Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-10-26
THE DOUBLE MURDER
AIbert Nicholas. the Murderer Of His
Wife and Her Mother, Dies in jail.
The Cause OF HIS Death.


Albert Nicholas, The colored mau who killed
his wife, Lucinda Nicholas, aud her mother at
his house, on Maine avenue, between Sd and 3,
streets, in this city on the 10th day of Septem-
Der, 1s69, literally butchering them with an
axe, Ratchet and brick. d'ed last evening at SIS
O'Clock in The jail or iris county, where he was
awaiting sero1d triIl ior murder. The prs
oner wTs committed to jail by Coroner Potter
on The day following the murder. and was tried
Judge Olin tor the murder OF bis wife, and was
defended by Mr.. Srodgrass. This trial which
is still fresh IN the minds OF our readers, resulted
in the conviction Of the accused, and he was
SENTENCED TO BE HANGED,
but exceptions having been taken to the rulings
Of Judge DIN on the evidence which Mr.. Spod-
grssssought TO put in tending to prove that the
accused as Of week mind resulting from epi-
lepsy, and was therefore not accountable for p's
ACTON, the case went TO the Court in General
Term, and alter ars unent the court awarded
NKw TEAL.
Atthe Pre- emit June term Of the court, day
was nxed for bis trial on the other indictment
for the murder OF his wife's mother, and on the
10th inst, he was brought out for the purI ore OF
being tried, but all the Judges being engaged in
General term. the trial was fuTther put OFF and
noticed that he was very weak. He had been
under the care Of the physician of the Jail about
Two weeks, but was not regarded as seriously
i'll ret until about ore week ago. 1t is supposed
that his death was caused by
CONGESTION OF TIE LUNGS
suPerinduced by exhaustion from shouting and
physical exeItion, he having Tor over q week
been engaged in shouting and throwing his arms
about like q mailman. The officers OF the jail
did all they could to make him comfortable
giving hlm almost unlimited privileges and as
signing two men they could trust - see to his
wants He bad been allowed the range OF the
yard almost all day that he might have air. and
dslicacies were fixed up to tempt him to eat, but
the shape OF edibles. Yesterday il was discov-
cred that he was sinking rapidly and he was
taken to The hospital department., in which he
1.-THE latter from South Washington visited him
and were with him almost constantly until
which took place abont sg O'Clock. ss above
sfatt q, in the presence of General Croker, DE-.
Young, and other officers of the jail. He died
very easily, and just previous, when DIR. Young
liant, telling him that he would die If he did not
he answered, "It win be well If L do" His
counsel, MT. Spodgrass, having been apprised
early hour, and Nicholas having made q reuuest
shortly after his conviction that his head sbould
De examined 10 show his mental condition, he
request.
THE BODY
OF Nlchofs was removed from the cell to the jail
hospital, where II was laid on pallet. Deceased
was about forty years Of age, nearly six foot In
height, and appeared quite emac'ated. with
snnken eyes, and Of very dark skin. He was
shirt and dark Cashmere pants, and showed that
he had been well taken care of by the jailers.
The autopsy YVES made by DIR. j. r. Hartgan
assisted by Dr. Noble Young, jail physician, j.
". Van Arnum and j. II. Thompson. On a
thorough examination Of the brain all the doc
tors present came to the conclusion that the
cause Of death was passive congestion of the
brain, the result Of extreme nervous exhaustion
consequent upon long continued excitement,
and continued voluntary muscular exertion with
willful abstinence from food.
Dr. Snodsrass, his counsel; Warden Croker,
u IL. Barrett and other gentlemen were pres
ent, and witnessed the autopsy.
He viii be buried this evening by Warden
Crocker IN the Asylum graveyard.