The Washington times., 1919-09-13
TWO THEORIES
ADVANCED IN
NEW Staying
Police Think StOrekseper Victim
Of WOuId-be RObber or Of
Gangsters.


With mystery surrounding the Incl
dents attending the Staying last night
Of Simon Miller a. he stood behind fas
counter OF his grocery store at ii01
Lamont street northwest. the police
today are securing the city Tor trace
Of tail negro seen running from the
store just after the shooting.
Unable to determine a motive for
the crime the police are working On
two theories.
The arst b robbery. although SCI
was found~in Milers pocket and more
than $50 was found IN the cash
drawer.
The second is that the crime was
the outgrowth Of trouble Mifier has
had with negro gangsters Of the
neighborhood.
Have Meager DeseFIDtIon.
In either event the police are GER
tain that II they ind the man neigh
bors saw running from the store.
described wearing q dark suit and
solve both the mystery and the mo-
tive for the crime. This same megFo
was seen sitting on eurbstone op-
posite the store about fifteen minutes
before the killing which occurred be-
tween 1915 and IL ,. m.
Samuel Miller. q brother ol hts
slain man, says he was upstairs IN
their living quarters when tie shot
was fired. He says he heard q single
shot he told police detectives. fol-
lowed BY q muffled cry. Rushing
down stairs he found his brother in
the kitchen attempting 70 bafhe thu
wound In his neck.
DIED At Hospital.
A r-s-- a.. 80 -
sank to the floor unconscious. ana
died just after he was removed 70
the Garfield Hospital Physicians
said he had bled to death. the bullet
severing the jugulaF vein.
Blood spots found IN the store 81,
dicated that Miller was standing ~
the cash drawer JUST behind Chs
counter when his assailant fired He
staggered co the kitchen fsavins
trail OF blood. and Il was there that
the brother found him.
Police from the Tenth precinct az
rived shortly after the shooting ia
response to a call from neighhors.
who had been attracted to the store
by the cries OF the victims brother.
Heard shOf and CRY.
Il had retired 70 our sleeping
quarters on the second flor" Samuel
Miller told the. police. s'ouf bfoGher
Isik. who runs q store at 100 Sixth
street southwest. had been visiting
US, and at his departure I went up
stairs. Simon had said be would lock
up the store. IL was but a very few
minutes afterward that I heard the
shot and cry"
Neighbors told police detectives
they had seen q man running from
10 -
I down Sherman avenue, they said.
turning into one OF the side streets.
Mrs. u. H. Holmes, Of 33O5 Sherman
! avenue, told the police that q few
moments before the shooting she had
seen Simon Miller. sitting in front OF
the store. Later she heard screams
emanating from the store, Mrs.
Holmes did not hear the shot, she
said.
John p. Rcbertson. colored, %
322S Sherman avenue, was one OF
those who told the police he had
seen tall dark-skinned negro run
! ming away from the store just after
the shooting
Failed To Find Clue
Thorough search OF the premises
last night and today by headquarters
detectives failed TO reveal any clue.
I
scene shortly after the crime. de-
clares every Indication points to rob
berry as the motive and that the high
wayman was probably frightened
away when he heard Samuel Miller
coming down the stairs.
Police officials at the Tenth Pre-
cinct today learned that on several
occasions Miller had had trouble with
colored hOOdlums who visited his
store and attempted TO steal things
from che stock. On one occasion,
after Miller had threatened TO call
the police. the vandals threatened to
get him." il is said by friends and
relatives OF the dead man.
Detectives Scrivener. Mullen and
O'Brien are assigned TO The case from
headquarters and are aided By police
of several precincts In their search
for the colored man described by
neighbOrs.
Miller's BODY VAS removed from the
morguc this morning and relatives
are making arrangements for his