Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-06-06

DEATH BY THE LAW.

The crime expiated by Tom Wright on the
gallOws to day, was one Of the most heinous
character, and ranks among the darkest deeds
in criminal annals. The murderer was cool,
calculating and deliberate in its generalization,
and cruel and merciless i'm its execution. The
taking of human life under the Indictment of
anger, Jealousy or revenge, although some
times excusable, is always deplorable, but a
mercenary murder is not only inexcusable but
destable and revolving; the hand of every man
is instinctively raised against the perpetratOr as
an enemy to society; and Justice cries out IN
voice of Holy Writ-"WhosO sheddeth mans
blood by man shall his blood be she'd"
The Crime.
On the morning OF the 9th of December last
onr citizens were startled by the report that a
terrible tragedy had been enacted in our midst,
and that the body OF a man, mutilated almost
beyond the hope of recognition had been found
on a vacant lot in South Washington. About
nine O'Clock the previous evening Francis A
kdwell, a youth OF about seventeen years of
age, and Alice Sorrel, a little girl living on
south ID street, while passing through the alley
between 9Th and 10th and ID and T. streets south
west, noticed the body of man
LYING APPARENTLY LIFELEss,
and passing ont on 9Th street informed Officers
Leach and Henderson OF the circumstance,
when they fastened TO the spot, and found the
dead body OF an unknown man. 1t was re-
moved to the first precinct house. when
it was discovered to be that of white man,
short and robust, with thick reddish beard,
and dressed in a dark suit Of thick clothing, the
pants being tucked into par of heavy boots.
Around the thighs was double strap, tightly
buckled with a similar fastening about the
neck. The head was covered with cuts and
bruises; the top OF the skull was crushed in "a
If by some sharp instrument and the brain
oOZing through the aperture thus made.
number OF incisiOns were ON the forehead, as i;
made by pickaXe, and
THE FACE WAS LITERALLY HACKED TO PIECES,
evidently with the same instrument The nose
was completely severed from the face, and the
lower lip cut from the chin. So completely
hacked to pieces was the head and face that re-
cOgnitiOn by the features was impossible. Most
OF the wounds appeared to have been made
from the right side OF the head, and the body
had the appearance of having been dragged
some distance. The body was still warm in the
region of the heart when brought to the station
house. I'm one of the pockets was found an en-
velope bearing the inscription ''Samuel Rogers
XII, 1015 9Th street. Washington ID. G., Dec. 20;''
At the station house the body was stretched ont
on loose door, which had been placed on two
barrels IN back room, and presented a revolt-
ing appearance.
ONE THING REMARKABLE
about the corpse was the absence of blood, and
it was thought that the face must have been
washed after the killing took place. The muir
dered man was of stout build about ii We fee,
six inches in height, and weighed about 40
pounds. The suppOsitiOn was that he wa-
robbed and afterwards murdered To hide the
robbery, and carried to the place where he was
found.
The Victim.
After the facts became known hundreds of
people repaired to the staton-hous to see if
they could identify the body. 1t was finally
recognized by several of the acquaintance OF
the deceased as that of Samuel Rogerski, a
Pole, who had been in this country about six
months and was employed in peddling fancy
goods. The unfortunate man, who was son OF
hr taN Rny hnr In, all.
kelvaris. province OF Suvalski, Poland on the
18th OF JIly, 1882 He was the eldest OF seven
children, and was educated in the schools of
that city and well qualified for mercantile pur-
suits, having become master of several Ian
guages, which he both wrote and spoke fiuently.
His father was a man OF considerable means
and esteemed by all who knew him, for his
integrity OF character. He occupied t'.c posi-
ton OF
OvREsRER or THE PRISON
of that city, and Oh bis death his son Samuel
succeeded him in that position until the up
rising of the Poles against the Russian govern
ment in 1862, when lie was dismissed for polit-
icsl reasons, after having held the Office for
nineteen years. AT the same time he lost his
property, which was cOnfscated by the
Russian government, and soon after
concluded to emigrate to this country.
leaving his wife and four children until
he could make provision TO send for them
He arrived at New York in 1872 and went
directly to Pittsburg, Pa, where he had a
brother and other relations living, and there
four months, and not meeting with success he
started TO Washington where he arrived the
10Th Of May, 1872, and being somewhat reduced
in means his relative, Mr.. George Goldberg
living at I25 9th street, took him to his house
and gave him a start peddiing tin ware. Find
took up the business of selling drv goods which
he followed until he met his death. While so
engaged
HE WAS VERY PRUDENT AND SAVING,
and short time before he was killed he re-
marked to bis relative that early in the spring
he hoped to be able TO send tickets to his
family in Poland to meet him in New York. As
he already had saved over 500. He wrote to a
brother at Cardiff, Wales, when to refair to
Liverpool to meet his wife and children to as
slst them in procuring passage on shipboard
rms was about two mosths before he was
killed, His brother received his instructions
and AT the appointed time, arrived at LiyerpOol
where he waited past the time when they should
have met him as agreed upon, and not knowing
what to do, he concluded to come over to this
country to see his brother and ascertain the
cause. He returned to Cardiff and settling ms
business, sailed direct to New York where he
arrived in April last, and when Oh the pOint of
taking the train for this city, he met country
man of his who informed him OF the fate his
brother had met, which so Overcame him that
he tainted in the street, and after recovering
his senses, his grief made him nearly frantic
GENEROSITY OF THE DECEASED
He, however, proceeded tn this city, and is
SKI after Sene OF his p seet fos e.
native city, labored hard to support his brothers
and sisters; and, rs an instance OF his generosi-
ty, 1t may be stated that he mort tagged his little
property which he had left him in order 10 giye
his sisters marriage portion, just previous to
his emigrating to this country. He was a man
OF gentle and refined bearing, and possessed
great personal strength. He could easily have
stood his ground with Tom Wright in a fair en-
counter face to face. After his arrival i'm this
city he took a room on street, between sth
ana 9tn, ana every day 1t was his habit to start
out early and work late, in order to gain SUIT
fcient sum Of money to bring his wife and chill
dren to this country. With
BRIGHT HOPES FOR THE FUTURE
he trudged daily from door to door, counting ND
his small gains at night, and denying himself
the ordinary comforts Of life during the cold
and dreary winter; buffeting against all OBJ
stacles while picturing to himself the day when
he would welcome his wife and little on Is to his
new home. On the morning Of the 23d of De-
cember he started out a. usual with an assort-
ment Of dry gods and fancy articles in mack
strapped to his oack. He also carried in his hand
q leather-COvered yaliee. and had come S200 ar