The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-06-11
HOLD
SLAIN BOYS
COMPANION
Say '16-Year-0Id Daniel Betz
Told Conflicting Stories After
Chum'S Body Was Found.

| hS" ~SSy NNSNS SSidSa
Suspected of having knowledge OF
the death OF Richard N. DuvalI. fif-
teen years old, an employee Of Trinity
College, Daniel Betz. sixteen years
old. is being held for investigation
at the Tenth precinct police station.
Betz, who was a chum OF the dead
| youth. formerly worked at Trinity
! olIege and now employed at
! Morris College at Brookland. He
made, the police say. a number Of con-
| nicting statements to Capt Thomas
| Judge, and to Detective George z.
| Darnell, OF the Tenth precinct, who
| arrested him this morning.
Tells VARYING Stories.
Taking the youth to the scene Of
the crime, young BetE declared, the
police say: "Duvall and had a fight,
and struck him with q stick. A
short time later, as I was returning
to the college, 1 heard a shot.
now suppose the negro shot him, but
1 did not go back to see"
Later when Captain Judge attempt
| ed to pin the boy down to the story,
Betz repudiated the statement, de-
claring he had not seen DuvaIl for
| three weeks.
Norris College is but a stones throw
from the secluded spot where the
body OF Duvall was found lyiag under
a tree in a clump of bushes with a
| bullet wound in his left breast near
the heart and his pockets rided of
about $40.
Both the youths have known each
other for a number of years, they
having been inmates of st. Mary's
Industrial School at Baltimore. In
February young Duvall, looked upon
as q bright lad with a promising
future, was sent to the Trinity COL
lege.
Made Good Progress.
The Sisters took considerable Ater-
est in him and were planning to teach
him shorthand in the evenings. Beta
came to Trinity College a short time
later. and he, too, obtained employ
ment there. However, he was dis
charged, ii was said this morning be-
cause of his irrational conduct but
since them he had frequently called
at the college to see Duvan. On one
occasion he displayed a revolver. The
weapon was taken from him by Mat
thew Guy, overseer Of the farm at
Trinity College. who this morning
identified at the District Morgue the
body of young DuvaIl, who apparent
ly had been slain on Saturday night.
On Saturday young Duvall was
given $35, his months pay, and he
left the college telling Mr.. Guy and
one of the sisters that he intended to
go to Baltimore to buy a suit of
clothes and to visit Mrs. Anthony
Hunnel, 1926 Park Heights avenue, in
Baltimore, one OF his near relatives,
his parents being dead.
The police believe that after DuYaIl
left the college he met acquaintance,
who lured him to the woods about a
mile away from Trinity College. which
lis in close proximity to the Catholic
University, and about thirty yards
from the University Station OF the
Metropolitan Branch of the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad. It would have been
impossible for Young DuvalI to have
taken train at the station for BaIhti-
more. He would have taken q trolley
car in front Of the college to Union
Station. This, apparently, he did not
do.
SeOut Suicide Theory.
While the police at first believed
that DuvalI might have committed
suicide, they have secuted that theory
because of the disappearance of the
money the youth had in his posses
sion when he left the college and the
absence of the pistol used in firing
the fatal shot into his breast.
Because of a wound in the fIeshy
part ~ his right hand and the fact
that the palm of the hand was DOW
der marked, the police believe he
was shot at close range and that the
hand was grazed by the bullet which
caused his death.
There were no marks OF a scuffle
at the spot where the body was
found. He was lying on his back,
his head resting on his cap. His arms
weer folded across his breast. Tho
right shoe was several feet from his
body.
The police say it is possible that
the slayer took the shoe from his foo.
in search Of money.
At the college it was said this
morning the boy was not of a morbid
temperament, that he never had q piS-
toll to their knowledge.
Search for Girl.
The police are searching for a girl
friend of young DuvaIl who will be
questioned this afternoon to learn II
she can throw any light on the death
OF the boy.
The discovery of the body wla
made last evening by Edward Wall,
colored, Is L street northeast, who
was driving along the road.
SURE He Was Slain.
81 have not seen my brother for
several weeks" said DuvaIl. He was
not the type OF boy who would ever
think of committing suicide. am
sure he was murdered, and that rob-
cry was the motive"
The police are somewhat puzzled
as to why the Duval boy should
have gone to the secluded woods
where his body was found, If he had
any intention OF going to Baltimore.
1t is their opinion that after Ieav-
ing the college Duvall met several OF
his friends. and that they strolled
out to the Morris College to see Betz,
as the youths body was found In the
woods so close TO, that institution. The
road running by the woods parallel |