Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-01-04
A Woman burned to Death.
WAS SHE PURPosELY SET on FIRE By DENNIS
JOHNSON?

as stated in last evenings STAR. 1t will be re-
membeTed that the girl was found with her
clothes burning n the yard Of the hou-e On
3 h street ON Christmas morning, and when
tie flames were eXtinguished the whole upper
part OF Der body, as well as her face ana neck,
were found to &c horribly burned. lt was al
first supposed that the burning was the result
OF accident. but soon there were whispers Oh
foul play. runorS that she had been purpnSeE
set on fire. and young Colored man was arrest
ed, but lie succeeded in showing that he was
not responsible. Dennis Johnson, Young man
who was al the house on the night OF christmas
eve, was next arrested by Harlow ana Daiiey,
and il was thought that the evidence against
him was clear He was taken 10 the fOilce
court and committed for hearing. the atthort-
ties meantime awaiting the result OF the lnJu-
lies.
The Jurors having been selected proceedei
from the fifth precinct station to the residence
of the deceased. She had been quite hand
some bright mulattO girl. About two-thlrdS OF
her body was burned over. The coroner and
jury returned to the station, when the testi-
mony was taken as follows:
John cole testified that On Christmas eve
night he was at Bligh'S hall, and between and
CclCck III. when ne left he heard some one
screaming and ran over to Il little ShOenaker
shop and saw the cloth over the window WAS
burning, and he tried the door. but it was locked
and lie pushed 1t open There was clothing
burning over tie floor and the room was full Of
smoke, and in the back yard the woman was
burning. He ran to her. and nearly all her
clothing had been burned off except her cO"setS.
y
There was nobody in the yard Wle'. i.t; We 1t in
ard no one In the house. There WIS nothing in
the shop through which he went except the
shGenaker'S tools. He carried her, with the
aid OF another party. into the shop. Only heard
her say For Gods sake. carry me hOme"-tO
some Of her relatives. There was a little fire
in the stove ard shawl partly burned was in
q chair.
YalGeIaar Jackson testified that between IN
and II o'clock lie was in the shoe shop, and
there was ire in the stove. Parker was pre-
nd S-r~alE lott IFl1
benjamin hlopfeT "a private Watchnlan) te5-
tilted that LIE was passing along c street to-
ward 18th about 2 O'Clock and saw light in
The hOnse and ran over, cole having broke the
door III iuSt before he GOT there. Just as he was
going up the steps saw Il man jump from the
platform and run around the corner, going
westward When he got in the house he fought
tie tIe till he saw q light in the yard and when
lie went there saw the woman lying on the
snow. john Cole was then standing at her
head. Al! lie heard her say was in reference to
her poor mother" Witness has been a private
Waterman On the square; was III the habit Gi
seeing her and never saw her under the inIlli-
ance Of liquor.
Jacob Madden, coIOIed; Barbara Kelly and
Lula NARROW testified, but nothing new was
elected.
Miss Lucy King testified that she lives in the
same house; heard Z cry OF fire, and Mrs. White
exclaimed that she was being burnt up; saw a
man put this child out iii the Snow and take u
a bucket and Try to get water. This was
~
SIZE saw him was when he came running over.
asking what was the matter, aud he went With
them when they took her home.
Samuel Tyler testified to going to the house
and taking the woman TO her home She
told witness that she did not know how it hap
FeECd. He Gid not believe that she knew for
She was pretty full.
DIR. Walters testified that he was called to see
deceased Oh Christmas morning. She said at
first that she did not know; but subsequently,
she said that she went to the house about II
O'Clock, and she went to sleep, and she knew
that Johnson did it. There is no doubt but that
The cause OF death was the burning. There was
no odor OF kerosene about the clothing. and he
thought that she concluded that kerosene was
USED, because there was no fire or light in the
place.
