Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-06-17

to leave on Saturday, but would not 60 till
this Saturday, witness asked Pruitt what he
meant by wanting to send her out of the house.
be denied saying 1t, and went out ana smut the
door. Mrs. Pruitt was gone to market; Sat.
urday night witness went to Mrs. mcDuelfs
to hire; told her what had occurred, and she
would not hire her. Witness asked him before
his wife about his wanting to turn her away.
He said yes he said so, becausethe mtlkwas doing
the child (Mrs. Pruitts) no good, (witness was
the wet NURSE and the expense was too great.
Mrs. Pruitt told witness to say nothing, and
60 to bed. Sunday morning witness got mp
and dressed her baby, then packed her runk
and put all her things In. She then took the
baby and knocked at Mrs. Fruits door. Mrs.
PruItt got up and opened the door. Pruitt was
him Lizzie wanted him. Witness asked him
to look at the baby and at her, and remember
what he had done to her. He looked at witness
and said b" Well" She said you promised to
witness should want for nothing. Witness
then told him II he didn't give money that day
to support the child she would disgrace him
on the morrow. He turned to his wife and
said, s'Lib, doyou believe thatd-d blackb-h2"
She said, s'Yes, Frank, do; for the last three
months you have acted as IL you were afraid
of Liz" He jumped out OF bed, went to the
drawer, took out revolver, and said, "God
On You, never intended to die natural
death. and will blow your id brains out
Mrs Fruit took the revolver out of his hands,
q
and put the pistol in the drawer. Pruitt ran
TO witness, choked her and ran her up against
the WALL and ordered her out Of the house
witness went down the steps with her baby
dered her out, and told her to get her trunk as
soon as possible, or he would throw it out
witness returned with colored man in half
an hour, and got her trunk. Pruitt was sitting
In the yard on STOOL Witness went up stairs
with Mrs. Pruitt and got her trunk She gave
witness some money in her hand. Monday
mernlng, between and o'clock, witness en-.
tered complaint before Justice Barnaclo against
Fruit. He would not issue upon it. Witness
went to Justice Rowland about 3 o'clock D. m,
and he issued warrant On Monday night
witness was arrested on charge of stealing
MRS. Fruits money; was sent to Jail Tuesday
and stayed till Friday, and was discharged on
her.
To the Justice:-lt was three months after
the night on the sofa that found myself with
child, and nine months afterwards gave
birth to this child
To Mr.. Bradley:-I am sure 1t was two wears
and-a- haif to this time since went there. l
know Jane Thomas. Never told her anything
about my sickness. Don't know any colored
man named Davis. Father Mcguire christened
the child. told him the father Of the child
William Pruitt.
Mr. Bradley read a certificate from Father
Mcguire, Of st. Aloysius Church, as follows:
cs Prom the book Of Baptisms kept in this
cember I'd, 1s63-Bapuzed Rosina DAVIS.
daughter OF VIM. Davis and his wife, Elizabeth
Shorter. Born November I'd, 1863. Sponsor
Rosa Brown. b. A. MAGUIRE, S. J., Pastor.
John Softer (white, sworn.-Knows Elizabeth
Shorter about two years. She lived at Fruits
house, about four doors from mine She has a
I ia character: 1 keep grocery store She
Never knew anything against her chastity or
honesty. She bought her goods and left the
store Immediately after getting them.
hrc Snfpr
bands statement.
Complainant recalled.-Never told Mrs.
NAH.
r. johnson sworn.-Testifled that COMPLAIN
ant said in his presence that Dir. Pruitt would
never have any luck; that his children would
die, and perhaps his wife too. That the child
F.Pruitt.
Sergt. Jas. Johrson sworn.-I went to house
win MI. frnitt Sergt. Skippon, and R. john
son, after Elizabeth Shorter. She was not
there. Went TO another house and found her.
/ demanded the money she was charged with
stealing. She denied having it, I searched
her, and handkerchief fell on the floor; it con-
tanned silver; On the other side found another
handkerchief containing fifty dollar note and
some small notes. She said Mrs. Pruitt gave
IT TO her. She accused Mr.. Pruitt Of being the
father Of her child. Mr.. Pruitt flew in q pas
gether.
Officer J. +. King, sworn.-Was present at
Justice Rowland's Office when the complain.
ant asked warrant. No warrant was issued.
MI. Rowland told her to come next day. She
made q statement, charging MIR. Pruitt with
being the father Of this child
Belinda EudHs sworn-LLves at Mr. Pruitps
was sitting with the complainant and talking
about the child asked her who was the ia
ther. She said didn't know him. remarked
that she had as well tell me. She said his name
was Mr.. Davis; that he was engaged to be
married; was a white man, and lives in the
city. She told me before that his name was
Mr.. Davis. She said the child's name was
Rosa Davis.
J. L. AcDu.H, (white,) sworn.-Complainan
came to my house on Saturday night, nv
wife was out. She said Mr.. Pruitt has hurt
her feelings, and asked TO stay with witness
Said she would stay with me without paw,
rather than with PIuitt for pay. 1 asked her
what Pruitt had done. She said he as good as
turned her out. My wife returned and COM
plainant stated the same to her.
John ". Hunter, (white,) sworn-Liyes near
McDue1ls. Have seen complainant go in an
alley with colored men several times; and also
into house Of ill-fame nearly opposite. both
OF which are reputed TO be used for improper
purposes. Have never seen the complainant
do anything improper in the alley; but have
seen others Have seen women living in fami-
lies going into the house referred to. They
were colored, and of bad repute.
Rep. B. A. Mcguire, sworn.-Is the pastor of
st. Aloysius Church 1t is customary to keep
a record of baptisnns In the church. The GER
tificate shown is an exact CODY made from
VIM. Pruitt or Francis Pruitt was given at
the time. cannot identify the mother or child
At this time, there are so many that call for
baptism.
Jane Thomas (colored), sworn.-Know Mr..
Pruitt and Lizzie Shorter. sent her to MIR
Pruitt's to get employment. She was in the
family way when she went TO Mr.. PruitL's,
and that child died. She went home from Mr.
Pruitt's sick with smallpox, and the child was
born after. ] know from the statement of Mel.
~ Mitchell and her daughter that the child
died. She was not in the family way when L
recommended her, but / discovered it soon
after she went there. / am on good terms
with Lizzie Shorter spoke to her when / came
into the Office.
Mrs. Martha McDueU (white), sworn.-Lizzie
Shorter lived with me about two m onths after
having lived with Mr.. Pruitt. l asked her
about the father of the child-it was born at
my house. She would not say who was the
father. i remarked that maybe she did not
know. She said there was only two men that
ever knew her, and the father Of her first was
named Cooper. She said she had been con-
fined before.
child is girl"
Mr.. Bradley.-Wm. F. Pruit is a singular
.s- II