The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1881-08-08

leading to Fishers house. Her daughter,
Rose Taylor, and grandson, Thomas Golf,
live with her, and several colored men sleep
there at night. Thomas COTS mother,
Mary Golf, married daughter of Chris
tina's, works in service at Rupperts
farm, about three miles from Fishers,
and visits her mother on an aver
age of once week. During the day
Thomas minds cows at Lynch's place, near
Brooks Station, and at night sleeps at his
grandmother's. The nearest neighbor to
Fisher is farmer named Kline; who visited
the farm Saturday evening, shortly after
the murder had been committed, and talked
with the Taylors before the police, arrived,
but learned nothing from them calculated
to throw any light upon tho matter.
Rose Taylor Is not married, but has of
late been receiving attentions from James
Stokes, the negro who not great while
ago stood trial in the Criminal Court for
butting man to death. The Taylors have
lived at Fishers about three months, and
have paid their rent promptly. In con-
sequence Of statements made Christina
and Rose Taylor and the boy Thomas
Golf were arrested, the first two Sat
urday night and the boy yesterday,
it being considered necessary to hold the
latter as witness. At the inquest yester-
day Thomas was confused and non-com
initial, and, though present during all the
excitement Saturday night, swore positively
that he had heard nothing of the murder.
An Important Clue.
The trio-mother, daughter and grand
son-occupicd separate cells Mt the Second
Precinct Station to-day. A reporter of THE
CRITIC visited the women and converscd
with them, but found them non-committal-
still adhering to their original statements
that they knew nothing of the murder
Rose Taylor was inclined to be
sullen and impudent, but seemed
somewhat uneasy at times that Mr..
did not arrive. She refused to say what
she wanted to see the gentleman for. except
that she had something to tell him. The
boy Thomas was taken into the Office Of
Lieutenant Johnston and asked If he would
not tell exactly what he knew about the
movements of his grandmother and Aunt
Rose Saturday afternoon. 1t was known
that the latter went down to Lynch's and
made him hurry home before he had fin
ished his supper. After some hesitancy,
Thomas made n statement which is worthy
of consideration.
Statement Of Thomas Golf.
The boy said: my Aunt Rose came to
Mr.. Lynch's, where l was eating my supper,
anu Sdlu, SOnlc Ou uOu WdiV ioE
nothing AS we went along asked her
what was the matter and she said that Mr..
Fishers two children was dead and that we
would have to leave the place. When we
got home she wanted me to go up to Rup-
perts place, where my mother, Mary Golf,
| lived, to bring her to my grandm0ther's, SO
that we all could 20 away together. My
grandmother told me to go up there also,
but afterward told me not to go as it was
too late. All this was before the police
came. My aunt and grandmother acted
like they were very much scared and kept
on saying that we must leave the place.
My aunt walked me very fast from
Lynch's. When we got home Mr.. Kline
came over and asked about the murder.
My grandmother said that she had seen
somebody 60 across the field away from
Mr.. Fishers house before the murder was
discovered, but she didn't say what time
it was, or who the person was.'
Probably Another Clue.
During the search about Fishers place
yesterday the police found the skirt of an
old dress in brook near where the Taylors
lived. When shown to Mr.. Fisher and his
wife they recognized it as one worn by
Christina Taylor when they saw her Satur-
day morning. The old woman said yester-
day that she had thrown it away several
udyS pTlOT " tlc 1nc pOllCc IT,
ceivcd information to-day, however, that a
negro, James Thompson, laborer en-
pl0yed by Mr.. Kline, saw Christina change
her dress Saturday afternoon and throw the
old one into the brook. At an early hour
to-day Detectives Miller and McElfresh
went out to Kline's to find Thompson. In
the meantime, Mr.. Kline had failed to re-
spond to the request of Rose Taylor to visit
her at the station.
A Shrewd POliceman's Ideas.
While waiting for somethi 1g new to be
developed, THE CRITIC met Mounted Po-
liceman West, the colored officer who was
so active and successful in ferreting out the
facts connected with the Hirth murder.
Officer West is not engaged in the present
case, but has watched it closely on his
own account, and when asked what he
thought about it, said that of course he was
as liable to be mistaken as any one else. but
the evidence thus far developed was not
sufficient to convince him that the colored
women under arrest were the guilty parties.
They are the most ignorant negroes have
ever seen, he said, "and under the cir
cumstanccs it is natural enough that they
should be confused and inclined to
mix up statements having no knOwl.
edge Of the law or its peculiar ways
l believe that the police will have to search
further and deeper for the facts. Officer
West has had more varied experience among
colored criminals perhaps than any man on
the force, and is more perfectly acquainted
with their ways, hence the Importance
which may be attached to his opinion.
what Policeman Mcnamara Learned
Mounted Policeman Mcnamara was sent
out to hunt up farmer Kline this morning
to bring him in to see Rose Taylor. Mr.
Kline was absent when the officer arrived
at his farm While waiting he conversed
with people in the vicinity and learned
some interesting particulars. In the first
place he learned that the husband OF
the mother Of the murdered infants
had been dead several years. When he died
he left three children. One of these, girl
was burned to death on Joseph Fisher
farm while endeavoring to start fire will
coal-oil. Another child, born after thu
fathers death, died later, also, from con
sumption. One of the parties seen by OF
ficer Mcnamara said that the second chile
died quite suddenly, and created some tall
in the neighborhood but it was stated t
the satisfaction of everybody that the babe
died natural death. This same person
said, according to the officers statement
that, Notwithstanding Joseph Fishers pro
fcssed affection for his brothers children, h
treated them rather harshly at times
Funeral OF the Slaughtered Babes.
Il After Officer Mcnamara had waited som,