James Parker testified that on Christmas eve
night, on his way TO his shop, he met Florence
Washington, and she asked him If he knew
where Dennis was, and he told her that he had
gone to his {witneSs@ shop, and she asked him
to tell Dennis that she wanted to see aim. He
then described his efforts to find johnson, in
which she Joined, and Of finding him On 18th
street.
Nancy Coleman. the next witness, testified to
no facts CT interest.
Americas Murray testified about 121I O'Clock
she saw Dennis with the girl, and she was very
drunk.
TIE DYING DECLARATION OF TIE DECEASED
was lead. After stating that she was aware
that she was lnOrtally sick and death was i'm
Ininent, 1t read5:-..On Christmas eve night
l went cut and met Jim Parker and he took me
over to his place on 18th street. He took me in
there. There was not spark of light in the
house. Parker said to me after we got into the
house, Have you saw Dennis Johnson | told
him no, hadn't seen him. He then brings me
out OF there. and We came on 18th street to ID
and along TO Mrs. kelly'S, and then Jim left me
there. and didn't see Jim any more that night
lie left me at the door and went in and Mrs.
Barbour tried to get me home. In the mean
time came across the street on the other side
CT ID street and Dennis johnson went over TO
Mrs. Barbour's and ASKED for me, and Mrs b.
tod him that had gone home, and he came
across the street and OvGTtaken me- He taken
ne down ID street again ana stopped along 18Th
street some where, and gave me glass OF egg
ncgg, and drank it. lie must have drugged it
any sense at all. don't remember after this
Till found my self in the house ON 18th street
Were Parker carried me before. There was no
III nor light In tie room but it was warm [She
then gees On TO state that he made an improper
request OF her and she declined to yield to his
wishes She continues as fOllOWs:I then laid
ny head up against his, shoulder and
him l am. knew nothing more till
! woke up all ablaze and he had his coat off
tanning me: ! was so excited that | didn't
Know what TO do. He picked me up ard showed
me by my two shoulders right into the yard. /
didn't know anything more until they had
picked me up and brought me home and laid me
In The ped Ia The house where / am now. In
answer to the question whether she believed
Dennis johnson set fire to her clothing. she an
swercd, ''Yes, know lie did, for he was Jealous
OF me. lie naQ visited me often before. and
he found LuciuS Smith with me he
seemed not to like it. After 1 was brought
home where | am now, Dennis Johnson was
over my bed. when my mother asked
me- i lOrence how came you over there?' Den
MS johnson spoke up loud enough tor al 10
hear, ard said, i Will get 1t out of her and
then asked me, Florence, how came YOU over
there ana then whispered TO me and said. .FOr
ChriSt'S sake, Florence, don't give me ayay' y
EcCeuIber oh. 1878.
The statement was sworn to before c. 6 Rim
dy, justice Of the peace, and atteSted by C. st
Clair Burley and Charles Washington as wit
neSses.
THE VERDICT,
Tie Jury returned verdict that the deceased
came TO her death about O'Clock on the morn
ing Of tie Sd instant from exhaustion. the re-
suit OF burns caused by her clothing taking fire
on the morning OF December %; and tney fur
tier say that they believe said burning was the
result OF accident.
Dennis johnson, who was committed to iail a
few days after the burning, will be released.
. HARMONY COUNCIL, SOvEREIGNS OF INDUSTRY,
last night elected officers as fOllows:-H G. ia
GODS, president: DR.. A. S. GriSwold, vice presi-
Gent; Frank Ctville, recording secretary; j. W.
EarSna, financial secretary; James Eveeth,
treasurer; :. 5. Gardner, lecturer; W. c. Bick-
Iofd, steward; j. L. Frazer, inner guard; T. j.
gardner, George y. French, X. A. Bayley, r. A.
ChafieS, Il. U. Leech, executive committee; 0.
Leech, trustee OF the SOyereignS dlStributive
agency; Charles Lyman, T. j. Gardner, r. A.
Bayley (hojding over, E. o. Leech (hOlding
rIE.V.A