William Lewis
Kentucky Post, Wednesday, 3 July 1895, page 9
IDENTITIES OF MURDERS OF WILLIAM LEWIS
It is barely possible that the raid of Captain Phillips and
Sergeant Willis, of the Newport police force, on a gang of hobos at Finchtown
Monday may lead to the apprehension of the murderers of Yard Watchman William
Lewis in the Little Miami Yards last Sunday night. Among the 12 tramps captured
Monday night and who are now in jail is a boy. One of the men when arrested gave
his name as Coleman and had three loaded pistol cartridges in his pocket. He is
also said to have been trying to dispose of a revolver shortly before the raid.
A Kentucky Post reporter interrogated the prisoners in the Newport jail. The boy, who gave his name as Harry Smith, claiming to be from Bluffton, Ind. said that he slept in a box car in the Little Miami Yards Saturday night, but denied having been there any other night. His companion, a man named Murray, whom the boy claims was with him at the time, denies being in Cincinnati any night, saying that he arrived there Sunday morning and proceeded to Newport that afternoon.
While the men may not have been implicated in the killing, those actions and statements are most conflicting and suspicious.