Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-01-09

the house WAC dark.
Another person, in passing. saw girl tprob;
ably this same coiored girl) go TO the door and
knock, and noticed that on the instant the light
in the store was put out.
On the day following, Detectives McDevitt
and Claryoe, In making an examination OF the
premises, found blood on the street door inside,
and the knob quite sticky with blood. This
fact would seem to indicate that the murderer
together be relied on, as it Is possible that
of the visitors who handled the bleeding body
might in passing out have left these traces
of blood OIL the door.
The case was in volved In further mystery by
the fact that no money was missing, though
there was some ten dollars in paper in her
neishborhood of $1,000 in her chamber. 1t
seemed difficult to reconcile this fact with the
supposition that the deed was one for the pur-
pcse of robbery; yet it was even more difficult
to suppose it the work of a personal enemy, for
the universal te stimony of ali who knew her was
that she W as the most blameless and molten.
sive Of beings. For many years she had been
q commandment of Rev. Mr.. Holuead's Church
{Epiecopal,) and is spoken Of by pastor and
congregation as a woman quite unlikely to
earn the i'll will Of a human being. Z
hs In the same neighborhood, and little more
than square from the scene Of this tragedy,
another ightful affair occurred, very nearly
at the same time. Miss Mary Hook, an en-
ployee at the clothing stora Of Wall &c Stevens,
Pennsylvania avenue, returning to her home,
left the street cars at south street, and pass.
ing along street eastwardly, saw person
ahead, who preseDt ly stoopedas if to tie q shoe,
at which time she passed him land went on until
opposite St. Dominick's church, when shepaused
in passing the parsonage building to glance into
the supper. room where that meal was in pro.
gress. She remembers hearing the person be-
hind her approach, bat recollects nothing more
until she came to consciousness after having
been struck down by fearful bio " on the head.
The rutfian who assailed her searched her
pockets for money, and afterwards blood was
found on a book in her pocket. From this 1t
has been supposed that her assailant was fresh
from the murder Of Mrs. Dowell, leaving the
marks Of his blood stained hands on the arti-
cles IN Miss Hooks pocket.
AS, however the blood found on this book
might have come from the wound upon Miss
Hooks head. this theory, too, is not altogether
a safe one. II must be remembered, too, that
her saIlant was moving along F street, east
waIdly-a direction not compatible with the
assumption that he was coming from the d.
recton of Mrs. DoweIPs. Miss Hook, howey-
er, is not certain whether the STOPPING party
" as her assailaDt, and il ia possible that some
one sprung from behind tree box to make the
attack. -.--r-..
She des cribes the STOPPING person as stout-
ish man perhaps five feet six inches in height,
dressed in black SLOUGH hat aud long sack
coat, apparently white man.
These cases and number OF other murderous
assaults in that ward created naturally some
thing like panic amongst the people. The
superficial nature of the Investigation at the
Coroner's inquest upon the murdered Mrs.
Dowell did not tend to alay the excitement.
AS a natural consequence, rumor has taken
up the case, and filled the air with rapofts
duplicating various parties as the guilty ones.
Among the parties SO named were the two sons
OF Inc deceased, and some currency was given
to this rumor from the fact that no money was
taken aw ay from the premises; hut this fact can
readily be accounted for on the suppositiou that
the murderer was interrupted ut his work by
the rap at the door, and putting out the light, he
decamped in fright without pansing to look for
the fruits Of bis murderous venture.
As stated by us yesterday, these Young men
gave themselves up TO detective officer McDe-
witt for an investigation, which came off yes
terday before Justice Clayton at the Second
Ward station. j. III. Bradley, IT., appeared for
the young Dowells.
THE INVESTIGATION.
James III. Scarf, sWorn.-WItress works at the
Arsenal and boards at Mrs. Luckett s, near
came in with alarm of the murder of Mrs
Dowel. Witness ran in there and found de-
ceased leaning against the boxes. The blood
was cold, and she must have been struck at
least an hour. This was about half past eight
O'Clock, witness thinks The store door opens
TO the street. Witness found her behind thu
counter. He ssked her if she was hurt, and she
said yes. The next day she told witness she
was struck by colored man. 3D.
Cross-e1amined by Mr.. Bradley Mrs Dow
ell Kept dry goods store. Witness knew de-
pie next day when deceased spoke to witness.
Witness is positive that she said it was white
man struck her. - =
Mr.. Bradley.-Did you not testify just now
her?
Hitaess,--No, did not.
Mr.. Bradley.-Did You not, at the time you
questioned her at her house, say that she said it
was colored man, and did You not call the
attention OF the people present to note that she
said IT was colored man!
WitRess.-1 did not. Witness does not know
one OF the sons from the other. Went directly
from the Arsenal to Mrs Luckett's. Is certain
from the time that elapsed after his leaving the
Arsenal that 1t must have been between and
40
might have stopped on his way to get drink
Lett the Arsenal about ten minutes be- fore fl we,
and arrived home, he thinks, in about twenty
minutes Has often been in the store OF Mrs
Dowell. Has been in. the habit OF bHying all
his collars and hanGkerchiefs there. Goes
there two or three timesa week. ~
Mr.. Bradky.-Do you need to purchase col
lars SIS often as that Il.
Wftness.-Yes, sir; paper collars, such as
wear. .
Mr.. Bradley.-Do you recollect being there
about two weeks before the murder, and Look
ing in at the window! =
Witness.-I do not
BY Justice CtagtoB.-After the affair deceased
told witness it was a W bite man who struck
her Witness did not call those present to
witness that she said it was black man.
Justice Clayton;-Did you not, in the firstiof
colored man who struck her!
HttneSs.-1 did not
Justice Ctayton-why, every person il the
room heard you say So E1r- "-..
IFHnesS.--i did not say SO. -
Justice Clayfoa.-Mr. Reporter, how do you
have il in your notesl
Rep0rter.--ssCClored man =
Witness.--I did not say so. &
Michael Liston sworn.-Wi'ness is employed
at The foundry Of Messrs. DoweIf (William)
and Grimmell, on Seventh street, near the
wharf; was at work on the day of
the murder, with John and William Dowell,
at the foundry. Knocked off work at half.past
five or six In the evening, an ali three, John,
William, and witness went to the house OF
William BOWEL, on q street, where they get
their meals, to get supper. After supper
they went to work again together.
John Dowell went home to his mothers about
quarter or half past eight. John sleeps al his
mothers. Witness heard of the affair about
ten minutes after John went home. He tJohn)
came back and called 10 his brother William
that his mother was killed. her brains knocked
out. William was lying on the lounge. Wit
ness was in company with John and William
all the time up to that time.
.jG!tR Hing sworn.-W orks at the same fouu-
dry. When witness at half.past five went to
supper, left the others at work. Came back
before them. They William, John and Lis
ton,) all came back together. Witness want
home the first man, ut eight o clock. The others
We're then at work. s3gs -.-.s-g. ..s