Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-09-17
fHE narnLx MuRpHk.

Threats 70 Lynch the Murderer-Tnnty-
three Wound. Inflicted on the Victims
The Prisoner Dispsses Of his Effects-rhe
Corsner's Insuest-An Excited Crowd
Present-The Verdict.
| Yesterday, the physicians named in the
1 STAR made post mortem examination of the
bodies OF Ellen Smith and Lucinda Nicholas,
| who were murdered in the morning by the
husband Of the latter, Albert Nicholas, and
l com pIeted It about two O'Clock.
l The post norton revealed the fact that the
/ wife bad no less than fifteen wounds on the
| head, almost any OF which were sufficient 10
/ cause death. and the mother, Ellen Smith, had
| eighteen wounds Of as severe character.
| While this examination was being made, the
crowd outside steadily in creased until after six
ocloes p. m, AZ which hour the street was
| completely blocked up, and some very excited
Language was used, threats being mad to
lynch t1e accused, aud for a time things looked
squally, but some Of the more orderly colored
men counseled obedience to the laws,
! and with good effect, as finally all
| seemed disposed not to interfere with
the authorizes, Notwithstanding their feel
| ipgs had been worried mp To higo pitch. The
police kept close watch on the C ovid about
the house OF the murder during the day and
night, and az the staaon-hopse the force were
prepared to resist any demonstration by mob,
/ IL having been rumored that party Were pre-
pairing to axe out the prisoner and ing him.
Early IN intervening q larse and excited crowd
| collCcted ut the station house and remained
| there for q long time. The accused Is a tai
| slim and very black man, about five feet seven
| or eight inches in height, and weighs i, the
| neighbsrhood Of 100 pounds. After his morn
ing confessions he had very little to saw ex-
cept when spoken TO, and when told that DO b
his victims were dead. expressed no concern
Whatever, and said that hts wife first threlt
ened 70 kill him with the hatchet.
This morning the crowd commenced 70 gather
about the station at an early hour, aud by II
o'clock, the hour set for The inu uest several
hundred persons, mostly coiored. blocked IN
the pavements on the front and slds-tbs ma
| Jority beng women-and great excitement
prevailed. Tue prisoner was visited IN the
| station by several Of his friends and reIatiyes
who came from the neighborhood where be
YVES raised, Caroline county, Val and he ap-
peared TO be much frightened, hearing as ne
did AZ times, threats from parties outside
After holding some conversation with his Wis.
itors, he. IL the presence of Lieutenant Cess
his property as follows: To Martha Russell
the child OF his wife and her murdered mothers
effects: to John Moore his (N.'s) clothing; ADD
| to Lucinda Walker the carpet and some other
effects. After saying something TO each in a
low tone OF voice, he bid them good bye, and
| they EFT by side door-the officers being care
ful to keep him out Of the sigat OF the crowd,
| who sang ont, as soon as the door was
open, "Where Is her' ssLet us see him
DuIlng this time Nicholas, the pri zorer NAM
famed much fImness and composure. He does
not seem to realize the enormty OF the crane
| with which he Is charged. He is quite black
with knotiy mustache and whisker, sIoping
head and low forehead, his appearance indi,
| eating ignorance and great animal pas lion
Among the colored people he seems to have no
sympathy most OF them taking Ii for granted
that he will be hung, and specializing as to the
place.
THE INQUEST
About III o'clock. the Coroner, DIR. Potter,
arrived, and the jurors all being present the
inquest was Immediately commenced IN toe
back room or the station. where the accused
was seated near the stairway, he having his
eyes cast down most Of the time.
DR.. s. j. Todd was the first witness worn
and ne testified as TO the appearance of tn.
room las described IN the STAR OF yesterday
and also to the blood about tie room, looking
az If IL was from an artery. He, with Or.
