Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-04-27
NO CLUE TO THE ASSASSIN.
The Benning Tragedy Still Enshrouded
In Mystery.

NO CLUE TO THE ASSASSIN.
The Benning Tragedy Still Enshrouded
In Mystery.
THE IDHNrrTT or THE MURDERED WOMAN NOT
TRIcr PoLIcx coxpLxrKLY AT ssA-TRAcISa
POSSIBLE cLuEs-PHoroaRAPHISd TIE coRrsE
The murder Of the colored woman whose
body was found in the woods on Jas. wrights
farm on the sheriff road. beyond Benning sta
ton, Easter Monday. still remains a mystery.
although James Digs, the colored ex-
press driver arrested yesterday is held
on suspicion of having conveyed the
body TO the woodA He will be held until
further inquiries can be made concerning his
movements Saturday morning.
WAS THERE BLOOD IN pIeos' WAGON
Captain" Cook, in telling about Digs, said
wagon, and that when il stopped there was a
thought was q dead body.
-, When they washed the wagon, Cook SAYS,
there was some blood washed out This Diggs
also denied
After Dlggs was locked up yesterday after
noon the officers went back to Bennins
known as Capt" Henry Williams.
-. he corroborated the story told by Cook in
the main, but was not certain whether the af-
fair occurred on Friday or Saturday morning.
An INTERVIEW WITH pIaGs' WIFE.
Last evening Detective Raft visited the house
OF Diggs In Burrville, and had an interview
with Diggs' wife, who could not say exactly
what time he left home Friday and Saturday
mornings, but said he usually left home about
6oclock. The wagon owned by Diggs, and
found at his home by the officer, was like the
vehicle described by Cook. 1t showed sings of
having had ashes in it. The officer could find
no traces OF blood in the wagon.
TIE VICTIM NOT YET IDENTIFIED.
Concerning the theory that the victim was
Mamie Gardner, who lived near Landover sta
ton, nothing further has been learned. The
heavy roads caused by the recent rains pre-
vented Sheriff Darnall and Magistrate Sheriff
from making as complete an investigation as
they would have made had the weather been
good.
The other theory that the body was that Of
Beckie Jackson, niece of John Francis, the
shoemaker in the county, has not been thor
oughly investigated, and it is not now known
whether beckie is missing or not. Last night
the officers received information that
coLoRED woMAN's MYSTERIOUS ACTIONS
at No. 42S 4th street had aroused the suspi-
cions OF the occupants Of the house and this
morning Detective Raft visited the premises.
He learned that colored woman called at the
house Saturday to see the servant girl. The
latter was not there, and the visitor left a mvs-
FERROUS looking bundle, SAYING she would call
for 1t the next day. She failed to return The
bundle was opened, and it was found to
contain nothing but some old cloth
Ing. When the servant girl returned
she seemed nervous and acted strangely, as
though something had happened. She cooked
one meal and then left and has not returned
with that OF the victim of the murder, and the
officers abandoned this supposed clue.
THE BODY TO BE PHOTOGRAPHED.
This morning Magistrate Sheriff visited
police headquarters in this city, and held
consultation with Major Moore and Detective
Raft. The magistrate was not satisfied
with the examination made of
the wagon, and suggested that
a microscopic examination might reveal blood
spots in the vehicle. Major Moore said he did
not think that the murder was committed in
be no slips he adopted the sugges-
ton made by THE STAR yesterday
and gave an order for having the body photo
graphed.
Officer Slack, who has been detailed to assist
In the investigation, was sent to Bladensburg
inferred. Detective Raft and several reporters
left on the 1910 train for Bladensburg to wit
ness the work of the photographer.
WHAT MAGISTRATE SHERIFF THINKS.
Magistrate Sheriff said to-day that he thought
the woman was murdered in the District and
it would therefore be proper for the District
authorities to take charge of the body. He
also thought post mortem examination would
throw some light upon the mystery.
MAY PROVE A VALUABLE CLUE
This afternoon when Detective Raft returned
from Bladensburg he found at headquarters a
letter which was received in the afternoon
mail, which may prove valuable clue.
1t is an anonymous letter and is in the hand
writing of colored person. Information
which, if true, will prove of considerable i'm
portance is given, but the writer states that he
or she is afraid to give his or her (the writer's
name.
Photographing the Corpse.
Special Dispatch to THE EVENING STAR.
BLADEssBURa, April 27.-Detective Raft and
party arrived here on the train that left Wash
ington at 1910 o'clock and started toward
Greenwood cemetery, where the body of the
woman found murdered near Benning was dis
inferred.
The next thing to do was to place the body
in position for Mr.. Nephew the photographer.
The colored man announced that he had COM
pleted his work and he refused to touch the
body.
The sight presented was a CHASTITY one, but
Policeman Slack, of Washington, ventured close
to the body and made careful examination Of
the wounds. Beside the terrible wound
on the head that had fractured her
skull, the officer found evidences of
her having been brutally beaten. Her jaw
bone was broken and there was a scar on the
side of the head similar to the one on the top.
The scar was triangular in shape and
looked as though a fat-iron had been
used. The officer inspected the underwear on
the body and came to the conclusion that the
woman did not live in the country but
in city. Notwithstanding the many obstacles in
the way Undertaken Gasch succeeded in getting
out the water that filled the coffin and placing
the body in position for the photographer.
1t was LIS o'clock when the Photographer
finished taking four negatives.
There is colored man who lives in the
country between Bladensburg and Bennings,
who made a statement to the effect that he had
seen the woman about Bennings several times.