The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-03-20
THE BoRAFFsKI TRAGEDY.
The Negro Edward johnson Iden-
titled. qrass ..
BLOOD SPOTS DETECTED ON HIS CLOTHES

Edward johnson, the negro charged with ths
| commission OF the late crime on Poydras street
whose arrest under most interesting circumstance,
| by special onicer DIpert was mentioned in ouI
last edition, was about ten O'Clock yesterday
| morning conveyed 10 O wagon, driven by the
| wounded woman's husband, from the station e
the scene OF the tragedy, specials Dipert and
Marks accompanying him. Arriving at the house
they entered and johnson was confronted with
Mrs. Boratiskie, who, with her head covered with
bandaRes, and one eye closed from the effects OF
q cash inflicted on her forehead by the miscreau,
who had attacked her, was raised up 10 the bed
and asked by female attendant if that (Johnsonl
was the man. She replied, nodding her head aud
saying, " That is the man who got the hatchet."
ihss as sssssn sSs S her
The little boy was then confronted with the
accused. He identified johnson by an eruption
or swelling on bis jaw, ss the man whom he,
while In the back yard, had seen come and take
the hatchet, and enter the house again with it. A
Mrs. Moute, living at the neighboriDg corner also
stated positively that she had seen johnson enter
the premises about the time the deed was com.
mitted, and avows her willingness, We are in
formed, 10 swear TO the fact. johnson answered
nothing, save to acknowledge, after the little boy
had identified him, that he had gone in to get
hatchet, which he claimed as being his own, and
had Immediately left the premises. When asked
by officer Dipert where the hstchet was he said
he knew nothing Of what had become oft During
his interview with the wounded woman johnson
shook violently, as If in a chill, and when asked
the cause, replied st was mighty cold last night
and havn't got over il yet"
He was then reconducted to the First District
Lookup to await his examination, the time for
which has not been yet fixed. he, with the two
witnesses, Grant and Carpenter, are pur posely
kept separate from the other four accused, who
are in the Parish Prison.
An examination of spots on the pantsoons of
johnson has been made by DR.. Crswcour, at the
request of the superintendent of police, who has
left no stone untnrned In tracing up this myster
ous affair. We are indebted TO him for the follow
ing copy OF DIR. Crawcour's report:
The pantaloons were Of blue flannel in front
were large number Of spots OF various Sizes
pale brown by daylight reddish by lamplight.
They were in larger numbers on the right than on
the left leg They presented the appearance of
having been washed"
Examination No. 1.-Two of the spots, about
half an inch in diameter, were cut out and aus.
pended In pure water. After the lapse of an
hour no change was perceived: the coloring m at.
ter of the blood had been previously washed out.
Examination No. IA small spot near the
lower edge OF the pantaloons was of . redder
tinge than the others. and seemed to have escaped
the action of wafer. This was cut out aud
macerated in saturated cold solution OF sulphate
of soda for half an hour. The surface was then
scraped on to slide OF glass and examined under
the microscope, the amplifyng power used being
300 diameters. large number of red aud white
000d gt06UteS were discovered.
Examination No. 3-Two spots of moderate
elze were cut out ana mhcerated IN glacial acetlc
acid, and the acid allowed to evaporate sponia-
neously. The peculiar crystalline forms called
blood crystals, or Teichmanns crystals, were
readily seen under the microscope.
Examination No. A spot was cut out and
macersted in strong aqueous solution of arse.
nious acid. In three hours the spot or stain dis
appeared.
SummsryvFrom the results of the examius-
tons Nos. 2. and 4, i have no hesitation IN say
ing that the stains on the pantaloons were pro
duced by blood. The negative result of examins.
ton No. was due to the pantaloons having been
washed. whereby the peculiar coloring matter of
the blood had been renewed. The gooules were
seen at my request by another physician. while
they were still fresh, and he coincided with me
that the peculiar forms could only be produced
by blood.
(Signed) ]. s. CRAwcoUR, M. D.,
Professor of Theory and Practice OF Medicine,
New Orleans School of Medicine.
March 10, 1869.
Recorder Becker will to-day, at l O'Clock, be
states, take under advsement the case, with a
view to deciding upon the propriety OF releasing
those OF the seven now in confinement upon whom
the guilt does not evidently rest. The injured
woman was still living at last reports.
The wounded woman may recover. We are
gratited TO learn from her attending physician,
DR.. FoTmente, that her condition, at first paired
OF. has somewhat improved, so that there is some
hope OF her ultimate recovery.