The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-04-17
TRAGEDY IN A NEGRO BALL.
ROOM.
A Woman Murdered in Cold Blood.
The Murderer in Prison.

Thursday night Mary Williams, negro
woman, threw open her doors at No. POI
Bienville street, to extend the Inequalities OF
her mansion to those Of her friends who APP
prec;ated the excitement and pleasure Of a
promiscuously attended ball.
The crowd was very large and the music
still more immense; the party-co!ored guests
whirled in the bewildering mazes of the
dance, and seemed carried away into the
deep labyrinth of forgetfulness Of all trou-
bles Of the world. There were many present
whose hearts were not wholly untouched by
the poison which tips the arrows Of Cupid,
and all went as merry as marriage bells until
the clock struck the hour OF one, when, al
most simultaneously with the stroke, the rev.
elers were startled from their happy reve-
ries by the sharp report of pistol.
tall mulatto woman who had figured with
much prominence, and who had taken the
affections Of more than one Of the "chevalier
noir," was seen stretched upon the floor
gasping for breath. A small stream of blood
just about the heart stained the white dress
that she wore, and calmly and composedly
upon bench not three PAGES distance sat the
perpetrator of the diabolical deed, with the
smoking instrument of death still grasped in
his hand.
merry notes, and the unfortunate gave out
her life to Him who gave it.
The crowd swayed to and fro, and in their
midst was seen Officer Pascal, who took the |
murderer in charge and conducted him to the |
Fourth Precinct Station, where the charge Of
murder was registered against him. At the
Station he gave his name as D. r. Henderson.
A reporter fof the BULLETIN yesterday
visited the house Of Mary Williams, at which
the tragedy was enacted, and viewed the
corpse, which was stretched upon a bench in
the back yard Of house No. 207 Bienville
street. stark and cold in the clasp OF DEATH
The thin blood was still tricklingfrom small
round oritice in her breast, anG around the
corpse were gathered many who had but a
few hours since participated in he pleasures
of the ball.
From several this reporter endeavored to
obtain some information AS to the cause of
the difficulty. but all they knew vas that they
saw Henderson sitting some three steps from
the deceased, Mary Williams, when he sud
also stated that the man and woman had no
difficulty in the ballroom prior 70 the shoot
ing. The reporter then visited the Fourth
Precinct, for the purpose of interviewing the
but found that he had been sent
before Judge Staes tor preliminary examina-
ton.
Immediately proceeding to the Second MI.
nicipal Police Court the prisoner was seen in
the dock. but as the reporter was about to in
terview him. he was tsken out INTO the yard
for the ostensib!e purpose of going to his
cell, but it appears for no othe: reason than
that of being posted to keep silent He re-
turned in few moments and was interviewed
but was singularly re.icent. saying that he
knew nothing abolt it and had nothing to say
4 present. except that he Was 60. personally
acquainted with the woman. s
Strange as it may seem, only few mo-
ments before. he informed policeman that
the woman struck him IN the sbdomen and
be shot her. but did not care Henderson
was brought before Judge Staes and remand ,
ID for his appearance He is black negro,
about five feet five or six inches in height :
wenty three years old. and has rather a def
INT and insolent bearing. and seemed per- 1
iectly unconcerned about the murder that he
lad committed
Coroner DeBlanc was at the room OF the
deceased. No. 209 Bienville street. next door
% the scene OF the bloody tragedy, but could
40. hold the inquest as the CITY Physician was z
aot to be found. but gives as his opinion that
he woman came to her death by internal
Thus ends another bloody
ragedy in which negroes played the leading
characters