Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-04-12
KILLED WITH A PENKNIFE.
A Fatal Stabbing ARRAY on the Easter,
Branch Bridge.

Branch Bridge.
HOMICIDE N SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON LAST
NIGHT-nL-TKELINa OVER YOUNG woMAy
SAID TO BE THE CAUSE.-THE MAN WHO DID TIL
srABBISa SAYS HE DID NOT MEAN TO KILL
The new Pennsylvania avenue bridge, cross.
ing the Eastern branch, was the scene of 9
tragedy last evening. Murray Casseen, youns
man who lived in q small frame shanty neal
18th and L streets southeast, was the victim
Casseen died from the effects of knife wound.
inflicted by Charles Thompson, an eighteen
year-old boy, who IL in the custody of the
police.
The fatal meeting was the result Of ill-feeling
about girl named Ada Young, whose home i.
at 9th and I streets southeast. Charlie Lynch
and Ada Young are cousins and Casseen and
Lynch had been companions for some time
past. They were together last night when
Thompson and party Of friends came along
near 14th and streets southeast. Ada Young
was with Thompson, and Julia Thompson, the
young mans sister, was with . young man
named Charles Bradshaw.
THE ENCOUNTER.
As to how the meeting came about state
ments differ. Friends of Cssseen and Lynch
claim that the two girls came after them, while
the men-Thompson and Bradshaw-waited on
h street for them. However the meeting &C.
Cured there were eight persons on the bridge
at the time
1t was about $50 O'Clock whom the wounds
were inflicted Although they proved fatal
Casseen WAS able to walk mile to a doctor
office to have them dressed. There were two
serious wounds in his back and a slight one in
his left leg, from which there was free flow OF
blood. There was quite a large pool OF blood
on the bridge this morning
Thompson and his companions continued
across the bridge after the encounter, not ex-
pecting to again hear of the trouble, and Ada
Young remained with Julia Thompson all
night
Bradshaw borrowed the knife from Thomp-
son and brought 1t home with him to the city
last night. It is an ordinary penknife with a
sharp blade not more than two inches in
length.
HE WALKED A LONG WAY.
The injured man walked to the Office of Dr.
Parker, corner of 9Th andE streets southeast,
where the wounds were dressed. He was then
assisted to his home by his companions and
MIR. John Clark, who resides in the doctor 8
house.
He was very weak from loss of blood when he
reached home and he fell to the floor in a
faint He was placed in bed and made as
comfortable as possible and he soon recovered
from his fainting spell and rested easier until
about midnight, when a change for the worse
was noticeable and the doctor was sent for, who
arrived at the house shortly before 2 o'clock
and had not been there more than five min
utes when Casseen breathed his last.
THE VICTIM OF THE HOMICIDE.
Casseen was 10 years old and was q painter
by trade. He came here from Alexandria
county, Va, where his father now is.
His mother was at his bedside from the time
he reached home until he died, and she was
completely overcome with grief at his death
The young man was her chief support
The police OF the fifth precinct heard Of the
affair, but it was some time before they could
learn definitely who did the stabbing
THOMPSON ARRESTED.
While Sergeant Mulhall and Officers Jones
and Auguste were investigating the case this
morning Sergeant McCathran and Policeman
Kirby Of Anacostia arrested Thompson at his
home in the county. Officer Jones was on his
way to the house at the time and the other
officers turned the prisoner over to him.
He was taken to the fifth precinct station in
East Washington and locked up.
WHAT THE PRISONER SAID.
Thompson thought that IS collateral would
secure his release. When locked up he seemed
to regard the affair joke more than a Sc
rious case involving human life. Although he
gave his age rs eighteen years he seems two or
three years younger. He did not believe that
Casseen was dead.
'Why, how can he be dead?" he asked; 'you
couldn't kill anybody with that little knife
aud, anyhow, didn't try to kill or hurt him
badly"
What was the cause of the trouble?" the boy
was asked.
"Oh, nothing; but they were jealous because
was with Ada Young"
He said that Thomas Bradshaw was with his
(Thompson's) sister Julia and he (the prisoner)
was with Ada Young. They were going
over the bridge to his house, and were
near 1Ath and X str eets when they
met Charles Lynch and Murray Casseen.
The latter called to them and wanted to fight
but Thompson says he declined to enter into
fight and with his three companions he con-
tinued along toward the bridge. Lynch and
Casseen, he said, followed them, and Casseen
made use of some vile epithet concerning Ada
Young. When they reached the bridge he said
that there were three more persons with
Lynch and Casseen and one of their number
threw stone. He asked who threw the stone,
but received no response, and feeling satisfied
that they were going to be assaulted he told
Ada that he did not know what they might 90
and he drew the knife from his pocket
HE USED THE KNIFE.
Presently, Thompson said, Lynch, Case en-
and the others overlook them and Casseen
asked him:
did you say was not gentleman"
Thompson says he responded: You are not
gentleman if you want to fight where ladies
are"
Casseen, he said, applied an insulting epithet
to him, whereupon he seized Casseen. Then
it was that he used the knife, but he did not
intend to hurt him badly. After the trouble
was over, he said, he went home and remained
there until the officers arrested him this morn
ing.
WITH cAssEEN.
The police in looking up the case today
learned that Joseph Posey, boy, and a young
man named James Burch were with Casseen
and Lynch 1t was stated 10 "Pipetown," where
Casseen lived, this morning that the trouble
dates back several weeks and was the result of
his and Lynch's having treated Ada Young
rather coolly recently.
An INQUEST TOMORROW.
Coroner Patterson viewed the body and will
probably hold an inquest tomorrow.
Death OF Major Hungerford.
Major Philip c. Hungerford died last even
ing after lingering illness of pneumonia Mr..
Hungerford contracted the grip during its
prevalency here early in February, and
although he has been up and ont on three or
four occasions he was never able to shake it
off and only succumbed after a long and de ter
mined struggle. He was major gem
eral in the confederate army and upon