The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1889-05-03
The Murderer Arrested.


Sheriff Darnal. accompani ed by Detec
tive Henry 2atf, of Washireton, brought nom
that city and lodged i'll Jail here OH Wednes-
day evening Nelson Edward Thomas, color
ed. who was arrested in South Washington on
MonCay charged with The murder of the mli-
lalto woman. Eliza Foster whose body was
found in The woods near Be innings last week.
The officers had under arrest also Lizzie, the
wife of Thomas, who is charged with being
an accessory. and Matilda Thomas, cousin OF
the prisoner, who is held As witness Tor the
Stale. A hearin, WAS II al before Justice hAf-
ris who committed Thomas, and hIs Vile 10
jail To await the action al the Grand Jury next
October. Matilda Thomas declined Ia give
bail and WAS also comn'iltrd.
Al The !leariu. before Justice Harr :. WHEN
ASKED Whist le had Ia SAY. Thomas replied
thai lie WAS i'll 4 Trap aud coih mol gel OUT "i
il. lie thea said he was With the man vino
killed lin. woman, but refused 30 tell who the
man WAS. and said H.. would take all the
blame nj; his shoulders. IL apparrd quite
uucc.cerucd. aud said hc m.nted Ia Ice tried
- sopn rs possie. HIS wsfr. however, was
,ery much effected and shed bitter t-ars. NATL
da Thomas testified tint she heard Lizzie, the
VIII. say that she womb either Kill t-liza
Foster herse'f I, ar have lier killed.
The circumstances of Tie killing aie - FOL
COWS: Eliza Foster liah ben desert d by
Thomas when lie married his Present wife
She oecaine highly indignant aud incens'd Al
icr treatment and frequently visited the
hcusc of Thomas where quarrel, cnsued and
threats We're made. II seems that Eliza Eos
Ter lad in JANUARY stolen frum a lady in
Washington who employed her 500, Which
i I. had shared wiki Thomas. She threatened
Ia disclose the THEFT u,rss he desert
Ell his wife. This continued until liIc lUiiI al
April when E.izi w.,> asst aii,c. Alter
his arrest re mI,ie LIS iiist ,i.lrrnest IL officer
Mansfield al the lie. st ton, hut afterwards
was brought IA police headquarters, where lac
told his story i'll lie pr"sanc. ri i numb :r o.
detectives, police ili:ials and reporters. lie
q; first accused Tiios. Fletcher culored, Of
killing the woman, but lie said he too was
present and must be hung t,.r II. \ few hours
'aier he amended this statement and declared
that 9th lie and Fletcher struck hei: lie final
IL tOnft sd that Fletcher had notl ing To do
with the murder, and that !.e alone was guilty
of IT, He said, too, al iEsI liza. his lie had
given him ripe and told him not 10 hit FL n
blt To hang l,ei: but this statement he after
forwards disavowcd. Eliza had. he said, be-
cun attached To him aud lie could hot shake
her Off She was always xi;er him and occa-
stoned him 10 he in constant trouble with his
wife, Eliza had begged him IL lake her to the
h.ns, of .'iiiie Thomas, in Howard county,
Nd. aud on the evening of Emancipation Day
he Started with her ~ make the journey. She
had always. he said, been disposed tn have
many men companions As she could get,
ami had been going viii George Fletcher
T.ey crossed Brnnings's bridge in the rain. he
fet uncomfortable anu out Of tempar, and she
wet ana disposed TO be disagreeable.-
Y went along the high road walking and
ureling until Inr. after midnight About
o'clock he burned with her aside from the
Ain road int by path. au'! there he struck
r in the head WITH store. The first blow
lslied her sau'i AMI she. fell without 4 cry
III in a few iuI.'.I;,-> WAS dead. lie left the
Jdy, but STAYED II, HE woods for some hours,
nj Then made lis way 10 his home in
Washington. SIX days after Tie murder the
Dpdy WAS found wl,.T. she fell. This is
ih- ia.e lie tells.
IL. ,ai IN Washington that he had q
morid ar or Marlboro. MY mother told
me, lac -sid never In get int, that place
That whore they lock you up and throw the
key awa,." and lie declared that all he want
rh Al NJ :Tli'or" WAS quick trial in one week.
ii.'', irre weeks to pray. and he wanted TO be
Ia u: ar,.,.'rg ais friends.