Evening star., 1925-04-08
New Analysis to Be Made on
Basis of Charges by
Mans Daughter.
CERTAIN PERSON. NAMED
IN LETTER FACES ARREST
Will Be Taken if Autopsy Reveals
Prominent Mason Was
Drugged.

W ME CHeInlStS al george washing
ton University Medical School were
examining today vital organs of the
| body Of the late Samuel 2. c. Tho
man TO assist the police in determin-
ing the accuracy Of reports that the
prominent Mason was killed BY
poison, several startling new angles
were given the case in statements
made by Mrs. Fleta Motherwen
pretty 25-year-old daughter OF the
/ dece ased, who instisated the investi-
cation.
DR.. Oscar B. Hunter, professor Of
pathology and bacteriology, and as
sistant dean Of the medical school,
who is personally supervising the
| chemical analysis and spectroscopic
| examination Of the vital internal or
gans, announced today that pre-
liminary analysis has failed so far to
show any traces of one poison, and
explained that search for another is
now under way
Police Await Autop.y
Police, meanwhile. are marking
time TO await the outcome of the
autopsy now under way If definite
evidence of poison is found they are
prepared to make an arrest. for the
poison Will be corroborative of incrirn-
| mating statements made in letter
now in the hands of the police. This
letter names a certain person as hav-
ing given "a white powder to Mr.
| Thoman in a drink while the de-
ceased was i'll last MAY
Mrs. Motherwell, in what she said
was her first authentic story of the
circumstances leading up to the
present investigation. made the fol-
| lowing statement to a Star reporter
today:
After my mother took poison the
second time, last November learned
from friend that a letter had been
! round at the TIhoman home, at 1872
South Carolina avenue southeast.
obtained possession of It through
| this friend. The letter was signed
and named a certain person as having
given white powder to Daddy while
ne was sick. l have turned IL over
| 10 the police.
Describes Attack.
Il didn't have the letter when
was attacked two weeks axo. but
somebody evidently thought 1 had.
Here's just how the attack happened.
l had returned from the corner
grocery store and was walking
]
the kitchen when, without a word of
warning, two hands were clapped
over my mouth and eyes They were
strong, large hands. At the same
| time some one else grabbed my hand
and tied them behind me with a piece
| of clothesline
The two persons next stuck a sock
In my mouth and tied another one
over 1t. as gag, and they blind
| 1olded my eyes with another piece of
| cloth. Then l was carried down the
cellar steps, my knees being skinned
| as they bumped along the stairs, and
| my feet were then doubled up back
of me and tieo 70 my hands. Then
| was put behind a four-foot hone
chest. BY this time 1 was ready to
faint. l kept by wits all the time,
! though.
AssaiIants Flee.
This was about $50 o'clock in the
/ afternoon. About half an hour later
Policeman Iewark, who rooms here
/ came home, saw how the place had
| been ransacked and began to look for
me. One of my assailants remained
beside me until Mr.. Lewark's foot
| steps were heard upstairs Then the
person ran out the back door of the
| cellar.
Mr.. Lewark finally found me and
Iiollleu lne nlntn precinct. He knew
what 1t was all about, as we'll as /
| did. The Detective Bureau then be-
| gan its investigation.
Il have always been convinced that
my father was poisoned. Every GsN,
he would start TO get wen ne was
taken deathly sick again. He kept
| saying Why? That is all he would
say. He was unable to say anything
more.
Daughter Denies Animus.
eff they don't find poison in
daddys body 1 will be the first TO
admit l have made great and ter
rible mistake. l don't want to hurt
anybody, but 1 won't rest until [
| find out for sure that he died from
natural causes. Daddy was too good
a man to be murdered, and If he was
| I want to have the privilege of hang
ing the person who did IT."
Policeman Lewark corroborated
Mrs. Motherwell's story of the at
tack. He said he was a close friend
of Mr.. Thoman and as friend had
felt it only just that the grave sus-
picions" thrown on the manner OF
Mr., Thoman's death should be in
vestigated once and for. all.
Mrs. Motherwel1 is we'll known
throughout the northeast section She
was adjudged the third most popu-
lar young woman during the 1922
Shrine popularity contest.
The body of Mr.. Thoman was re-
inferred in Cedar Hill Cemetery to-
day in the same spot where 1t had
lain since his funeral, in May, 1924.