The Washington times., 1919-11-02
oice Solved Mystery of the Staying of Trinity College Boy

wy OCNAJ =
O'Clock. apparently 10 go to Balti-
more and visit an aunt and to buy
| some clothing
but, I'll be back tomorrow" he as
sured one of the sisters who clasped
his hand and wished him WELL But,
he did not come back on the morrow.
Fears were entertained for him by
the sisters when he failed to put in an
appearance at the college, as Richard
was boy of his word. Captain Judge
was asked to make an investigation.
he round Richard had never been to
Baltimore. 1t also was revealed that
he was not seen at a drugstore in
ii street, where he was to buy his
ticket to go to the Monumental city.
1 A city-wide search was instituted, but
no trace of the lad could be found
Suspecting that the body of the
youth found slain might be that of
DuvaH, Captain Judge drove over to
Trinity College on June 10 to get one
OF the employees. intimate with the
missing boy, to accompany him to the
District Morgue in an effort to iden-
tify the body.
And, as Captain Judge was talking
with one of the the sisters, along
rushed Webster with q CODY of a
Washington morning newspaper, con-
tanning an account of the finding Of
, the dead youth, in his hand. He
waved it, as he shouted to Captain
Judge: I'll bet that's Duvall who
was killed and robbed!
Yes, that's DuvalPs body bet
1T is" he exclaimed.
4 tat
pay particular significance to the
volunteered Identification of the body.
Taking one of the employees in his
automobile. Captain Judge went to
the District morgue. The body was
I Immediately identified as that Of
I DuvalL
! Betz Owned Pistol.
! In the formal investigation, Cap
tain Judge learned that Betz was an
intimate friend of Duvall-that Betz
had owned pistol, that he had dis
played 1t to employees at the COL
lege. Rumor had It that Betz and
Durall were together before the lat
ter disappeared
SO the police went to the Marist
ICollege where Betz was employed and
took him into custody for examina-
ton. He was quizzed and quizzed
that Duvall left the college osten-
sibly to go TO visit his aunt in Bsl-
timorC. He denied any knowledge
of the crime--only what had been
told him by the police. They were
mot convinced. He was taken from
the college to the scene of the crime.
He was asked to tell all about it.
He said he knew nothing.
Pistol Taken From Him.
i While Betz was being questioned by
some policemen. others were scurrying
around trying to check up his story
and attempted alibi. 1t was found, the
detectives told him, to be riddled with
conilictions. This assured the police
OF the possibility of his guilt. 1t was
learned that the pistol that Betz
| owned at one time had been taken
from him by one of the Fathers of
Sarist College, where he was en-
pioyed. So, it was figured that IL
Betz had shot and killed his chum, he
must have had another pistol.
So Betz was prodded to tell the
{ truth" His attempt to convince tn.
police that he was telling the truth
was fruitless-at least until a cir
cumstantial chain of evidence had
been built up against Webster. L.
should be said that not all of TIN
4
WINGED of the boys guilt--or, at lcas,
q participation in the crime. Some
secuted the idea of the guilt of the
boy. declaring he was a weak ed
lad who might confess to anything.
Betz Broke Down.
And Betz did confess. After having
been persistently urged to tell the
truth" and lit will be better for you
to tell the truth" he broke out with
the assertion that yes, he had killed
Duvall."
At intervals. for hours, he was qucs-
toned by detectives after he made
the confession" Some left him, after
he recited in minute details how he
had gone to the woods with Duvali
shot and killed him after a quarrel
ard then taking his money from his
shoe, shaking their heads in doubt
But confession is a confession 10
detectives. They were not certain oil
his innocense-and he had confessed
He confessed to all the detectives
wanted to know, except what he had
done with the death dealing weapon
that had taken the young life of
Duvall, and the money that he had
stolen from the boy. At that moment
he was the most logical person Ia
have committed the crime. But after
in lurid descriptions, he told each
of the detectives in groups and in
turn of how he had killed and robbed
his chum. Betz, when asked about the
pistol and money. would repudiate his
former admissions.
Up Against Stone Wall.
The detectives realized they were
up against a stone wall. Without
more evidence than the confession
which was persistently repudiated
they realized they could never con-
vict the boy. And finally they gave
him up. They became incredulous
They began to doubt the confession
And then Webster was taken into
custody.
Investigation revealed Betz had
borrowed 10 cents from one of the
fathers at Marist College the day
after Duvall was killed. Had he
robbed Duvall they concluded. hi
would not have borrowed the money
but later events turned to Webster
And BetZ was then, eliminated from
Al.