The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-09-25

ioS ANtFsIsfsH. sept G1s--~Jafnen
w. Crowhurst. summoned as a ma.
terial witness in tho Denton muir.
der probe. served a sentence In
Folsom prison after being convicted
OF robbery In Alameda. county in
1905. Captain OF Detectives Moffet
declared today. after reports OF the
police Identification bureau had been
secured,
crowhurrf yesterday made sworn
statement TO police saying that he
had been employed by Mrs. X. &.
pe-te. former housekeeper for Jacob
&. Denton. whose body was found
IN the cellar Of his home here. 20
make repairs which Included mali.
in. up the wooden compartment.
where Dcn,on's body was found
Aisho he was not In custody today.
police announced he will be sum-
noned 10 appear before the grand
jury. investigation OF tho murder.
= According TO Captain Moffett
Crowhurss entered Folsom scptrm-
Der -. 1906. having been sentenced
for seven years At that time he
was 10 yearn old. He was parolcd
December 20. 1908. and finally dis
charged in December. 1910. Moffeti
said.
SAYS HH BELONGED
To HOODLUN GANG
Crowhurs, was formerly n mem.
Der OF gang OF young hoodlums."
known as the Jim Crow gang"
who pcrpc,ratcd numerous crimes
in Alameda county. according 10 a
letter 20 local police from Chief
OF Police voilmer OF Berkeley. sent
In 1914. Moffett aaid. Several OF
the gang were later convicted ~
murder. tho crowhurr. was not i'm
piicafed In that crime. according TO
volImer. This letter WAS sent Al
the time Of the murder OF Railroad
Agent Montague. killed near this
city in December. 1918. Crowhurs,
was ahsolved Of any part In the
murder OF Montague.
Police today said no arrests had
been made. Scores Of officers were
investigating various phases OF the
mystery.
Every one connected with the
case seems TO have been giving us
different theory" Captain Moffcit
said. I'VE have no definite infor-
nation and no arrests have been
made"
Crowhurst. In his statement. said
he had been engaged TO make re.
pairs Mt Denton's horne by Mrs. X.
e. Pcctc. now in Denver. Among
other work assigned TO him. the
document in the hands OF the police
recounts. was mailing up the strange
compartment beneath the basement
stairs In which Dcnton's body was
found.
crowhurst's statement TO police
was signed and made under oath.
II gave detailed accounts of various
services performed at the Denton
home from early In June to August
81. Crowhurst was released on his
own rccognizance. lie will be called
as material witness. police said.
WANTED TO AVOID
THAT LITTLE ROOM
while looking over the water
heater In the basement, Mrs. Peeie
said to me. now IL will not be neces.
sary for you to 30 into that little
room. will III" indicating a small.
crudely constructed room under the
stairway Crowhurst's statement
said. She questioned him about
mailing UP the outside entrance TO
the cellar. he said. but this plan was
later abandoned.
Crowhurst said he had been told
there was a quantity OF liquor in the
compartment.
crowhurst's statement was signed
and sworn to.
The plumber was located by police
thru n real estate company. lie had
listed tho Denton home for sale with
this company, acting under instruc-
tons from Mrs. Pcetc, Crowhurst
said.
Private detectives working on the
case today advanced the theory that
the murder of Denton was a sinister
plot to gain possession OF his prop.
erty. They said a secret deed for
the Denton home. valued at nearly
$50. 900. had been made. Another re.
port being Investigated. was the
statement that $4,000 In bonds
which Denton was said to have kept
at his home have disappeared.
An autopsy on the dead mans
body failed to show that his death
was caused by violence. An exami-
nation OF vital organs was today ex.
pected TO reveal whether he had
been poisoned
Neither Mrs. Sarah Denton. di.
vorced wife. nor Francis Denton, 10.
daughter OF the dead man, who ar
rived here last night. could shed any