National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1872-12-25
MONDAYS TRAGEDY
INQUEST AND VERDICT,
Name and Occupation OF the VlstiIn-Rvi-
dencs OF a Foul Murdcr-No Clue 10

Name and Occupation Of the Ylstin-RVi-
deuce OF a FouI Nurder-No Clue 10
the Murderers.
Al an early hour yesterday morning the
vicinity Of the First precinct station-house was
crowded with persons eager TO learn whether
there had been any new development In the ter
rible tragedy, an account Of which was given In
the REPUBLICAN.
File after nle Of people passed by the corpse,
some Of whom were Of the opinion that II was
some one they knew, but owing to the dlsngure-
ment Of the face were unable to Identity him
positively. He was, however, finally Identified as
Samuel Rogerski, a Pole, who has been In this
country about six months, employed In peddlng
fancy goods; that his family arc In Poland.
For some time prior 70 his death he has been
residing on street, between Eighth and Ninth,
and II Is said by his friends that he started out
and fSRSS notions spped 70 Ss bach leather
bag or vallse In his hands, and some 500 In his
pocket, and was seen by some one who knew him
TO get on a car coming from Georgetown about
towards the Island. The straps about hls legs
and throat are thought to be the same he used In
fastening his bundle TO his back.
Mr.. SimmOndH, sexton Of Ryland chapel, stated
that about seven O'Clock Monday night he met
two men near the church, one Of whom carried
a valse answering the description Of the one
deceased Ia represented TO have carried. These
men, he states, inquired for the pastor Of the
church, and seemed TO be strangers.
Many persons called In to view the body during
the morning, and among them many Hebrews,
who recognized the deceased by having met him
at the Synagogue on Eighth street. he having
been an faraellte.
Yesterday morning Lieut.. Gesaiorl summoned
the following Jury; Simon Joseph, John Green,
Thomas y. HALEY, Thomas A. King, A. II. Lacey,
W. n. Hunt, r. hoffman, Chas. II. Tyler John
II. Dowell, George A. sheckell, Clinton II. Emer'
Al one O'Clock Coroner Patterson, assisted by
Or. Hartigan, proceeded To hold an inquest In
attendance there were several physicians, among
| them Dra. McWllllamH, Boarman, Lelteh, RO.
land and Brookhelmer, and consultation was
| held a. 10 the expedlency Of saving the head Of
deceased, 1t having been decided by several Of
them that more than one instrument must have
been used In lnnlcting the blows.
The general impression IL that the body wa
brought into the alley from the west side Of TIT
square, as drops Of blood were discovered on III
\ snow and Ice, The inquest, by request Of TIT
/ police authorities, was held with closed doors,
| proceeding altogether unnecessary, a. the test
| mony elclted was not Of any consequence.
| The nrst witness sworn Waa Philip Cohen, re
siding at No. sls o street, who testified that Thu
| deceased and he boarded together at the abovi
place; witness saw the deceased on Monday
about II O'Clock In the morning; deceased was
peddler, and had, on one occasion, trusted q
| colOred man for go; witness remarked that h
would not have trusted him, but the oolored mai
had two carts and man at work, and Was abl'
TO pay for what he purchased.
Mr.. Francis A. Kidwell and Miss Alice Sorrel
tsstlfied as to the finding Of the body.
George Newman, coloTed, testified that be
tween eight and nine O'Clock he was comlnI
through the alley, and saw the young gentlemAi
and lady, CMr. Kidwell and Miss SOTfell y thel
said to him, there is one Of your men lying on TIL
| lot drunk. Witness went for light, and fOun,
the man dead. He then blew a police whistle
and Onioers Henderson and Leach came up ant
the body was removed to the station. No trace
Of the murder were seen except a few drops o
blood near Tenth street. one Of the Jurors her
| asked the witness II there was not q grOg-sho
on Ninth street, when witness replied there was
and was frequentcd by the low classes, boil
Dr. j. French Hartlgan testified as to the ex
animation Of the body There was one wound
cut In the chin, two inches long, nearly separat
ing the lower lip; one at the angle OF the mouth
left side, about one half inch long THIS wounl
fractured the 'alveoler processes OF the interiO
mAxillary, the teeth OF the upper jaw beinl
crushed and broken; one wound Of the nose, al
yiding the vomer and left nasal bone; sevel
wounds Of the left check; one triangular wount
over the left eye; one transverse wound, on
inch long above the external cantus on tn
same side; another triangular wound, tw
inches above the left external cantus; one wOun
diRgOnally across the forehead; one In the bac
Of the neck; one near the middle Of the head o
right side; one large Irregular wound on the lef
side Of the head, near the top, lacerated an
looked as though II had been done by the sam
instrument In quick succession six or eigh
times. This wound fractured the left parietC
and temporal bones IN eight or ten pieces. tn
membranes OF the brain were ruptlred and lac
Grated.
Tue case was then given to the Jury, who
after an absence Of u few moments, Teturne
the following verdict!
THAT one Samuel ROgerski came to his deaf
on or about the 23d day Of December, A. ID. 1871
between the hours OF II n. m. and D. m, In tn
city Of Washington, In the District OF COlumbil
by violent blows, indicted with an instrument O
instruments, delivered on the head and face, b.
some person or persons unknown to the jury"
The scene Of the murder was visited yesterda
morning, and several drOpa Of blood were d
covered on the snow and Ice leading to the wei
side Of the square where the body was fOunt
, indicating that the body was brought into III
alley from that direction. The general impre
sion Is that the wounds were INFLICTED with a
Ice-plck or pointed instrument with heavy LEI
erAge, and that the murdered man was oyeTpOV
cred by a number Of men, as he has always bee
considered an extraordinary strong man. n
body was turned over to his friends OF the II
brew persuasion, attached TO the AdAs Israel col
gregation, on Pennsylvania avenue, betWee
FOur-and-a-half and Sixth streets, fOT burial
the Hebrew burial ground.