Evening star., 1953-07-19
Family and Friends
Cant Believe Youth
FIGURED in Killing


family and friends said yesterday
they can't believe it.
When reporters went to his
mothers home, 1926 Eighth
street NV, Mrs. Watson was
calm until her daughter, Mrs.
Frances Robinson, became grad
ually more excited and finally
ordered the reporters out. Before
they decided not to be inter-
viewed. however, Mrs. Watson
said:
II can't believe it. Why accuse
him? He's not a sexual maniac.
Nobody in our is family like
that"
Mrs. Robinson had the same
reaction:
I'm not holding up for him
because he's my brother. But I
know him, and he wouldn't be
capable of doing a thing like
that"
But Mr.. Robinson said 1--WE al
ways had trouble with him as
child. He was in a couple of acci-
dents and hurt his head: We
wanted a psychiatriSt to look
him over, but he wouldn't CO."
In National Training School.
Mrs. Isabella Alexander, 33,
has known him since he was S.
She was his neighbor in the 1400
block of Sixth street NV. then.
He roomed at her house, 1345
Meridian place NV. for about
two years before he was COM
mitted to the National Training
School for Boys in the fall of
1851.
HE was a hard working boy
-. he led a decent life. He was
very neat" she recalls.
But she also remembers that
he had a strong temper. And
that change" came over him
toward the end of his stay at her
house.
Company started coming for
him. Boys. They would never
come in the house, just sit out in
the car. He used to sit on the
porch and wait for them, or look
out the window"
Watson was II then.
Started to Get Slovenly.
"He was very neat, up to then
Kept his room neat, and his
clothes. too. But then he started
to get Slovenly. And he got back
in his rent. l told him he would
have to leave. He moved some
where else. but about three
weeks later he was caught for
purse snatching."
Watson got out of reform
school "the last time" on De-
cember 7. 1852. his mother said.
On December "a, he went to live
in a room in the apartment of
Mrs. D. c. Lambert; 210O Nine
teenth street NV. Mrs. Lambert
speaks only good of him.
Miss Taggert was bludgeoned
to death the night of July As.
Went to See Fireworks.
Mrs. Lambert describes Wat ]
sons actions that night:
My daughter (who also lives
in the apartment) had a cousin
visiting. and they all went down
to see the fireworks at the Mon
ument grounds.
Miss F. K. Lambert, the daugh-
ter. remembers, after the show
we stopped and got something
to eat. We got home about
11:30."
Watson was at the apartment
for breakfast the next morning,
and seemed to have been in bed
all night.
IF he left, he must have done
1t very quietly" says Mrs. Lam
bert.
Went to New York.
After breakfast that Sunday,
Watson spent the day packing
for a trip out of town. This va
cation. which lasted until the
following Friday, was planned
in advance. according to Mrs.
Lambert.
Watson went with a group of
acquaintance to New York and
New Jersey.
That Sunday, Watson's mother
telephoned him. He didn't seem
nervous or different" she said.
Il asked him what he was doing,
and he said he was resting up
for his trip"
He sent her postcards from
New York and Atlantic City.
Watson was born in Washing
ton and educated in public
schools both here and in Rich
mond, Va. His mother and
father are separated. Mrs. Alex
ander cannot remember ever see
ing the father.
Watson's troubles with the
police began at 9. According
to Juvenile Squad files at Police
headquarters, he had seven COM
plants filed against him as
boy-including three the police
regard as seriouS-purse snatch
ingS.
Police Inspector E. E. Scott
said that Watson, as an adult
was committed to District. Jail
last year on charges of tamper-
ing with an auto and carrying
a deadly weapon. According to
the officer, a woman entering
her car, parked at Thirteenth
and E streets NE, found Wat
son lying on the car floor. A
Switchblade knife was found in
his pocket, Inspector Scott said.
Robert j. Raiser, acting super
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