.

VINCENNES. Ind, Jan. 16.-Robert
Pennington, eleven, was choked 70 death
by a collar button. The boy was play
ing in the street when he picked up the
collar button and put it in his mouth.
lie started to run, hut after ne had
gone half block he fell 10 the ground
dying. Before a physician could arrive
he had choSed to death. as the button
had lodged in his windpipe.
The Washington times., 1916-01-16

Thousands OF mouths S
like this are seen every day. The trr.N!. /.
known ss Pyorrhea or Riggs Disease These
sort discolored, bleeding, roul-smellins and
receding gums, loosened and sensitive tee
can be made firm, strong and healthy by this
stfDpie Home Method
The Washington times., 1916-01-16

fairs could exist.
The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-06-07
SALE or VALUABLE SCHOOL HOUSE
AND FOUR LOTS.

AM fOUh LuASs
Pursuant 20 IN order Of the board Of
Education Of CoRl district, Harrison Coun-
ty, West Virginia, made and entered on the
1N day Of May, 1910, the said Board Of
Education will on
At or about one O'Clock =. NJ, ut the front
door Of the court house Of Harrison cOuR.
", West Virginia, sell at public auction.
TO the Highest and best bidder, the follow
Ing described real estate. situate In the
In what Il known As summit Park Add
ton to the City OF ClArkAburg, being des-
ignated a. Lots Nos. IS, ~ 90 and 81 nv
which four lots have a total frontage o.
100 feet and > depth Of 100 feet, With a
large school building situate upon the
same; and being tho same lots conveyed
to said Board Of Education by J.. r. Flint
and wife by deed dated August 18th. 1911.
and by Lucy McAndrsw and others by deed
dated January 22ud, 1913. Said aFst deed
II duly recorded in the once Of the Clerk
Of the County Court of Harrison County.
west virginia, In Deed hook No. 100. mage
tIe, and said second decd II duly record
ed In said ONCE in Deed Book No. 2lS,
made. said lots win be offered separately
and then as whole. and will be sold In
whichever way they Will bring the highest
ptIee. said school building VIII be sold
dssks, and other furniture In said build
sold.
TERMS OF SALE: one-thirf cash IN
hand on day Of sale. or a. much more as
the purchaser may elect TO pay In cash.
ana for the residue, n any. the purchaser
viii be required 70 execute his negotiable
notes payable 70 the order Of said Hoard
Of Education, IN tvo equal payments due
and PSysble n. six and twelve months, 70.
speetlyely. from said June 2tth, with inter
est frdtn said date, and with such personal
security a. may Be required ~ said
hoard OF Education. and q vendors lien
VIII also Be retained a. further security
The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-06-07

Same advertisement eve sue.
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advertisement seven successive
days, 20 cents; NO classified ad.
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% oents. classified advertise.
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inch.
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The Telegram viii not BE- EespOn-
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Jour nRme appears In tho tele-
phone directory; otherwise,
strictly cash with order.
This page Ia closed promptly
st II o'clock a. M. Your copy
must DO In before that hour 30
insure Insertions.
The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-06-07

FOR SALE Vacant lot on Clay street for
500. SlIe SSKlOO feet near corner and
close to street car lin" II you want
this bargain, - me at once II 4. Mod
lin. Union Rnnk nIdH CIArkahnrg