Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1863-07-07

The Chronicle mas the following IN teaoed
| type
"a Foul MURDER LAST NIGHT-THE MUR-
DERERs CAUGHT DIGGING A GRAyE.-Abo ut
ten O'Clock last night one of the policemen of
| the Second Ward ascertained that grave was
being speedily and secretly dug in the yard at
the corner of Fourteenth and l. streets. he at
| once informed lieutenant of the provost
guard of the circumstance, when the latter
CAUSED the arrest of a number OF white and
| colored persons, on suspicion of having muir
dered late in the evening member of SCOTS
SHINE Hundred"
The horrible deed is said to have been COM
mitted on Fourteenth near street. We omit
the names of the parties arrested until a thor
ough investigation can be had.
Thls Is the serenh murder in this city within
the past week. There were two on Saturday
night last The number of murders in Wash
ington at this time seem almost to put to the
blush Arkansas or Texas in their most vicious
days.
Although murders are pregnant we have
n OF had but one hanging within the last six
months. Now that the rogues have been driven
away or sent to the penitentiary, the murderers
and assassins seem to have possession of the
city. The law should give them a turn
The facts appear to be as follows Last night
as officer Healey was going to his home IN the
northern part of the Second Ward he met two
contrabands, one of VIII ON had shovel Healey
asked them where they were going to work SO
late, and they told him they were engaged to
dig grave for some soldier. The officer asked
them if they had seen the body They said they
had not, but that soldiers would be there to
show them where to dig, and that they would
be paid as soon as the grave was finished.
The officer went at once for the Provost
Guard, and found a lieutenant with a squad
at Growers Theater, and related the circum
stances; and as was his duty, he Immediately
set out for the place, gong ssGouble
quick, and on entering the lot near the corner
of Fifteenth and r sts., they found number
of soldiers giving their names as John Rady,
VIM: p. Barry, James Welch Dennis Mitch
ell, John Mcdaniel, George Sweeny, Patrick
SWeeny, John O'Neil, Second District, and
John Henderson and Stephen Barnes contra
bands. The soldiers had all been drinking,
and George Sweeny was very drunk The
contrabands had beenAt work digging grave
near by, feet long, feet deep, and ~ feet
wide, in which some straw had been laid
The men We're taken in charge and escorted to
the guard-house, where they were confined
until this morning, when the case was ex-
amined.
In consequence of the appearance of the
above newspaper article, there was much in
quiry in the neighborhood of the places named
to the facts in the case, but no one was able
to give any particulars in regard to the foul
murder. The contrabandS stated that as they
were returning from work the soldiers, who
were lying about the lot, pressed them INTO
service, and after they had got their tools. set
them to digging the grave, one of them taking
the size of George Sweeny, who was lying
drunk on the ground, and stalking the grave.
After they had finished, the soldiers, with
VI uuhtu SIdNitys were dO0ut putting oWeeny
in it, when they awoke him. Sweeny, natur-
ally indignant, asked, sWhat the ID are YOU
going to do 70 and the spokesman of the party
said, "You're so drunk you can't get along,
and you might we'll be buried" Sweeny
said, s'Boys, just let me have little more fresh
air, if you please and proceeded to insist
upon his right to remain above ground for
season longer. When the guard arrived,
Sweeny was lying yet pretty drunk, and the
others were discussing over q bottle as to
whether he should be buried with military
honors, or just tumbled in anyhow.
After hearing the statements of the contra
bands, they were dismissed; and the tipsy
farce of the soldiers was turned into a serious
drama by Major Cilly, who ordered the admin
istration of the shower bath to the performers.