Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-18
STRANGLED HER BABE.
The Trial Of Grace SmallwOod for
Murder.

In the Criminal Court this morning before
Judge Montgomery, the case of the colored
woman Grace smallwood, charged with the
murder of her infant child on the afternoon of
September last, was called. Mr.. ]. w. Walker
appeared for the accused and Assistant District
Attorneys Lipscomb and Mullowney for the
government. 1t is alleged that the child was
born in Hope Alley, between d, E, 18th and
18th streets southeast, and that the accused
caused its death by tying piece Of shoe string
around its neck, and then threw it on an ash
pile. The defendant is small colored woman
about thirty years old, and appeared in court
| attired in blue dress, white apron, white col
lar and black straw hat
The court proceeded to the selection of a
jury at once, and in ten minutes the following
were accepted and sworn: John Bury, Edw
Cooley. Jno. II. Russell, Geo. B. Sheriff, Arthur
Burt, VIM. Heine Chas E. Nelson, jr.. Geo. R.
Barnes, c. W. Klopinger, John A. Peters, John
G. Baum and W. F. l. Eaton.
Mr.. Nullowney opened the case.fo the;gov-
eminent.
THE DEFENSE CLAIMS THAT THE WOMAN IS OF
WEAK MIND.
Judge Walker followed for the defendant.
stating that the woman was of weak mind and
somewhat of a religious fanatic; also that she
was a member of the Good Samaritans. or
some such order. They would show that she
was intimate with one Mr.. Green; that she had
been employed by Mrs. Lescallet for eight
years, and left her place of service on Satur-
day and went to the lonely quarters, where she
spent Sunday and gave birth to the child
Describing her surroundings he urged that she
could not have been capable of forming a de-
Hberate intent to murder. When she came to
her senses she was so much Inundated and
ashamed that she followed the instincts of a
brute, and tying the string around the neck of
the child. put it aside. On the following morn
ing she went to her service place and was soon
| afterward arrested, sent to the hospital for two
days, and then to the Jail. She had been
in the habit of contributing one-half of her
earnings to the church and society, and when in
Jail they had abandoned her.
THE TESTIMONY.
Alice Carroll, colored girl, testified that
the accused had had "a room in her house in
Hope alley; saw her Sunday morning, and she
said she was sick. In the evening she said she
was better. The next morning witness found
the child in the ash heap. George Green had
lived in the front room, and was there on
Sunday.
On cross-examination witness said the baby
was covered with ashes, and she then went to
the station house and reported the fact Wit
ness sent for the doctor in the morning, and
he came in the afternoon and went to Grace's
room.
Sergeant Burgess testified he saw the body
OF the child with the shoe-string around the
neck. and he went out and arrested Grace She
said that the child was born before the doctor
arrived; that she did not know that it was
alive, and she had tied the string round its
neck and put it in the alley. In the afternoon
| she was sent to the Freedman's hospital.
Officer Stewart testified to seeing the child
| on the ash heap.
DR.. Carraher testified that he saw the woman:
| found her in pain and gave her prescription;
| saw her next morning at the station and asked
| why she had lied to him. and she replied that
| she didn't, for it was all over then.
DIR. Lachlan Tyler testified to the autopsy,
| and that the death of the child was caused by
| strangulation.
This closed the testimony for the government.
TESTIMONY AS TO CHARACTER
Abraham Lescallet, summoned by the gov
eminent, waslexamined by defendant and tes-
tilted that the accused had been in::his employ
| seven years as a servants that she was not very
| bright, but was tractable and docile; she knew
| right from wrong.
Rev. W. H: Draper, pastor of the Ebenezer
| NJ. f. church, testified that accused was a
church member Of good reputation. and knew
right from wrong. She had been turned out of
| the church.
George Hudson testified that defendant was
regarded as very bright for an uneducated
Mrs. Maria Lescallet testified that defendant
| was not regarded as very intelligent, but she
knew right from wrong
DIR. w. w. Godding testified on a hypotheti
| cal case that such awoman, so surrounded could
form rational intent. The maternal instin G,
was so strong that the act described would
raise the question as to sanity.
DIR. Alexander McWilliams (physician to tbe
jaiD testified that the defendant was in n veal
condition when she came to the Jail: that she
was not Of a very bright intellect, but She
knew right from wrong.
Mrs. Elizabeth A. Russell, matron at the iail
testified that the prisoner was suffering wher
she came there. and was very nervous. Sarah
E. Cobb corroborated Mrs. Russell.
i TESTIMONY OF THE DEFENDANT.
The defendant testified that the child.wa,
born in Miss CAROLS house. No. Hone,
alley. She put the string around the neck o.
the child, but 1t was dead then; she didn't "A.
il move or hear 1t make any noise. On cross
examination witness said that George Greer
was the father OF the child; that he lived II
the same house.
The counsel proceeded TO argue the case.
George N. Diven, attorney FOR the Lehiei
Valley railroad, yesterday fled in the count,
clerks Office at Elmira, NY, Judgment agains
the Geneva, Ithaca and Savre railroad N,