The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1881-08-23
A CANDIDATE FOR HEMP.
GnerV-

Curry.
The coroner's inquest in the case of
James Curry, who was beaten to death by
Bert Cross ON the 10Th instant, was held Mt
the Eighth Precinct this morning. The
following jurors were selected VIM. Wise,
VIM. III. Miller, John Tucker, John Hessel,
VIM. Thompson and VIM. Mahoney.
Thomas Hawkins, colorcd, was the first
witness called. He testified that, in COM
pany with several other boys, he was stand
ing on Tenth street near G southeast, when
Mrs. Gross and another colored woman came
by and Curry made some remark did not
know IL he was addressing her. Mrs.
Cross turned around and asked
If he was talking to her; Curry denied that
he had spoken to her, when the woman
turned and walked away; soon Cross came
up and asked witness to point out Curry,
who was sitting down on the curb; this
witness did, and Cross went up to Curry, at
the same time calling his wife from across
the street, and asking her if- Curry
was the one who insulted her; she said yes,
and then Cross struck the deceased several
blows over the face and head Curry got
up and was followed by Cross, who hit him
several times more, but failed to knock him
resistance all this time, and Gross
again attacked bin, hitting him in the
eye, knocking him down and then began
to beat him while he was lying on the
ground. Curry several times appealed to
him to stop. Mr.. Thomas Sommervillc, n
gentleman who lives near to the scene of
the murder, came out and ordered Cross to
stop beating Curry. 1t was about o'clock
in the evening when the fight occurred.
VIM. Brooks, colored, was the next wit
ness called: He said he was walking up
Tenth street, on the night of the fight, and
heard Cross ask Curry what was that he
speaking to her, and then walked off and
hour afterwards Mr.. Cross came over
and called Thomas Sinner (Thomas
Hawkins) out of the crowd and asked him
where was Curry, and Sinner pointed him
out; then he called his wife across the
street and asked her If that was tho boy |;
she said yes, and then Cross commenced to
heat Curry while he was sitting down, hit
ting him in the temple and face, and side,
and kicked him once in the head then he
dragged him over to the lamp-post and struck
him twice. Curry hollered "For Gods sake
Mr.. Cross, didn't say nothin' at all to
your wife," His wife then asked him to
stop, and he did so. Curry did not make
any resistance.
hipOhb N'hitht Whitcy tCotihcu tlitb uc
was near by when the fight took place, and
hearing scuffle, went to see what it meant;
saw Cross have Curry down beating him in
the face; think he kicked him when he was
down; Curry. did not offer the slightest re-
sistance, but simply pleaded for mercy; after
beating him for several minutes, dragged
him about twenty yards, and holding him
up by one hand, beat him with the other
after the fight was over, asked Curry if he
was much hurt; Curry answered by saying
that he did not feel any of the blows so
keenly as the last one-the one on the
head-but that he was very dizzy.
Everett S. Beall testified to substantially
the same as the previous witness.
DIR. T.. A. Adams testified that he was
called in to see Curry Sunday morning; was
that he had had several chills in the past
three days. prescribed for him; some one
in the house made some casual remark about
the youth having been beaten some time
before; did not see any external evidence
that he had been injured.
DR.. j. +. Hartigan testified that he made
an examination of Curry's body yesterday,
and found the right eye BACKED and the
left side of the head bruised, the brain on
that side of the head being covered with
pus. The cause of death was inflammation
of the membrane of the brain. In connec-
ton with the bruises and the testimony
heard, he believed death to have been the
result of injuries received in the fight.
There was over half a gill of offensive pus
escaped from the skull cavity, and its
pressure on the surface of the brain caused
compression, and contributed to death.
CO At the conclusion of DIR. Hartigan's testi-
mony, Daniel b. Webster, an inmate of
Curry's house, was called and asked by
Coroner Patterson, if he had ever heard de-
ceased complain of affection in the head
previous to the attack. Witness said Curry
was injured in the head about year ago,
caused by boxing and skylarking with some
other colored boys. He had suffered some
from that cause.
The case was then given to the jury.
They were only out five minutes and
brought in verdict that deceased came to
his death on, the 18th instant from injuries
received on the head ut the hands of Doug
las William Cross. Cross was then com.
mittcd for the action Of the grand jury.
Attorney Frank H., Fall was at the in
quest in the interest of Gross.