Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-10-08
IIORRIBI.E CRIME,
OUTRAGE ON AN AGED LADY.
THE DEATH or THE VICTIM


Last evening Mrs. Martha Faulkner. aged
about 6S years, died at her residence on Ohio
avenue, west of 18th street, from injuries re-
ceived on the preceding evening at the hands of
James Grady, a VIGOROUSLY bad character,
about % years old, who has served a term in
the penitentisry, and is well known to the po-
lice. The deceased, who was very poor, and
her sister. Mrs. Matilda King, resided until the
death OF the latter, some months since IN the
basement of a house in the above locality 4 tsd
up for them by Mr.. p. Curtin, and where the
deceased has since resided alone. 1t appears
the old lady. furnishing her with food and other
necessaries, WAS informed BY some one on
Thursday evening that Jim Grady had gone
into Mrs. Faulkner's house.
Fearing mischief Mrs. Curtin imme-
diately went 20 the room of the old lady and
found her lying helpless on the bed, bruised and
scratched, with finger marks on her throst, aud
Grady in such a state IS TO leave no doubt that
be had perpetrated a horrible outrage on her.
Mrs. Curtin at once seized the miscreant, but
he broke away from her, and has successfully
eluded the police since. The victim fingered
through Thursday night until last evening in
great agony, when she expired. During the af-
Iernoon she called MIR. NJ. Byrne to her bed .iie
nd attempted to make a statement to him. but
was unsuccessful in making herself understood.
NEGLIGENCE SOMEWHERE.
Notwithstanding the fact that the occurrence
took place on Thursday evening and the Lieu
tentant (Skippon) of that precinct made his
usual visit to Police Headquarters Yesterday
morning, the superintendent and other OIL GERS
OF the force were not info :ned of the affair
unill after O'Clock yesterday afternoon when
dispatch was sent from the fifth precinct sta
ton Central Gnard-house) to Headquarters
say ing, "Tell Kelly and Ecklof' TO arrest James
Grady for attempt at rape" The detectives
who had lost fully twenty hours, as well as
ofsceIs OF other precincts (many OF whom know
Grany), as soon as they were appIiZed of the
occurrence, set to work, and his haants as ri 80
other places in which il was thought he nirht
be found, were thoroughly searched, but with
out avail. 1t is thought now thai either on
Thursday night or Friday morning ne left the
city, as he had plenty OF time to do so.
III is stated Ia defence of the police OF the pre-
einct that the persons living in the vicinity did
not let any one know of the occurrence until
yesterday morning when Officer Shelton went
on the beat and he was informed of the affair
ana took Sergeant Vernon to the house. when
MIS- fanlkner was able to talk and told them
the circumstances of the affair. Lieutenant
Skippon states that he was not informed OF the
niat,er until about noon YESTERDAY, and it was
was seriously injured.
THE INQUEST.
Ibis morning there was a large number of
persons assembled around the premises, which
were in charge of the police. and the Coroner,
DR.. W. W. Potter, called shortly after o o,,I,ck
ana orc red the body to be removed to the CEN
Ual Guard house, where the inquest could he
more conveniently held, the Jurors having been
summoned for Il O'Clock m.
DIR. Ashford conducted the post norton. and
was assisted by Doctors j. +. Hartigan : r
Todd, and Ii. w. Sawtelle.
The jury assembled at the central guard
house at II O'Clock, Justice Harper fore man
and the first witness called was Mrs. Mary A.
Curtin, who testified that she resides next door
TO the house in the basement of which Mrs
Faulkner lived. On Thursday, witness went to
a store about 81 O'Clock for bread; saw James
Grady on the pavement at the time. Before re-
turning home, heard a groan or scream and was
told by Patrick Mccain, the clerk of the store
mat Grady was in the room of Mrs. Faulkner
witness went into the room and discovered Mrs
raulkner on the bed, and Grady partly on the
btd, bearing his hand on her shoulders. Mrs
:. was lying cIosswise on the bed. Witness then
described the disordered condition Of the cloth
ing OF deceased. and of Grady, which led her t.
believe Dameless outrage had been perpe-
tIated. Mrs. +. was struggling and seemed stu.
pid; saw marks on the neck OF deceased: saw no
n aIks on deceased Thursdsy morning. Grady
aid Mrs. + was drunk, which was not the case
Wires talked TO Grady about his brutal treat
rnsr. and drove him out of the house. Deceased
told witness aiterS ara OF the manner in which
Grady had Gated her. which il not fit for pub
Ca''0n. witness thought her condition on
Thursday evening such as ght result in death;
in the morning she (deceased) had a chill. and
had taken medicine prescribed for her by a
DIR. f. A. Ashford testified that he made a
posimortem examination Of the body of de-
ceased. HIS evidence which is unit for publica-
ton, showed that the deceased had been sub
JtCtCu 10 very rough treatment, ana confirmed
her dying statement to Mrs. Curtin as to the
outrage. He thought the cause of death was the
rupture OF blood vessels in the brain which
might have been produced by the violence and
= shock op such person might have produced
% afh. IL might be that coDgestive chills would
produce rupture OF the vessels, or the strug-
Cling OF the Iarty may have caused it.
Patrick Mccain was the neNt !tness. His
testimony was mainly corroboratiye OF Mr..
CuTtin'E.
DR.. j. F. Hartigan testified that he assisted at
Ia f-Nr fEVa n..1l -.
moTy OF Dr.. Ashford. He thought there was
enough Of external bruises to cause the death of
a person of that age.
Dr. X. w. S3wtelle corroborated the test imo-
ny OF DIS. Ashford and Hartigan.
VIM. Kelly testified that on Thursday after
noon James Grady came into the blacks NTH
>hoP where witness is employed in haste, and he
.aid to those in The sbOp-Jos. Newman, John
he arney and homas Robinson-that Mrs. Cur
lain was trying 10 get him arrested. He con-
Rev. r S. Addison testified tina. the deceased
was very respectable old lady and a coInmlni-
cant of his trinity Church. He heard or the
occurrence and Immediately went to the l. ouse
but she died a little time before he arrived. She
vas in the neighbornood of as years of age a he
and was in feeble health. She has A
son who he thinks is in the English army.
Sergeant G. Il. Vernon test lied, bat there was
nothing new in his evidence.
ARREST OF GRADY.
At this point il was announced that Grady
Lad been arrested, and in a few moments he
was brought into the room by Mr.. Frank Nv
ers and officer McCathran, and appeared very
drunk.
DIR. c. c. Cox testified to attending deceased a
few honrs before her death, and the iurv after
celebrating, returned the following verdict:
TIE VERDICT.
Z" That the death Of the said FANNY Faulkner
was caused by congestion of the brain produced
by external violence inflicted by James Brady
on the 9Th of October, 1870, while ATTEMPTING to
ravlsh the person OF the said Fanny Faulkner