The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-09-18

Corouer's Iaquess Yesterdny-Thc
Testimony Tho verdicts - Tho
Murderer sent 60 Jail.

Corouer's Inquest HesterdHy-Thc
TestimoBy Tho verdtcts - Tho
Murderer ssst 90 jail.
The excitement among the people Of the
Seventh ward was revived yesterday morn
ing by the announcement made that the In
quest on the bodies would be held at II
o'clock. Long before that hour crowd be-
gan to assemble In the neighborhood oil the
station-house, and good deal OF excitement
prevailed. Threats were loudly made TO
lynch the murderer, who was very much
frightened until treasured by the officers on
duty. lie was visited during the morning
by several OF his relatives, TO whom he gave
directions as TO t!I' disposal Of his effects.
The feeling nghiI Nicholas Is very
strong, and the colorcd people OF the Seventh
ward declare that they have no sympathy
whatever with him.
About II o'clock, the Jury having oil as
scmbled, Coroner Potter commenced the In
quest, calling rs the first witness DR.. Seth.
j. Todd, who, amer describing the appear
ancc OF the room In whlch the murder was
committed, testified that he with DR.. Hart-
gan made an autopsy Of the body Of Ellen
Smith, the mother,) finding the wounds
eighteen In number on the face aud head,
incised and confused. In this case both
check bones were crushed as with q heavy,
blunt instrument. lie should Judge that
there were eight or ten blows given on the
head. Most Of the other wounds had appa-
rently been made with sharp instrument,
with the exception Of the one on the head,
which fractured the skull. On removing
the upper portion Of the skull he found four
or five fluid ounces Of blood. Near the top
OF the head there was depressed fracture
about two Inches In length. The lungs were
found to be healthy, but collapsed, the COL
lapse being probably caused by excessive
hcmorrhagc and the shock. The other or
gans were healthy. The stomach was
sound, and contained some blood, supposed
to have been swallowed. lie described the
condition of the other organs, which were
In a healthy state. The cause OF death was
from hemorrhagc, shock aud depression OF
| the brain. The wounds were made by more
than one instrument. The wounds In the
face were not necessarily fatal. A wound
on the lip was the lowest wound on the body.
| lie also held an autopsy with others on
the body of Lucinda Nicholas, who was from
twenty-five to thirty years OF age. In this
case the injuries were confined to the head
and face, on which there were fifteen wounds.
There was compound fracture Of the right
molar and compound depressed fracture of
the right perital bone. There were three or
four ounces Of fluid blood on the brain under
a fracture. The lungs were collapsed, but
otherwise healthy, as were the heart, liver
and other organs. The cause OF death was
from compression Of the brain and loss Of
| blood
A hatchct, u hard red brick and a shoe
knife were exhibited, and DR.. Todd gave 1t
as his opinion that the wounds on the head
could have been made by the hatchct, which
has marks of blood on 1t, those on the checks
by the brick, and those on the face by the
knife.
The evidence Of DR.. J. F. Hartigan agreed
with that of DR.. Todd In all particulars,
lF hat hss nrHf
saw the mother (Ellen Smith, lying on the
door, her head opposite the door; she was
still living, but speeches., cold and pulse
less; she lived until near II o'clock; witness
assisted at the autopsy, and corroborated the
testimony of the preceding witnesses; wit
ness noticed on the brick exhibited some
hair and also what resembled blood.
DR.. NJ. Brookheimer testified that on his
arrival at the house between $3.50 and 10
O'Clock he found Lucinda dead on the bed,
and the other (Ellen Smith) still living, but
lnscnsiblc, although she would at times at
| tempt to rise aud speak incoherently. Wit
ness saw the brick In the room, and believes
that the hair noticed on 1t was what he cut
oil the head Of the woman when dressing the
wounds.
Officer John J. Hill sworn. Witness had
been on his beat about Is minutes when he
he heard Of the affair, and went to the house,
where he met Officer Owens, and witness
went to the back door; both got In and went
mp stairs together, Owens going into the
room In which the women were. In the
| meanwhile Nicholas came out OF the front
room. Witness asked "Did you do this ~
and he replied "Ycs," after q pause. Wit
ness noticed that there were some severe cuts,
and he asked, "What did you do it with -
and he answered, "With brick, and witness
noticed a brick In the fireplace. Witness
looked at IL, and noticing there was no blood
on 1t, asked him II he did 1t with the brick,
saying there was no blood on ii, and he re-
piled that he had washed 1t of in pail of
water, (Which was setting near it, They
took him In the front room, and on pulling
the bed out, found the hatchet, but the handle
was not with it. Witness said, "This is an
other weapon you used" and, after pause,
he said he had used 1t. They then went to
the back room again and looked under the
bed on which Lucinda was lying, and found
the knife. The prisoner denied that he had
used II. Witness arrested the prisoner and
brought him to the station, where lie wal
locked up. II was about $50 O'Clock ycstcT
day morning when this occurred. The pris
oner did not make any resistance. Witness
asked what he had done 1t for, and he re
piled that they had threatened to kill him
He also stated that 1t was about $50 or
o'clock when he committed the deed.
Lieutenant J. W. iGessford. Identified tho
knife and hatchet which were turned over Ia
him by Officer HILL Witness sent the brick
from the house and the hatchet handle,
which he had found behind trunk. Wit.
ness does not rccollcct having ever seen
the prisoner before he was brought to the
station.
Maria stillyard (colorcd.) Lives In 9
house near the house where the murder was
committed, and was sick in bed yesterday
morning. At 20 minutes Of o'clock wit
4 Of ~ NRnV
back part of the house; did not get up, 70
} she could not; did not know who callc
; 'murdcr;" 1t was In a low smothercd tone
{ u woman's voice. Witness had lived In tn
D house but one week.
c James Stillyard testified that he resides il
5 the house where the murder was committed
: Witness left home about ten minutes afte
: seven to go to Harvey &,Ilolden's, but be
l fore he left he had heard the cry of murder
the cry of murder, heard something heav,
fall The cry Of murder appeared to com,
from young woman. Witness has know
the prisoner four or five years as q peaceablt
man. The day before the murder witness
got home early; heard quarrcling IL
! Nicholas house between and y o'clock
The old woman was saying that he had 90
: a white woman to trick her, and that wa
/; the way he got her daughter. Witness ha
j heard family quarrels before, when the or
= of murder was raised, and therefore did no
y pay any attention to this cry.
Il Maggie Allen (colored) testified that sh
J. resides in the front room of the house wher
l. the murder was committed. When wltnes
was dressing, about $3.50 or O'Clock Thurs
= day morning, heard woman give lou
II scream and then the cry Of murder from II
:; stairs In the house. Did nc. hear any fall
I Witness ran around and tried to get the doc
d open, and shook IL, and then tried the win
= dows. Witness went to the house which
sets back, and told the man lying In the be-
that there had been some loud screaming
{ but he did not come out or pay any attention
TO 1t. Witness had heard Nicholas and hi
wife in little quarrels, but never any seriou
/ quarrels before.
/ DR.. Adams, United States navy, sworn
+. Witness was present at the autopsy on Ellie
!. Smith, and he conceded with Drs. Todd an
T. IIartigan as to the cause Of the deaths. ]
/. the case Of Ellen Smith he believed that I'll
n principal cause of death was the hcmOrrhag'
c rs the fractures OF the skull did not sect
/. sufficient to have caused death so quickly.
+ This concluded the testimony, and ate
4, / Iplberntion the iury returned the fOllOWiD