Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-03-31
Death Of Charles Draeger from yio.
lence.

TESTIMONY At TIE coRoSER's INQUEST TO-DAY.
Coroner Patterson held an inquest at noon to
day over the body Of Charles Draeger, a clerk In
the adjutant generals offies, ~hose death, which
occurred yesterday resulted from injuries received
on the night Of the 18th or morning OF the 18th
inst Draeger was found the morning OF the 18th
lying under the cuvert on the Metropolitan branch
near New York avenue. The following were en-
paneled as a jury: Robert j. RUSSELL j. NJ Kraus,
F. W. Koss, Joseph Williams, John Bakersmith
and II. L. Huneke.
DR. j. W. Herbert testified to having seen Drae-
ger at the station on the 18th. He had then a de-
preston OF the SKULL but there was no evidence o.
compression. He was removed home and re-
manned unconscious for four days Upon return
ing to consciousness he stated that he did not
know whether any one was with him the night his
injuries were received. or how he was hurt He
was present at the autopsy, which showed that
death was caused by fracture OF the skull, fol-
lowed by enuSiOn. There was bruSe on the leg,
and the hand and elbow were black and blue.
julius Juenemann, who keeps restaurant on
the corner OF 9th street aud Louisiana avenue,
| testified that Draeger was in his place the night
until IL o'clock He drank five or six glasses of
peer He went out with man named Smith.
Draeger went.in different directions Smith after
wards told the witness that he had left Draeger
on the sidewalk. Draeger having inquired Of him
II the best way for him would not be through the
City Hall park. Draeger treated once while he
was in the restaurant and paid his score Witness
did not see whether he had any other money with
him.
DR.. j. F. Hartigan testified to having made an
autopsy this morning and finding that death had
resulting from fracture. 1t was his opinion that
the injuries might have been received by being
struck by passing train or falling down the cul.
vert. The hat was broken and torn He thought
1t improbable that that the injury to the skull was
inflicted by blow.
Coroner Patterson stated that he was informed
that no trains passed the point where the body
was found, after midnight.
ChaS Reinhart, who lives on 9th street. between
seen Draeger In Juenemann's place twice on the
! night OF the nth OF March-once about o'clock,
and again when witness returned to the place. be.
right. The wtnesssaw Smith there.
can you tell me-" asked one Of the Jurors
''what kind or man this Mr.. Smith is?"
''Mr. Smith," said the witness, The looked to me
like man who had wooden leg"
81 don't mean about his Leg" said the juror
'but whether he was nice man or not"
"Oh, yes" said the witness, che was nice man
never heard anything wrong about him."
Fade Waters. Of sss street. one Of the two
toxcation, and who was at first suspected Of hav.
ing something to do with the death OF Draeger
friends-WIlson and ,Pumphrey-were walking
out into the country, and they sat down
by the fence OF the German schuetzen park, near
that there was man dying there, and they went
over. got the man out and laid him on the grass
Afterwards they came along to the station house
with the bO1y. Witness said he staid at his home
during the night preceding.
Andrew Milstead, a young boy living at SO r
street, testified to having seen the injured maj
and told a switchman, who said, " Let him die.
The witness then reported it to the seventh pre-
cinct police station. When witness returned tt
| the culvert the man had been taken out. and wa!
being put into wagon.
Officer Sullivan testified to having. with Of1lce
Slack, brought the man to the station, and de
scribed the mans condition.
officer Slack testified to having put Waters ant
Wilson under arrest upon receiving Information
that they had been sitting there with another mai
half an hour before Draeger was found. The!
were under the influence OF liquor.
THE VERDICT.
This closed the testimony, and a few MINUTES
later the jury returned verdict that the deceased
came to his death from fracture OF the skull ant
compression OF the brain, "but whether Academia
or otherwise we are unable to determine from th
evidence"