Hartigan, made an autopsy Of the body OF
Ellen smith, (the mo,her,) finding the
head, incised and confused. In this case both
cheek bones were crushed as with a heavy,
blunt instrument. He should Judge that there
We're eight OF ten blows given on the head.
Most Of the oiher wounds hat apparently ber,i
made with sharp instrument, with the ex-
eepton OF one on the head, which fractured
the skull he found four or five fuid ounces
OF blood. Near the top of the head there was
depressed fracture about two inches in
length. The lungs were found ID be healthy
but collapsed, the collapse being probably
caused by excessive bemorrhage and the snocS
The other organs were healthy. The stomach
was sound, and contained some blood, sun
posed 10 have been swallowed. He de 'cribed
the condition of the other organs which were
in healthy state. The cause OF death was
brain. The wounds Were r,ade by more than
one instrument. The wounds in tia face
were not necessarily fata'. A wound OIL
the lip was the lowest wound on the body.
He also held an autopsy with Others ON the
body OF Lucinda Nicholas, who was from
IN
on which there were fifteen wounds. There
was compound fracture Of the right malar
an6 compound depressed fracture Of the
right perltal bone. There were three or four
ounces of fluid blood on the brain Under a
fracture. The lungs were collapsed, bat other
wise healthy, IS were the heart, liver, and other
organs. The cause OF death 10 this case wa
rom compassion CT the brain and loss of
A Ratchet, a hard red brick and a shoe
knife were exhibited, and DIR. Todd gave il as
his opinion that the wounds on the hs ad cou Id
have been made by the Ratchet which has
marks Of blood on II, those on the cheeks by
the brick and those on the lace by the knife
DR.. J. T. H1rti9dn, sworn.-Witness conceded
with DIR. Todd as 10 the cause OF death. In the
case Of Lucinda Nicholas, the head ind blade
OF the instrument was used; witnes sed DESCRIBED
the wounds at considerable length.
Dr.. James X. Rtisy. sworn.-Witness was sent
Tor yesterday morning by the officers a. tue
house before o'clock, but was absent al tn.
time, and did net reach the house until 40
o'clock; first saw the mother ELLEN Smith,
lying on the nocT, her head opposite the door:
she was still living, but specifies, cold, ana
pulseiess; she lived until nel 4 o clock; wiz.
Eess assisted al the autopsy, and corrJborated
the testimony OF the preceding witnesse,; Wit
ness noticed on the b:lck exhioIted some usir
and also what resembled blood.
Dr. ". BToclheimer sworn.-Witness arrived
at the house between 9H and 10 o'clock and
found Lucinda dead On the bed, aud TIE other
II en- Smith, sttll living but inseusioie
Although she would at times attempt 10 rise
ma spe5k inccherently. Witness saw tue
bIick IN the iom and believes that the hair
noleed O" n was what he cut oil the head OF
ore OF the women when dressing the wounds
DfceT John =. M sworn.-WiIness had been
on his beat about Il minutes when be heard OF
tn affair, and went to the house wh.re he net
OHceT owen and witness went to the b .cX
door; both 20, IN and went up stairs together.
Owens going into the room in which the wo-
men were. In the meantime the prisoner came
out OF the front room. Witness asked "Did
you do thisl" and he replied Yes SIR" after
n pause. Witness noticed that there were some
severe cuts ana he asked s.What did Won do IL
ness noticed a brick In the fire-p lace. Witness
With and he answered "With a brick'and wit
locked al II and noticing there was no blood on
II asked him If he did il with the brick. saving
there was 10 blood on il, and he replied that he
had washed AZ OF IN a pail of water (which
setting near IT. They took him IN the front
room. and Oh pulling the bed out found the
Ratchet, but the handle was not with il. Wit
ness SAID, .This Is another weapon you used"
and. after pause, he said he had used it, 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 IL. Witness arrested the prisoner
and brought him to the station, where he was
locked up 1t was about 81 O'CLOCK yesterday
morning when this occurred. The prisoner
did not make any resistance. Witness ASKED