Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-10-27


about this, Bowden stated
that his mother had given
him the watch. However,
Mrs. Bowden, who had ar
rived at the office at this
time, denied having given
her son, Raymond, a watch.
Bowden then stated he had
bought the watch from an
unknown man on Seventh
street on March 8, 1862, and
he had replaced a stretch
type band with a black cloth
type band. Noting that Mr..
Merson's watch had had a
stretch-type band, Bowden
was then advised he was I'M
der arrest for the murder OF
MikSa Merson.
About 1870 a In, March 10,
1862, Smith stated that he
would like to take a lie de-
tector test to prove his in
nocence. A polygraph exam
nation was given by Detec-
tive Preston who reported
that there were indications of
guilt in this examination and
he, therefore, could not clear
Smith in the Merson case.
Following this examination,
which altogether consumed a
period of approximately two
hours, Raymond Bowden also
voluntarily consented to take
a polygraph examination
which was conducted at
about 2 pm. by D tective
Preston. Following this ex-
animation, Bowden admitted
that he had lied, but stated
that Smith was the person
who struck the decedent and
that Smith had taken the
wrist watch recovered from
BoWden and a wallet con-
tanning $50 and personal pa
pers. Bowden, however, was
reluctant to confront Smith
with these allegations. He
stated that he felt Smith
should tell about 1t rather
than he confront Smith with
the allegations. He states
that he had been across the
street when Smith struck the
decedent with a tree limb.
\ +
Although expressing reluc-
lance to confront Smith,
Bowden said he would be
willing to show the police
where the assault had &C.
Cured and where the prop
erty had been thrown by
Smith. He identified the in
tersection of 18th and P
streets, as the location where
Smith had started going
through the wallet taken
from the decedent and
stated that from that loca-
ton to the corner of 18th
and P streets, Smith was
throwing away papers from
the wallet. This is the loca-
ton where papers from the
decedent's wallet had been
found. On returning to the
Homicide Squad office about
800 pm, Bowden dictated q
written statement, was
turned over to the Juvenile
squad and was placed in the
Receiving Home for Children.
Smith had been placed in the
Central Cell Book at 6:58
pm, March 10, 1862, while
an effort was made to check
out his conflicting stories
about his activities on
March 8, 1862.
At 1925 am, March IL,
1862, Smith was taken from
the cell block to the Homi-
eide Squad office by Detective
Preston and reinterviewed
about the Merson case. At
11:40 am. Smith admitted
he had struck the decedent,
had taken a watch and wal
let containing $50 and per-
sonal papers. Smith said he
would tell the whole story,
but he wanted to see Bow
den first. Bowden was, there
fore, brought from the Re-
ceiving Home to the Homi-
eide Squad office where they
discussed some Of the de-
tails and Smith advised Bow
den he was not angry be-
cause of his telling the truth
about the case and that he,
Smith, had also told the
truth.
Smith then said he was
willing to show the police
where the offense had been
committed and where he ran
after the assault. Prior to
leaving the office for this
re-enactment, both these de-
PENDANTS stated there was
something else about the
case the police were not
aware of, namely that a
third person was involved,
whom they identified as Phil
lip Holman, IA years, Of 3l4
I street, NV.
y y 4
At 12:45 pm, Smith was
taken from police head
quarters to outline the direc-
ton that he, Bowden and
Holman had taken going to
the 1900 block of Ashmead
place, and the route Of es-
cape. While following this
escape route, Smith stopped
in front of 2114 LIE Roy place,
and stated he had thrown a
key case taken from the de-
cedent into the front yard
of that address. Smith him
self recovered this key case
which was later found to
contain a key to the dece-
dents home and another for
the home of his brother, Mr..
Sigmund Merson. Smith also
described throwing away pa
pers in the TOO block of P
street, NV. On the return
l. lila LOO Ie.,o ,-4o,e about