The national Republican., 1867-11-11

TINE MYsrrRIous CASE At TIE COLUMBIA
lHosPIrAL-VKRDIcr OF TIE CoRosER's jury
On the 7th Of September last, young woman
was admitted 10 the Columbia Lying.in Hospital
upon the recommendation OF q gentleman, who
stated that tho woman was close upon her con
fnsment, and that she was subject to epileptic
its, and would require care and attention. The
gentlemans name was Dr. John l.. Tsed the
lsdy's, at the time, being unknown. On Tues
day last, the 9th uit., female child was born Of
the woman. The child was perfectly formed,
and apparently healthy. On Thursday morn
ing, at 4 o'clock, the child was found by the
matron In bed beside Its mother dead. There
was every evidence Of strapgulation, and the
discoloration Of the face and neck, In connection
with the conduct Of the mother, lcd to suspi.
| cion Of foul play.
Tho Official at the institution notified the
police authorities, and the coroner was advised
Justice Walter officiating In tho abse nee Of Mr..
Woodward. A jury was summoned on Friday
afternoon, composed Of the following gentlemen:
Charles y. Mansfield, foreman; WIN. wcnts,
John L. Callahan, John 0'Leary, W. II, Gibson,
Daniel Gibson, james Miller, II. II. Whiting,
WIN. D. Lane, James Gently, ID. O. Yengling
and W. W. MeGowan. The inquest was held at
the hospital, but in tho absence Of DR.. Teed,
and the necessity Of a post niOrtem examination
being held upon the body Of the child the In.
quest was adjourned over until yesterday at 10
| Q. m.
| At that hour the jury and witnesses were In
attendance, and the inquest proceeded with.
| DR.. A. +. A. King was sworn and testified
| that he had made n post HorteDl examination,
and found tho external appearance Of the body
as indicating a healthy and, we'll developed
child Tho face and neck had tho appearance
Of congestion. There was blusness Of the
skin 10 the centre OF the neck; could not tell
whether II was from fingers or not. The exami-
nation was made forty hours after death. He
| found on m examination OF the chest the lungs
10 be slightly oongested. The brain was also
cougested with dark blood. Tho stomach was
| filled with natural seoretions.
To a juror-I could not give positive opin.
| ion as to the manner In which the child came by
its death. The child may have died from natural
causes and presented tho same appearance.
| DR.. John l.. Toed sworn +: I am acquainted
with the mother Of the child; have known her
some time She is a single woman; her name Is
Mis-, s. L. Harrison. She belongs to the State
Of Mississippii she has been in Washington ff.
teen or sixteen months she has been engaged in
the public departments as clerk; she was en-.
deavoring to procure another situation; her
home is In the vicinity OF Vicksburg; she has
| been boarding In the city In different plaoos;
boarded last with family by the name Of Dent,
on Twelfth street, between + and O, west side;
Miss Harrison judge is about rs years Of age
sho has been suffering from epileptic fits for
| ueurly OUe yonTi L was uWuTo Ol neT pregnant
condition, and recommended her to the iLstitu.
tion; do not know who the father Of the child
| Is; do not think Miss Harrison has father or
mother living l know her before she came here;
she resided with maiden aunt near Vicksburg;
when she first came to this city she had an
agency for selling books; she was subsequently
employed in the Interior Department.
| Elizabeth Glare, matron Of the hospital testi.
| fed that sho mover observed in the nursing that
the mother had hts. She did not exhibit much
feeling at the death Of the child, nor does she
| fret about IT, After death, the neck and fsce OF
| the child were very purple. She did not ap-
pear to be surprised at the death Of the child.
The night the child died shc called me over to
her and asked me IL tho child was breathing.
She had previously stated that II had phlegm In
its thront. She did not appear to be fond Of
the child. Would not let It rest it's little hand
upon her breast. l thought she had no love
fofit
| DR.. ]. II. Thompson, physician to the iusti-
tuition, testified that Mrs Harrison had never
given any evidence Of epilepsy, but had mani
Tested hysteria. There was nothing to lead the
witness to suppose the lady had epileptio fits.
| She was erratic and high.tempered, but was In
good health. 1 saw no evidence In the posi-
norton of a natural cause for death. The nail
| Of finger could produce such mark as was on
the neck. Dr. iced wished to attend the lady
during hOr confinement, but l told him that the
| rules of the institution would not permit IT,
| Miss Harrison has paid her board at the institu
tion. DR.. Tssd stated to me, think, that she
i was married. On the morning Of the death o
/ the child she told the matron to send for DR..
Tecd as she wished him to telegraph her hus-
band of the BIRTH bu: when Dr.. Teed came the
matron was present, and she states that there
was nothing said about telegraphing.
| Tho evidence hero closed, and the jury, after
q few moments deliberation, rendered tho fol.
lowing verdict: That, according 10 the evidence,
the child came to its death at Columbia Lying in
| Hospital, corner Of Fourteenth street and Rhode
| Island avenue, on November 7, 1867, by strangu
lstiop, whilst lying in bed with its mother, and
| through causes to the jury unknown and the
jury further find that the child was without
means"
The verdict of the jury closed the case The
mother was not aware Of nything transpiring In
reference to the death of the child, and was kept
| In ignorance of II. Mss Harrison Is about IS or
26 years Of age, Of medium stature, passable
| looking, and Of rather eccentric disposition. We
| have no comments to make upon the case, but
give tho evidence to the public as We noted 1t
before the coroner's jury.
RoBBERY.-For some time past Messrs. h. W.
| Carter Co., dry-goods dealers on Seventh
| street, near Pennsylvania avenue, have been
| missing goods from their store without discover.
| the goods Tho matter was reported at head
quarters and the case assigned to Detectives
Kelly and Bgley to work up. They soon dis.
| covered a clue, and on Friday night Francis A.
| Edmonston, clerk in tho employ of Messrs. Car.
ter Co, was taken in charge by the officers and
escorted to headquarters. Two prostitutes,
named Hattie Bailey and Kate King residing at