Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-01-02

DEATH FROM 4 FRACTURED SKULL.
An Old l[an Knocked Down and Fs.
tally Injured BY . Passing Carriage.
THE coRoNRR'S INVESTIGATION AS 10 THE
CAUSE or TIE DEATH OF GEORGE AUGUST
srEIBLE.
The jury impanneled BY Coroner Patterson
yesterday met at the fifth precinct station this
morning and investigated the death of George
August Steible, the venerable Baltimorean who
died Thursday at his sons house, 325 Pennsyl-
vania avenue southeast, nom the results Of
injuries received by being knocked down by
Mr.. Chas. Payson's carriage the evening Of De
cember 18th last, on Pennsylvania avenue, near
18th street.
DR.. J. F. Hartigan testified that death was
caused oy fracture OF the skull.
TESTIMONY OF Mr.. PAYsoN AND HIS DRIVER.
Mr. Payson testified that while driving down
the avenue In coupe with his wife, near 10Th
street, he saw o man standing on the pave
ment near the railroad track. He was facing
the coupe. Something distracted witness At
moments anu rh me aia NOT iopk at MIN ios Few
just as the left SHAFT Of che carriage struck him
on on tue left shoulder. He saw the man fall and
The carriage then stopped and witness
got out. Quite a crowd collected. Witness
suggested that the man should be taken to q
druggists witness thought It best TO take him
home. He could not, however, learn from the
b w HrsnI9s he 50 he brought him to the
was put In chair he noticed that there was a
cash on his left temple. Witness had had his
him as very careful. The horse was going at q
slow trot. After the shaft struck the man
the carriage passed on clear OF the man. and did
not run over him. It was about halEpast eight
O'Clock when the accident occurred. Witness
thought 1t strange that the man, who had been
made no attem pt to get out Of the way. When
the witness first saw him the man was square
away.
Hugh Healy, Mr.. Payson's driver, testified
that he was coming down the Avenue from the
direction of 18th street. At 18th street the gen.
tleman who was struck was crossing the street
as witness supposed. Just as he got between the
two tracks q car came along, and the man
backed away from 1t towards witness carriage.
When he got In front OF the horse, he turned
right around and faced the horse. Just then
the shaft caught between the buttons Of his
the motion turned the man around and threw
MN on the car track. He thought neither the
morse nor any part Of the carriage, except the
the man, the latter was between the curbstone
ana the car track. Witness halloaed to the
man, but he had understood since that he was
near-Slghted and hard OF hearing.
OTHER TESTIMONY.
Mr.W. A. D! Cole, who saw the accident testi-
fled that Mr.. Steible stopped at the car track as
though he were going to board q car. just as
the car approached him he stepped back and as
he stepped back he was struck by the carriage.
He thought the front wheel OF the carriage
struck him. The driver stopped his carriage
about fifty feet beyond where the man was
struck. Witness noticed the old man especially
on account of his extreme age and apparent
feebleness. The witness did not think the driver
was blameable.
VERDICT ACoUITTINa THE DRIVER.
The jury rendered a verdict that the deceased
came to his death from fracture of skull and
compression of brain, the result Of being
knocked down by horse driven by Hugh
Healy and owned by Charles Payson, and that
1.-The jury believe, from the evidence, that the
affair was purely accidental, and that the driver
was In no way to blame"
A Mystery In Mcpherson Square.
A WOMAN FOUND LYING UNCONSCIOUS ON A
PARK BENCH-SHE DECLINES WHEN REsTOR
ED TO GIVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT HER.
SELF.
young woman was discovered about 10
o'clock last night by gentleman who was pass
ing through Mcpherson square, stretched out
On one Of the park benches, apparently In an
unconscious condition. He summoned assist
ance and had her carried to q neighboring drug
store. The woman appeared to be under some
mental excitement. When consciousness re-
ton as to her name or the cause Of her condi-
ton. She was subsequently taken to toe NTH
precinct station house In the police ambulance
There she still perss ted in refusing to give any
1ncoherent way that some man had done her
a wrong, but would not disclose his name. Her
brother called this morning and took her to her
nome. NO info nation was obtained by the Po-
matter will, however, be Investigated, with the
view to ascertaintng whether an assault was