Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-01-31
LOCAL NEWS.
THE TRAGEDY IN THE TREASURY
BUILDING.

THE TRAGEDY In THE TREASURY
BUILDING.
Clerk Shot Dead by Female-Her State.
ment as to the incentive for the Terrible
Deed.
About four o'clock yesterday afternoon, as
the clerks Of the Treasury were leaving their
rooms for their homes, tragedy was enacted
in the central hall of the old building which
caused much excitement, and caused the gath
ering OF large crowd of persons about the
doors OF the building who were anxious to
learn the terrible particulars.
1t appears that Mr.. Andrew Jackson Bur-
roughs, (brother Of DIR. Burroughs, president
OF the Douglas College at Chicago, Iliinois,) a
$1,000 clerk in the office OF the Comptroller Of
the Currency. residing at No. 800 street, be-
tween 18th and 18th streets, while passing
slipped out from behind book ease, and,
turning round. he saw her and ran down the
hall but before he turned TO 60 down tine steps
she deliberately leveled the pistol and fired
to the left of the spine, in the
region Of the fifth rib, and it is supposed
passed through or near the heart. Mr.. Bur-
some friend asked him to sit down while he
got help, but before he returned Burroughs had
second shot, coolly thrust her pistol-which is
a small four barrelled Sharp's patent. adapted
to metallic cartridges-into ner pocket, and
walked down the back stairs, whittier some
persons followed her. As she was on her way
out OF the front door, Mr.. Sengstack, one of the
watchmen, detained her. and requested her to
wards, Mr.. Z. g. Handy, who is captain of the
watch OF the building, and also justice Of the
peace, had an interview with her, and COM
mitted her TO Jail, officer Walker conducting
htr thither in carriage
The body was removed TO room No. o., on
Inc hrst floor, and last eyenlng Coroner Wood-s
ward summoned the following jury:--James
Laurenson, foreman; W. G.. Finney, Edward
f. Handy, james Croggon, RoZZell Wood
ward, Han. T.. Addison, Samuel Cornelius,
Joseph E. Davis, Nelson Theaker, q. e. W.
BisseI.
The body was first stripped and examined,
when out one wound was tound-the one above
described. 1t was q small one, and no blood
was visible, he having bled internally.
The Jury proceeded to examine such wit.
nesses as could be found, when Mr.. Alfred
ErercH, a room-m mate of the deceased, was
Witness testified that he left his room
at the same time deceased didA.10 %. m he
going ont one door and deceased another. The
room is in the second story of the building. As
deceased was passing the clock in the hall q
woman stepped from the doorway near the
clock, and running between witness and de-
ceased, deliberately fired pistol. Just as the
shot was fired witness was about to take de-
ceased by the arm, and the flash Of the pistol
passed between them. When the woman fired
the first shot she was but foot or two from
deceased. After the first shot was fired de.
ceased turned around and tnre " up his hands,
exclaiming "Oh.' He then turned again and
ran toward the staircase At the east end of the
hall, when the woman fired second time, and
deceased fell Deceased had got about sixty
feet from the woman when she fired the second
shot. The first shot was fired low. Witness
does not think deceased saw the woman until
after she had fired the first shot. After firing
the shot the woman walked deliberately away,
and witness went after her, and requested
esome gentlemen to apprehend her, which was
done. She first went down the steps to the
ground floor, and finding she could not get out
that way, returned up stairs. When the first
shot was fired there was a gentleman by his
side who ran also, but witness is certain that
deceased was the womans object.
George III. Walker, policeman. sworn BE-
tween tour and five O'Clock witness was sent
Justice Handy there. The woman, who gave
her name as Mary Harris. was there also, and
admitted that she had shot the deceased. JUS
tice Handy committed her to jaiI and witness
got carriage to take her there. On the way,
and without any questions being asked on the
part OF witness, the prisoner stated that she
nad Done the deed deliberately, and that she
did not wish any one to sympathize with her;
so far as she was concerned she did not regretthe
act, but she was sorry on account of her father
and mother. She further stated thatthe deceased
mad seduced her under promise of marriage, ,and
that she had been disgraced, and had been
driven from her friends and from her home;
and that when deceased was appealed to to do
her justice he took her to a disreputable house
in Chicago. She had told deceased wear ago
that she would have revenge, even at the risk
OF her lie; and some time ago she determined
to purchase pistol ana bring her to Wash.
ingtoh she would have her revenge. She ar
rived IN washington yesterday morning and
at once proceeded to carry out her Intended
purpose. Witness understood the woman to
say she was from Iowa. She asked witness tn
telegraph the faet to Louisa A. Dunbar, Jones.
vile, Wis.
Hon Hugh Nc cCulloch, Comptroller OF the Cur.
rency sworn.-Witness testified that after the
shooting he had an inter view with Mary Harris
She sand that she had been engaged 10 be mar.
q nhor OZ
she was ~ years of age, and that he had failed
to fulfil his engagement Witness asked her if
deceased had seduced her, and she said he had
not. Witness then asked her if she was yir.
tuous woman, and she said "as GOD is nv wit.
ness am" Inc woman appeared to be in
great distress on account Of her father and
mother. She stated that her father and mother
resided at Burlington, Iowa. The deceased
was a clerk In his bureau and was appointed
about year and half ago.
Officer Walker here stated that she told him |
that she had bought the pistol in Chicago. |
DR.. J. Riley examined the wound. The |
ball entered the back, on the left side, about
two inches from the spine, between the fifth |
and sixth ribs, and witness believed that from
the position in when deceased was standing |
when shot, the ball penetrated to the heart. |
The wound was sufhcient to cause death
CAPTAIN Charles Calender, sworn Witness |
was about leaving the Treasury building. when
he heard q commotion behind him, and GOING |
to the staircase saw deceased leaning on the |
matter, and he replied in faint voice, 81 don't
know" Deceased was then helped down stairs. |
and died in ten or fifteen minutes, Witness
knew nothing OF the shooting until after de. |
ceased had died. Witness thought he had a at.
Mr.. Albon Mann, clerk employed in the same |
that in the early part Of last summer q lady |
came to thoroCm Of deceased and aaked for 1