Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-27
Gagged Daughter After
Choking, Smith Admits
to Police.
CORONER TO HOLD
INQUEST TOMORROW
Held Mirror to Mouth, Then APP
piled Rag to Insure Death,
Parent Says.


l9-year-old daughter, Bessie. Then
from behind the locked door of the room
in which the police homicide squad had
put question after question to Franklin
Ellsworth Smith, 40. confessed slayer,
came the sounds of a clicking type
writer-a new confession was being
written.
In this confession Smith described
the details of the killing.
He said that when he attacked the
girl he threw her on the bed and
pressed both thumbs against her wind
pipe, holding his hands tightly about
her throat for about five minutes.
Then, according to his confession, he
got a mirror and held it in front of
the girls mouth. Some moisture APP
pcared on The glass SO he took cloth
and bound it tightly around the mouth.
holding her nose until he was satisfied
that life was gone.
Body Barely Marked.
Barely marked from the attack, the
body of the daughter is being held ct
the morgue pending the inquest. which
is to be held at 1880 am. tomorrow.
1t is expected that after the inquest
q formal charge of murder will be
placed against Smith. He is held on
charge Of investigation now.
District chemists today began an
analysis of the contents of the stomach
of the slain girl.
Believes Girl tainted.
The ease with which the man, weigh
ing only $50 pounds, killed with his
own hands his daughter, large and
muscular girl weighing 165 POUNDS,
frankly puzzles police, but Coroner j.
Ramsay hewitt, who superintendent the
autopsy made late yesterday on the
girls body. found the girl had an alb
normally large heart. He is Of the
opinion that the enlarged, heart would
make the girl subject to fainting spells.
He believes the girl just tainted when
attacked and this made the crushing
out of her life matter of no great
physical exertion on the part Of Smith.
Seemingly in a daze since he gave
himself over to police, Smith has gone
about, police say, without quite knowing
what he does
At the first precinct station last night
Smith slipped of to sleep after eating
half heartedly of the jail fare. Not a
word CT complaint nor a request was
received from him during the night.
And when he was taken to the pris-
oners Gue-uD at headquarters this
Piece Story Together.
He was taken from the lineup and
fQtr1 Y11if41ltoc Iotor n1ncofoI Will,
berS of the homicide squad, and the
grilling began. For hours the monot-
onous drone of questions came from
the room as the detectives pieced to-
gather the odds and ends of his personal
and family life that led to the tragedy
that occurred yesterday morning at
the Augusta Apartments, ISL New Jer-
Sey avenue.
Smith is expected to testify at the
inquest tomorrow. Important testimony
also is expected of John G. Steele, the
friend of Bessie Smith, who has been
a ledger in the Smith apartment for
several days
Police believe that Smiths jealousy
over the attention paid Steele by his
daughter and her mother was famed to
a fever heat when Smith came home
tired from his work as night Waterman
az t4AS odilA yes
terday morning and found his daughter
ready to go out without having pre-
pared his breakfast.
In his statement last night Smith,
police say, complained that the SEEM
ingly favored position of Steele in his
household had been a matter of con-
siderable contention for some time.
Mrs. Smith was PROSTATE with grief
To-Day ana would see no one.
Walks in Station House.
While police of every precinct and
members of the homicide squad were
combing the city for him, Smith walk
ed into the first precinct police sta
ton shortly before 5 o'clock yester-
day afternoon and surrendered. He
was taken to headquarters Immediately.
where he is said to have admitted
choking his daughter to death.
Smith told the detectives that his act
ing quarrel between himself and his
daughter concerning the latter's keep
ing company with John Steele. who
also lives at the Augusta Apartment.
MY temper got the best of me and
held my hands around her throat
until she had stopped breathing" Smith
said, according to Detective Sergt. Jo-
'eph Waldron. who questioned him for
more than an hour.
The father said he returned home
rom the Metropolitan National Bank,
where he was employed as a night
about $3.50 yesterday morn
ing. He asked his daughter to pre-
pare some breakfast, and she refused,
lie is reported to have told detectives.
Found Food Gone.
Thereupon he examined the ice box
md found that certain food he wanted
vas gone. Returning to the bedroom
where his daughter was dressing. re-
outedly to go out with Steele, the quar-
'el was renewed, Smith accusing the
girl of giving all the food to Steele.
Finally, Smith told Detective WAL
iron, he grabbed her By the throat
md threw her on the bed and held
Ter there several minutes" She made
no cutlery and did not put up fight,
he father said.
He held her until her breathing had
stopped and he thought she
vas dead, the detective declares. He
placed a pillow over her face and
stayed around about half hour.
AS he was leaving he met Steele and
old him, Bessie is dead" He then
vent out, locking the door behind him.
Smith said he kept in touch with the
in his home through the
as he wandered about the
streets. He had several papers in his
when he appeared at the
first precinct.
Detective waldron said Smith failed