Evening star., 1918-07-11

While investigating suspicious
noises in a neighbor's henhouse last
night Policeman Lester NJ. Kidwell of
the third precinct fell through a small
skylight and sustained gashes In the
throat from which he died an hour
later.
After crashing through the sky
light. which formed a part of the
roof of the henhouse. Kidwell man
his way to patrol box 81. at Montello
avenue and Oakes place northeast.
Weakened by loss Of blood he called
the ninth precinct. but was only able
to say that a mans throat had been
cut.
Bicycle Policeman Benjamin Will
liams of the ninth precinct and DR..
w. B. Baker of the stan of Casualty
Hospital answered the call and were
greatly shocked to find the victim
was a member Of the force.
Death at Hospital.
Il fell through a skylight." was all
Kidwen vas able to say before he
lapsed into Inconsistencies. He was
rushed to the hospital. where he died
within a short time.
Defective Embrey and police Of the
ninth precinct Investigated and found
that Kidwell had received the injury
that caused his death on the prem
ises of James Shea, 1161 Neal place.
From there bloodstains led across the
street and through an alley to lot
adjoining the Shea property, where
they were lost in the high grass.
Mr.. Shea, awakened by, the police
conducting the investigation. went to
the rear of his premises and discover
ed the broken skylight. which told the
story Of the fatality. A light In the
kitchen of the Kidwell home and an
unlocked door showed that the police
man had been in the house after his
return from the third precinct station.
where he was relieved from duty at
midnight. His wife and other occu-
pants Of the house had not heard him.
however, but there was nothing un-
usual about that, they stated, for he
was not in the habit Of making much
noise when he returned home late at
night.
Because of numerous chicken thefts
and reports Of colored prowlers being
seen in the neighborhood. Shea had
removed his chickens from the house
on the rear of his premises to his
cellar Kidwell undoubtedly hoard a
suspicious noise while in the kitchen
of his home and went through his
back yard 10 mako an investigation.
climb to tho roof of the low struc-
ture on the Shea premises, and it was
when he reached the farther end Of
the structure that he crashed through
the thin skylight-
Walked to Patrol Box.
Climbing through the opening thus
made, Kidwell landed in the Shea gar
den, walked to q high wire fence and
climbed over it, descended a steep hill
to the alley and walked to the patrol
box, nearly a block away. Had he
called for aid as soon as he was
wounded, it is stated, his life might
have been saved. but the loss OF blood
was SO great that surgeons at the
hospital succeeded only in keeping
him alive for about forty-five minutes.
Kidwell. who was a native OF Fair
fax county, Va. where he was born
March 6. 1885. Is survived by his wife.
their only child having died several
years ago. He lived at the Neal place
house with his wife and her parents,
Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Kenney. Kidwell
and Miss Naomi Kenney were married
ten years ago. and he had been a resi-
dent of this city the past four years.
His father. Thomas Kidwell. resides
at DunlorinG, Va.
Prior to eight months ago. when he
received an appointment to a position
on the police force, he was employed
as chauffeur for Commissioner Brown
low. and it was because OF his activity
and adaptability to police duty that
the Commissioner recommended him
for the promotion.
Funeral arrangements have not been
completed. but 1t is probable services
will be held Sunday. Interment will
be at Laurel, Md, where the body of
KidwelPs child Is buried. Coroner
hewitt deemed an inquest unnecessary
and gave certificate of accidental
death.