National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1877-03-25
DAVID SMALL'S MURDER.
ENGINEER ELLISON rs COMMJTTED
FOR ACTION THE GRAND JURY.

the Same Ohense-His Account of the Fatal
Assauit-Thc Defense Claims that smaii's
Death was not Caused by the Blow from the
Ax-Handle.
George o. Ellison, the engineer OF the
House Of Representatives, charged with tho mur.
der David Small on the Tth inst, was arranged
in the Police Court yesterday morning. He Natl
In the court for an hour or more with his coun sci
Mr.. Joseph +. Hayden, waiting for the other
business Of the morning to be cleared up II
lson arose and plead not guilty to,the charge
ting forth that Ellison ought not now be charged
with murder, as he had before In tho samc court
now charged was one and the same as repects
the transaction, and that the alleged assault
grew out Of tho came transaction now charged |
against him as murder.
The Court overruled the plea, and Mr.. Hayden |
asked for q continuance OF tho case, go that Eli.
son might remain in the custody OF the POLICE
Court, while the question OF bail was being ar.
Rued In the upper court.
This was moi Erunteh, and the court proceeded
that given before tho coronor's Jury. DR. j. F.
Hartigan testified that death was caused by In.
s ss opinion tho bio" from the n'h''v' caused
Erpa Norris, one Of EIlIson's assistants, aavo
d.. Samuel b. Fisher, smslrs family physician,
tes,ihed that death was caused by tho blow In.
Judge Smell reminded him that in his testimony
had saia that ho appresendsd no 'V sepIoSS d a
Guilty from Small's Injuries.
II also came out In Or. Fishers testimony that
leg He attributSd this to the eieots Of the blow
or "blood poison" produced by the blow. -
Jury. It is expected that the defense viii On.
re ~ D and others
the head which produced death.
WHAT ELLISON SAYS.
Ellison yeeterday interyie " ed with n yiew
OF getting bis personal statement of the affair.
At first he appeared indisposed to make state.
ment for any Of u local papers for fear II would
be distorted or garbled in such a manner that IL
WOULD Bs GSn. ns o and
he thought existed against him for political
CAN only de.iIed 70 be lust and would not eiar
prejudice to influence lis action In such case, no
c3ne,uded to make full statement, saying that
the privilege. He then became communicative
sCaS s o tS he
charge under which he Is now held.
He said that from the time he was FIRST sp.
pointed as chief engineer Of the House Of Repre-
sentative he had me, with nothing but opposl ION
from the old employees Of his department, and in
prevent MIN from discharging his duties in the
manner he thought they should be. They seemed
as such as much a. they dared openly, and embar.
raised him in many little ways OF which he had
spoken to his friends. Much Of the prejudice was
the House, No said, Mr.. Adams, gradually made
changes among my subordinates, and, of course,
and caufed good deal OF ili.feeling against me
to be entertained by those discharged. This is
THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF ALL MY TROUBLE.
Among the last discharges made was that OF
me, and manifested his feelings by frequently
threatening TO be revenged, especially when
under the influence OF liquor. These threats
w are IN 10 in n nf nwaN
at the Capitol, and have been frequently
warned to look out for myself, as he meditated
son. While believed he would hardly dare to
put his threats In execution, was naturally ap-
lie had b,s Sffen provoked me BY his
him than i could help. For III. reason avoided
him whenever l conveniently could.
THE ASSAULT.
On the day OF tho assault I was reclining on
the lounge In my otice, when Small came In,
and. deliberately sitting down, no commenced to
was in liquor, and tried to pacIfy him BY assuring
him bad not mentioned his name for removal
hs VERY
During this Time he sat with one hand 10 his
berirg the warnings had received, tho threats
he had made and the condition he was In, l
handle that happened to Be- near, / told him he
had only come there to raise disturbance with
me, and would not have 1t; ordered him out;
20, and renewed his abuse. again ordered him
out two or three times, when he made . sudden
move to rise. as e to attack me. when, to defend
struck him over the head with the axhandie. l
only Iemsm6e ,, sIikIg him but put once knocking
. policeman, for did not know what he might
yet be tempted to do, and did not want to have
had every reason to believe that he Intended
violence toward me, and in striking him did 1t
solely to defend myself from what regarded as
blow was strong enough to seriously injure HID,
or by using tho weapon Of defense l possessed It
assistants, was in the room at the time, aud after
l Knocked Small down he offered to help him up
and washed the blood from his head. He refused
assistance, however, remarking as he left that
to that effect, and concluded with an oath BY
10 one thought at that time that the affair
would terminate fatally, and no one was more
SURPRISED AT THE RESULT
than was. Neither can any one regret It more
smairs death, and that I. warrant was out for
my Iearrest, was In New York, but hurrie{,
S Without Sna sss nsno
delay on my part. desire the case to be brought
to an issue at the earliest practical moment, Id
again for tho same act under o dinereat charge.
and the grand Jury brings In an Indictment
tai.
ONE OF THE POINTS OF pEPESsR
As indicated In the brief examination yesteTf
day, Ellison's counsel will endeavor to show thd
'putusn was the primary cause OF death, AMI
that the blood Of deceased was poisoned ethet
by hereditary Transmission or by the habits OF his
own life, or both. The appearance OF Small
| after death is referred to as an unmistakeble
proof of this. 1t is claimed that tho entire left
side Of the body, including the limbs, was highly
dlscolored wit dark jaundced hue, and swollen
to twice or thrice the natural size.
The counsel evidently expects to prove by med
| zeal authorities that death resulted from tho i'm
mediate effects Of this blood poison, which dis.
figured the body, and not the single blow upon
| the head, which at the time was not regarded as
very dangerous.