Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-02-12
WILLIAM F. WALKER
SAYS He Intended
TO COMMIT SUICIDE
According to a Statement He is
Alleged to Have Made to the
Camden Police Today.
HE CAME TO ELSMERE

William +. Walker intended 10 COM
nit suicide when he wrote the note
found at Eslsmere but denied all knowi-
edge of Charles Il. Smith. alias George
Ricbv or the Iatters death. in a state
Inent made to City Detective William >.
Schregler in his cell in the Camden po-
lice station this morning, according TO
n report from Camden today beteC-
tive Schregler denied that any papers
beonging TO Smith were found in Walk
er's possession. as was first reported.
The Camden police said today that
Walker would be released unless the
Delaware authorities appeared today.
State Detective Frank w. Mccoy said
he is going to Camden this afternoon.
l,iIt EXPRESSED himself as satisfied that
smith met his death by his own hand
and that Walker was not connected with
It in any way. The statement of Walk
er 10 the Camden authorities supports
this theory.
According 10 Detective Schregler
Walker said he left Camden on the
morning of January IS, three days
after he married Miss Dorothy Z.
McCabe of that city His wanderinss
included rides on freight cars. long
walks. a night in stone quarry and
other hardships. Despondent and with
only a small amount of money in his
pocket. Walker said when he reached
EIsmere he fully decided TO commit
suicide and wrote the note saying that
he had decided TO end his life. which
was later found. He placed II on the
door step of an Elsmere house and
then jumped freight train bound FOR
Baltimore. His intention. he said was
to Jump from the freight train into
the Susquehanna river at Havre de
Grace. Nd. When he reached the river
his nerve failed him and he rode on 10
Baltimore.
Read of His Death
The first he heard of his death" was
from a Baltimore newspaper. He de-
Cided 10 remain in obscurity. but when
the real identity Of the suicides body
at Brandywine Springs was disclosed a
desire 10 return to his 16-year bride
in Camden made him change his plans.
After remaining in BALTIMORE a week
he got In touch with his wife through
friend in Washington.
MIA Walker said she got q letter
her because he believed she deserted
hoa. The night he left l had gons out
on IN erTand for my mother. she ex-
pAined." "and was in such q hurry l
hadn't time 10 tell him where j was
going. When came back he had gone
f,esvtng behind him a note. asking for
rivene.s for the harsh words he had
said 20 me the night before and tell
ing me he wouldn't be back. The next
l heard was that a note signed by him
had been found near the body Of that
man in Wilmington"
Mrs Wilher said she got a letter
from her husband from Wilmington on
Wednesday. saying rhat he would re-
turn soon. On receipt Of this infor1na-
ton the Camden police kept a watch on
the home Of his bride and her mother.
Mrs. Mary McCabe. 34S Kaighn avenue.
He had been in Camden at least "a hours
before the authorities apprehended him
The dead man. who was identified a
week ago by Mrs. Ellen Mandil Smith
Of The Cedars as the man who married
her under the name OF Charles B.
Smith was later identified by Thomas
Leech Of Elsmere as George Risby
Mrs George Rigby OF Philadelphia who
has been in correspondence with the
local authorities expressed her iuten-
ton Of visiting this city TO identify
Smith as the man who married her
three years ago and then deserted her.
but she hadn't arrived up TO noon to-
day.