The Washington herald., 1919-09-20

Lying in Pool Of Blood.
Wood was IyinE. face downward. in
a pool Of blood at the entrance 10 a
room used by the owners Of the build
ing for storing old papers.
4 Cromo. who had gone into the base
ment to read electric meters. stumbled
over the body Of the hoy. Alarmed,
he ran up the steps to the drug store
and told Fl. b Fov, manager. that a
dead man was in the cellar
Il thought il was a practical Joke"
Foy told a Herald reporter last night
until I invest gated.
''Crouo was rrht notified the
police. who later found a heavy. blood
stained iron bar IN a box OF waste
paper near the westorv Building olo-
vator shaft
When Woods body was taken III
paper package Of safety matches. such
a. are distributed by cigar stores. was
found clutched in his hand-evidence
/ that he had been struck suddenly.
His hand had TO be p-ied open to dis
cIrrt1 ~hts n held
Au inquest at the u strict morE1e last,
night led 10 the issuance OF q certificate
OF death from fractured skull,
by Deputy Coroner ". Browne Carr
That the boy had died almost instantly
from a blow by the iron har was a
fact also brought out.
Secrecy Of the police regarding
their theories leads to the belief
they are working on clue indicst-
ing that the murderer had an un-
common motive.
There are but two known exits
from the basemeH One is through
tn" Westory Building. By the eIe-
vator. Leaving by this way would
result in a person emerging from
the Fourteenth street entrance 10
the westory Building Tho other
exit is by the elevator or spiral
stairs to the drug store. and
/ through the drug store to tho p
+ street or Fourteenth street entrancc.
( Elevator Was at the Bottom.
1t is evident that the slayer OF
young Wood went through the
store. as signs OF physical revuIsion
against the crime were found on
! the floor OF the elevator. This
theory. however. likewise is cloud
cd. for the elevator was found in
the cellar by Cromo and employees
OF the drug store. when they report
! ed to work
Any person leaving tho hundin-
by any OF tho doors apparently had
keys and was familiar with the in
terror. as all doors were found lock
cd in the morning.
Foy. tho manager or the drug
store, said last night that tho only
/ interval when tho drug store Wa
not occupied was between SIS
o'clock and 7:F5 o'clock yesterday
morning. Two soda fountain clerks
were in the store until almost &
o'clock. cleaning soda fountain sp-
paratus. They denied having heard
any noise further than faint
squeak. which might have been a
rat. issuing from the cellar. while
they were in tho store. said Foy.
i discharged Wood for insubordi-
nation. Tuesday" Foy stated. .'Hc
was in the store at 1920 O'Clock Thurs
day afternoon. and. although I of
fered to reinstate him. he did not ap-
pear for that purpose. Wood talked
to some acquaintance in the store
and left"
Police Suspected a Negro.
Suspicion of the police al FIRST
/ suspected a negro who used the
store early yesterday morning that
he was sick and would not be down
for the day. His name and all facts
pertaining to his possible participa-
tion in the crime are being withheld
by the police.
For a short time before the muroer.
Wood was living at a rooming house
at HS New York avenue northwest
Headquarters Detective Barbee. who
| searched his room at that address.
said last night that it was practically
bare OF Woods personal belongings.
Wood came to Washington from
Charlottesville, Va. a few months
ago. Hill and Company. an under
taking firm OF the boys home town.
will send representatives here 90
day to prepare for shipping the