Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-04-20
Fatal Result of "a stabbinr ARRAY

DEATH OF MIR. y. W. GRAY, WHO WAS WOUNDED
IN AN ALTERCATIoS WITH L. q. CLOSE.
MI >. W. Gray. who, in an alteration with
l.. q. Close on Tuesday night last. received sew
eral stabs or euts, died last night about o'clock
At his residence, on 10th street, between NJ and
y. 1t will lie collected that Close arrested
| by Officer Roderick on Tuesday night last
/ while beating Gray. and that on Wednesday he
was fined IS for disoTdery conduct. Suisse
/ quently II was ascertained that Gray had re-
/ ceived several stabs in the breast and that DIR.
/ y j. BOrland pronounced the wounds danger
/ Gus. Officer ROderick rearrested Close, and on
| Thursday afternoon he was taken before the
/ police court, and Judge Smell held him to bail
I To await the result of the injuries, which, as
/ stated above, have terminated fatally.
This morning about O'Clock. Close having
/ learned CT the death of Mr.. GRAY went to the
! Police Court and surrendered himself to Mar
sEal Ecklof, and he was committed to jail 10
await the verdict OF the coroner's inquest. He
state 20 Mr. Eckioff that he regretted the occur
renee exceedingly; that he met Mr.. GRAY in
/ front of the Oyster Bay restaurant, and
after the alteration Gray followed him
about half square and jumped on him, when
be cut him in tslf defence.
THE ACCUSED.
Mr.. Close IL q native OF New York and is a
brother TO Colonel j. II. Close, who. il will be
remembered, commanded a regiment of soldiers
which be assisted in raising in Alexandria during
TIE war. After the close of the war he obtained
through Senator Hill. OF Georgia the I osition
OF mail agent between Augusta and Atlanta
Georgia, End about a year since accepted n
cleTkship in the Interior Department where he
renamed up To the present time. He states
uat he never saw Gray before last Tuesday
night, when, in company with some gentle
men near Oyster Bay, Gray came up. and, by Of
tehslye remarks to a friend, prevOkeda quarrel,
which led 20 tie unfortunate result.
THE DECEASED
The dsCeased-Mr. John W. Gray-was q ma
tive of Georgetown, and resided there until four
OT five years ago, when he removed 20 this city.
He was about tweTty-eght or thirty years old,
and uImG rried- During the war he en-
gagged as a sutler, and was afterwards in part
neTship with his brother-in-law, Mr.. Benedict
Huichins, tor some time, in the wood and coal
business. wear or two since he oper ed a pro-
vision establishment on 9th street, near the cor
ner of street, in which he had been very sue
ceSsiul. lie was young man of many good
qualities-a general tavOrite-being liberal To a
faUlt- and of very fOrgiving disposition. He
was one OF the founders of the Arlington Boat
Club. and by the advertisement elsewhere il
viii he seer that they meet o-mOrrow ar the
liCISCn House pariors to make arrangements
for the funeral
PosT MCRTEM EXAMINATION AND INQUEST.
DIR. A. j. BOrland and DIR. j. F. Hartgan held
post moTtf III examination this morning and
found that there were two wounds or the body
one OF them entering the left side, near the
nipple. causing death-bleeding internally.
ALL O'Clock DIR. j. +. Hartigan as Acting
Coroner held the inquest at the house where de-
ceased boarded-Mr. Joseph Kuhn's, on 11th
street, rear the corner of y street. The nc
eused was accompanied by MIR. EckIoff. marshal
Of the Police Court. Judge James Hughes ap-
cared a. his counsel.
TESTIMONY.
Mr.. y. NJ. Grasse was sworn as foreman and
the testimony was taken a. follows:
Dr. 4. j. GoTidRd. sworn Deceased called TO
see witness Tuesday night, about IoIg
c'clOPE, at his Office; Lis clothing was bloody,
and he complained of a pain in the side, sayir.,
uat lie hsd been stabbed; his face was bloody
ana, after washing him, found wound back of
the left eer-ahout an inch in length; found
- me smaller wounds in the face. and examined
the wound in the side; found it on the left side
near The eth rib, and prObed 1.-THE instrument
Stopping at the rib; did not probe further salts
ned himself that an internal hemorrhqge was
taking place and sent him home; called to see him
ON Wednesday about9 O'clock found him suffer
liG cat pam: respiration labOrious; pulSations
ITO. Examined the wound i'm the head: found
II needed no attention, and from the wound on
the lett side there had been no discharge:
ordered morphine and left; was sent for AMI
saw him in the afternoon; found that he had
SEPT none: gave him a hyperCiermic Injection
and neXt morning Thursday found that he had
passed more quiet night, bat complained of
great pain in the left side and in the region OF
the kidneys; on Thursday night he slept better,
but or yesterday he had SpaSm or commission
ana then became insensibie, raving-his puIse
gong up TO $50, and TespiratiOns To 10; called
Dr. Lincoln in consultation, AND decided that
Tie case was hopeless, and that the patient must
dIe Inside OF twelve hours, but, nevertheless,
gave Ella mercurial preparation; called at l2%
Ocicck last night and found him diving; witness
ASSISTED az the autopsy. and foHnd that the
wound was downward and inward, cutting the
Ileura, and that internal hemOTrhage had taken
pace. Witness described the other organs OF
the body. and said, in his opinion. The urinary
CduHt on UtaJh was tlc wound. There was also
a wound on the midCi e finger OF the ri ght hand,
aIPeaTing as # made with teeth.
d. H. r. PcsHe cOrTObOr4 ted the testimony of
1T. EoriaLG As TO the post mOrte M and cause of
death.
Senator I'm. friend of Mr.. Close stated that
he had understood the deceased had made Ger
tain statements 10 the effect that he was in fault
aEd asked II the Prisoner was not entitled to
such declaration.
Dr. Hartigan said that such testimony would
ne admissible at a later stage OF the proceed
ngs.
Dr.. J. e. TG7sh testified that he was in com
lahy with Close or the night OF Tuesday. and
1t PED in front of oyster Bay, where they met
Two acquaintance; while standing there GRAY
came up, and seeing witness with a twenty tive
cent note, said il was the first quarter he (wit-
messy had earned witness said he had earned
mere money III day than Gray had in his life:
Gray then said: al have seen YOU sweepiny
tie streets and there's where YOU got the ncte;1
ClcSe then struck at deceased. and the latter,s
friends drew him back, he making a motion at
the tine a II he was going + pistol. Witness
ihtn went TO Gray's party and urged that thew
should not have a difficulty; then saw Close
strike at Gray second time, and witness at this
point left.
The examination was still in progress when
our report closed.