The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-05-24

THE MURDER OUT-CoRoNER's In
QUEsT-ANoTHER PARTY ARRESTED
ON SUsPICIoN-PARTIEs BEFORE JUS
TICE WHITE.-At the inquest held YES
terday afternoon at four and half o'clock
by DIR. w. Ii. Taylor, city coroner, over
the remains of Mary Holmes, colored, who
was found between locks number two and
three, number of witnesses were exam
ined. The substance of their evidence was
that Mary Holmes went to the ball dressed
in bloOmer costume and greatly enjoyed
herself dancing and otherwise. She had
short conversation with Horace Venable,
who was arrested on yesterday, at the
front door, and most of the witnesses SAID
he was dressed in his Sunday clothes,
whereas he asserted that he was dressed
in his working clothes. After this
about eleven and half o'clock-Mary
went through the back door of the dance
house into the back yard, in company with
Sarah Mackey, Mary Sykes, and Maria
Walker, and some say Wellington Smith
was also of the party. Thereafter she was
no more seen. All the rest of the party
returned to the ballroom. 1t appears that
Wellington Smith was favorite with
both Mary Sykes and Mary Holmes,
and the former had once been heard
to utter the threat, when intox-
Gated. that she would some
day kill either Wellington Smith or Mary
Holmes. This Mary Sykes left the bali
room about II o'clock under the escort of
Wellington Smith but she returned
about an hour or two afterwards to get
something to eat" and according to
the testimony of one was crying
bitterly and acting strangely. No
body could or would tell what became
of the deceased after she went into the
backyard of the dance-house, but she was
represented by all to have been perfectly
sober. She certainly did not go to her
room, for Isaac Diggs slept there, and
says he saw or heard nothing of her. De-
ceased wore skirt and sacque over bloomer
costume to ballroom, and there took the
former off. The wife of the colored pro.
prietor of the dance-house SAID she heard
her husband say to one Grandson, after
the ball, ''Molly Sykes did very funny to-.
night, and she warnt drunk neither )" the
other replied, 81 thought she was tight"
Coroner Taylor stated to the jury that
he made a post mortem examination of the
body. Found right eye bruised and
swollen and under the throat bruised
patch. He believed that these wounds
were inflicted while deceased was alive, or
very soon after death. Saw no finger or
knuckle marks-the wounds were probably
caused by some broad instrument. De-
ceased appeared to be about II years of
age and was dark mulatto.
The jury after mature consideration re-
turned verdict that Mary Holmes came
to her death by drowning, and that they
were Of opinion ''that the drowning was at
the hands Of some person Or persons UNI
known to them"
All the witnesses were recognized to
appear at the police court this morning.
Captain Disney arrested Mary Sykes on
suspicion contained in the above evidence.
This morning Horace Venable and Mary
Sykes were brought before Justice White,
the former charged with the murder of
Mary Holmes, and the latter with aiding
and abetting said murder. In the absence
of witnesses the case was postponed until
the Doth instant.
Rumor says that Horace sVenable has
made full confession of the crime of
which he is charged.