Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-07-27

4 Fatal ARRAY i'm Goat AIley-The In.
quest TO.Da

bloody and fatal affray occurred little
before eight O'Clock last night in little frame
house In the alley known as Goat alley, which
| runs through the square between and NJ and
oth and 9TH streets. In this house lived an old
negro named Thomas Carter, man seventy
years old, and who is married to a Maria Car
ter, and has several step-children. Last night.
while it was raining, James Holmes, a
colored man, twenty-four years old, who runs a
push cart met Maria in the alley and asked her
10 lend him the umbrella she was carrying, but
she refused, as it was not her umbrella. Holmes
subsequently, went TO Carriers house and in
sisted on borrowing the umbrella The Old man
said To his wife, Don't give the niger any sat
isfaction." This led to words and a fight be-
tween Carter and Holmes, in which they bella
bored each other with chairs. Carter received
blow on the head which felled him
to the floor. While scufiiing on the
Holmes, plunged a knife into Holmes chest
The fight appears to have continued some time
after this stab was inflicted. Holmes then left
the house. the blood running from his wound,
and ran at full speed to Cissins drug store,
corner OF 1th and NJ streets, where he fell ex-
hausted. He died in twenty minutes. The
knife, which penetrated his chest on the right
side, near the collar bone. severed an artery.
The inquest was held at 10 o'clock to-day in
the sixth precinct station.
THE INQUEST.
\ large crowd OF colOred people surrounded
the station. Holmes, the dead man, was a
member of the Washington Cadet Corps, and
members of that command who were present
SAID he was OF a very peaceable disposition. He
had "a room in Carriers house. The cOrOnerS
jury was composed of y. l.. l.. Reese, A. A.
EcklOh, Jno. Z. Bone, Jno Freeman, Jacob
ioefner and Jacob koeble. The old man, Car
ter. was present, with handkerchief bound
about the wound on his forehead, where he was
struck with chair. The witnesses examined
told The story of the tragedy substantially as
related above. Maria Carter said she tainted
after the fight began, and did not see the cut
ting. George Pinkney, Carriers stepson, saw
the beginning OF the fight, and parted
the disputanis once. Then he went up
stairs, and did not see the cutting.
Frederick Tyler, u neighbor ran 10 the house
Holmes and had a knife. Holmes was covered
with blood. When Holmes got up Carter
struck at him with a chair. and Holmes, as he
went out, threw u glass at Carter
Melinds. Boyd testified that when Carter
came out she told him he had killed a man,
and he said, Il don't care; he struck me first
DR.. Lachlan Tyler testified to the character of
the wound.
Edmund Brockenborough testified to finding
aciasp-knlie In room adjoining the one where
the fight occurred.
Rose Pinkney, Carriers stepdaughter, who
was upstairs during the fight, was shown the
clasp-kniie found by BrockeilbOrOugh and said
she thought it was Carriers knife.
Carter stated that he had not used that knife,
but an ordinary table knife.
O1her witnesses were examined, but no facts
OF Importance were elected from them.
The jury returned verdict that Holmes
came to his death from an inciSed wound of
the chest inflicted with knife held in the
hands OF Thomas Carter"
Carter was committed for the action of the
grand jury.