Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-04-30

DtsERTED HER, ACCUSED OF HER MURDER
The Benning murder mystery has at last been
solved, and Nelson Thomas, the alleged assas-
sin, is now in a police CELL About o'clock
yesterday morning citizen who lives in the
vicinity of Maryland avenue and Sd street
southwest called at Detective Rats house, in
South Washington, and awakened that officer.
Il have some information about the murder
for you" whispered the mysterious visitor.
~ overheard conversation that leads me to
believe that the murdered woman is Eliza
Foster. She was, at least, dressed like the
murdered girl"
THE PHOTOGRAPH IDENTIFIED.
Acting on this information Detectives Raft
| and Horne went to the vicinity Of Maryland
| avenue and Sd street yesterday morning and
there found colored girl who described Eliza
she told OF her black dress with brocaded silk
front. and even gave q description of the black
straw hat that she wore before she disappeared
The detective then displayed the photograph
OF the dead woman and the colored girl ex-
claimed:
'My God! dat's Liza"
Several women in the house looked at the
photograph and all were of the same opinion,
that the picture was that Of Eliza Foster.
''wHo MURDERED HER?"
the detectives asked each other. "Who did
she associate with?"
The officers learned that Eliza had been en-
ployed as a nurse at Mrs. Ryan's house, on Sd
street southwest; that Eliza had often re-
marked: Il am going out in the country with
friend. When asked who the friend was. she
told them that it was Nelson Thomas The
officers then suspected Thomas Of having
some guilty knowledge concerning ELIAS
death, and they determined to arrest
him. The next place visited was the room
lately occupied by the deceased 1t is a small
room in house No. los E street southwest
There the officers learned from several colored
persons that the suspected negro, Nelson
Thomas, had often visited the girls house. and
they told the officers that he had frequently
made threats to kill her.
THE ARREST OF NELSON THOMAS.
Having thus secured damaging evidence
against Thomas, the detectives started in
search of him. They located him in a house
between Massachusetts, avenue and and North
Capitol street and New Jersey avenue.
Come in," he shouted when the officers
knocked on his door, little thinking that he was
inviting detectives into his house. At first
they chatted pleasantly while Thomas was
enjoying his hogs head and hominy.
DO you know whose picture this is?' asked
the officer.
The negro was startled and for moment he
could scarcely speak. He dropped his knife
and fork and the victuals fell from his mouth
He was badly frightened, and the officers were
afraid that he would die of heart diseases but
he did not, and, recovering from his fright, he
answered:
II knows her; OATS Eliza Foster
Then his eyes filed with tears as though it
was the first time he had learned Of the
woman's disappearance or death.
"Is she dead?" he asked.
The officers answered in the affirmative and
asked Thomas: When did you last see her?"
Il amt seen her for more than month" he
replied.
Having made wholesale denial of the charge
against him, one of the officers said: Finish
your dinner, Thomas; you are under arrest but
we are not in hurry"
Il got 'nough dinner" he answered, 'and
don't want no more"
He was then escorted to the sixth precinct
station, where he was placed behind the bars.
STORY OF THE PRISONERS WIFE
The next person to see, in pursuing the in
vestigation, was the prisoners wife, who the
officers thought would be able to throw some
light on the case. She was found at her SER
vice place on ID street northwest, between Sd
and 4th streets. The officers then learned that
Thomas had been dividing his affections be-
tween three women-his wife, the deceased,
Eliza Foster, and another woman known as
Tillie Thomas, who lives in Howard county,
Md, about miles from Laurel
The prisoners wife said that she knew Eliza
Foster and identified the picture as being that
Of Eliza She last saw the dead woman on
emancipation day. Her husband was with
Eliza. She went home and remained there
playing cards until about 10 o'clock with Mrs
Johnson who lived in the house with her. Her
husband had not then arrived home and she re-
tired. When she got up the next morning he
had not returned, and she went off to her serv-
ice place.
WILL NEVER BOTHER YOU AGAIN,
Mrs. Johnson said that Thomas returned
home 40,
about 1890 o'clock and told her that Eliza had
gotten six months What did she get six
months for 2" Mrs. Johnson asked
For bothering me-" he replied
II am glad of it," said Mrs. johnson. "She
won't bother us any more for some time"
And I'll bet you $50" added Thomas. "that
she'll never bother you again."
seMrs. johnson did not have the money and
consequently the bet was not made Had she
made the bet it would have taken number of
referees to decide the matter. because Mrs
johnson was shown the dead woman's photo
graph. which may haunt her for the remainder
of her life.
THE MORNING AFTER THE MURDER.
From questioning the women the officers
learned that when Thomas returned home on
the morning of the 18th instant his trousers
were very muddy, and he washed them him
SELF refusing to let his wife clean them The
officers think that there was also blood on his
trousers. and for that reason he preferred to
wash them himself.
Mrs. Thomas was then taken to the sixth pre-
cinct and given cell near the one occupied by
her husband.
The next one to find, the detectives decided
was the woman, Tillie Thomas in Howard
county. The officers went to the country and
found her. She was brought here and also
locked up.
DID DIGGs REMOVE THE BODY.
From the evidence collected the officers are
confident that the mystery has been cleared up.
but they do not know whether the prisoner
james Diggs. assisted in removing the body or
not. Since the matter has been circulated
about the country in The STAR a number of
witnesses have appeared to prove that Diggs
washed his wagon in the branch on Saturday.
the goth instant. If the story elected by the
detectives is true. that the woman was muir
dered on emancipation day. then Digs is prob
ably innocent, unless the body was kept hid for
three days before it was conveyed to the woods
on James Wrights farm on the Sheriff road
ELIZA WAS NO DOUBT JEALOUS
of her rival, Title, who lived in the country.
Eliza lived at the house of Mrs Rosenbury.
who keeps a boarding house at No. ga Penn
sylvania avenue northwest. She lived there
until about the middle of January. when she
disappeared from the house. At the same
time alO5 disappeared and there was no doubt
but that Eliza took it with her. Thomas, it is
supposed. got a portion of the money. and
Eliza accused him of having spent it on the
woman Title. This made Eliza angry and she
could not stand the trouble His wife did not
interfere with her affection, for Eliza and