Evening star., 1922-06-16
THREE UNDER BOND
AS RIOT WITNESSES

vestigations of Fatal Af-
r. fray Underway.
Police today released Ernest Jo-
seph Watson of $50 l street south
west and John E. Histon of Sol K
street northeast, and James Noonan,
1za5 22d street. who were being
held by the police "for investiga-
ton" in connection with the rioting
on board the steamer Charles Macal-
ester Wednesday night. when Louis
B. Mccormack was killed and a num-
ber injured. The three were released
under $500 bonds each as witnesses.
Detection Of a clique of bootleggers
is being aimed at today by police Of
Washington and Alexandria in an ef-
fort to solve the cause OF the rioting.
Four Investigations are under way.
One is being conducted by the police
forces of the District and Alexandria.
A second is being prosecuted by pro-
hibition enforcement officers. working
for the most part under cover" A
third started today under the auspices
Of the steamboat inspection service Of
Official investigation also is being pros
ecuted. as stringently as the other
three by the Tech High School
Alumni. members of which organiza-
tion were on an excursion on the night
the rioting took place. The investiga-
ton is being directed by Attorney
Clyde D. Garrett, a former president
of the Tech alumni.
Three persons are being sought in
Alexandria in connection with the af-
fray. One is known as an old offender
and notorious bootlegger. His name
was called out on the boat as being
the one who did il" when Mccormack
was stabbed fatally.
Seek Same Mon.
Inspector of Detectives Clifford L.
Grant has asst gned Detectives Wald-
ron. Sweeney. Darnall and Springman
to the case. Detectives Darnall and
Springman, according to reports, last
night centered their attention upon
a man answering the description OF
an assailant in the fight. who made q
late trip back TO Alexandria on the
Mscalester Wednesday night. He is
are loking for
The investigation by the steamboat
inspection service operatives is be-
ing conducted today. the plan being
for the investigators to take the trips
Of the Macalester in order to inter
view the officers of the boat. In
spectors from the Baltimore regional
Office arrived here today TO take up
this work.
Deputy Inspector General D. n.
Hoover. temporarily in charge of the
inspection service. today declared
that his office is concerned principally
in the maintenance Of discipline of
the boat.
Prohibition agents are in the vi
cinity of Marshall Hall. investigating
| the locality in an endeavor to obtain
evidence regarding the transporta-
tion or manufacture Of liquor in thai
region. A representative also was at
Alexandria yesterday to check up on
testimony presented to the coroner's
jury investigating the death of Nc
Cormack
Defends Boats Employees.
Attorney Gardner L. Booth of Alex
andria, attorney for the Mount Vernon
and Marshall Hall Steamboat Com
pany. Ltd. today issued a statement
declaring that the company did not
wish to make public a detailed state
ment of the unfortunate occurrence
until after the investigation of the
CoronerS jury had sheen completed
and all evidence had been taken.
Il don't think that there is any
thing further for the company TO
| say. other than that 1t deplores the
unfortunate occurrence" he said.
One phase of the matter has been
exaggerated. This is in respect to the
| lack of cooperation of the employees
of the line to prevent the situation.
i The evidence thus far tends to indi-
cate that a great deal more rough
ness was evident just as the boat left
, the Marshall Hall wharf and just be-
; fore 1t arrived at the Alexandria
| wharf. There were a number OF en-
| ployes of the company on the lower
deck. All have stated that they tried
i to do everything in their power to
prevent the lighting"
% Witnesses ON Stand.
Twenty-Five witnesses took the
stand at a session Of the coronec's
| jury in Alexandria yesterday after
noon, which started at and finished
/ at 10 o'clock. The jury adjourned
until next Tuesday night at 1880 with
out reaching a verdict. The jury is
no nearer a solution of who actually
stabbed Louis r. Mccormack now
! than when they started.
! Among those attending the inquest
were James J. O'Leary, assistant dis
| trict attorney, Washington; H. NJ.
buckett, from tHe prOnlDlllOn com =
missioner's office; Attorney F. Ed
ward Mitchell. representing John
Histon. and Attorney William NJ. Ell
lison of Fairfax, representing James
J. Noonan. Inspector Henry Pratt,
assistant superintendent of police.
also attended. as did several officials
, for the Technical High School.
witnesses agreed that fighting had
taken place at Marshall Hall and that
the major portion of the serious
rioting was on board the boat when
it was reaching the Alexandria dock.
John Edward, 334 NJ street south
west, told of having helped to take
/; Mccormack to the hospital and of
the last words of Mccormack, which
! were. Il am stabbed"
Chester Curtis of Del Ray, Airing
ton county. Va, told the jury that
! the fight started just as the boat
was landing. The man who was
| stabbed. he said, cried out: My God,
I am stabbedr' and fen backwards.
] Curtis declared that a free-for all
! fight followed. He described a man
| who was displaying a knife on the
wharf after the boat had landed.
Various details of the ARRAY were
! presented by witnesses, but none shed
any light on the cause Of the con-
| troversy.
.us-aR@npaI IA