Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-05-17
THE D STREET TRAGEDY.
Coroner's Inquest on the Body of Special
Officer Reddick.

officer Reddick.
TESTIMONY AS TO THE KILLISG-''sKID" TAYLOR
HELD FOR THE GRAND JURY-A POWERFUL
BLOW IN THE MOUTH WHICH KNOCKED REppIcK
DowN-FATALLY INJURED BY THE FALL.
The remains Of ''Dick" Reddick, the special
policeman killed Thursday night on o street,
we're removed to the morSue from Freedman's
Hospital last evening, and Deputy Coroner
Schaener made the autopsy. The police Of the
second precinct made a thorough search for
the negro William alias "Skid" Taylor, the
alleged perpetrator of the crime, yesterday
afternoon, and had every place SO we'll
guarded that escape was almost impossible.
folIceman Jennings was in ''Hell's Bottom"
about O'Clock, when he saw Taylor going
toward his mothers house. No. 1852 Sampson
street. and the officer followed him. Soon
after Skid" arrived at the house the officer
entered the rear yard and there surprised
skid, who was washing his face.
Inc prisoner made no resistance, but ac-
companied the officer to the second precinct
station and was locked up on a charge of
murder.
THE INQUEST.
This morning Coroner Patterson held an
inquest at the sixth precinct station.
The prisoner, who is robust black man, &C.
cupied seat in the room and listened to the
evidence OF some of his former companions.
The first witness called was William Lauson.
a colored boy. who was on o street opposite
the Cadets Armory when the fatal meeting took
place.
He testified that he heard sDick" Reddick and
SKID Taylor have some words. The former
mad Maria Davis by one arm and the latter had
hold OF her other arm. Witness started across
the street and just before he reached the curb
stone Dick gave short blow of his whistle.
AS he blew the whistle he fell to the sidewalk
and both Taylor and the girl went away.
did you see Taylor strike the oficer?" asked
the coroner.
mo, sir, answered witness, .'but somebody
must have struck him."
Witness explained that he was on his way
home from work at the time and he only
stopped to listen to the music
STORY OF THE WOMAN IN THE CASE.
Maria Davis, the girl about whom the
trouble occurred, was the next witness called.
She is colored girl about twenty years old,
and was dressed in neat blue dress
and wore a straw hat. She testified
Green ihar wars night she she and Lotts
llth and Q streets when Lottie uttered an oath.
Reddick came across the street and accused
witness of having made use of the bad lam
guage and arrested her on a charge of pro-
I RadSic,, On mt their way along the street
clal Officer Brockenborough and
she answered that she did. They then went to-
wards the Cadets Armory, where they expected
to md Brockenborough. When they reached
the front of the armory they met Taylor the
the matter. She told him that she
had been arrested; that the officer
said she swore, but she told him that it was
another girl. Taylor then said to Reddick If
You arrest that girl you have got to arrest me
too" Reddck then took his whistle from his
pocket ana blew it. As he did SO Taylor struck
him III the mouth and he fell to the pavement.
As soon as Reddick fell witness went ON around
the corner and Taylor met her at the corner
OF Ith and streets. Witness then went to the
house OF friend in Douglass alley. Taylor
went as far as the door with her, and she did
not see him again
In answer to questions by Juror the witness
said that she had kept company with Taylor;
that he told her after the affair that he had been
drinking. She said that Taylor had been in
trouble before
What was Reddick taking you to the armory
for?'
TO see Mr.. Brockenborough. He said that
II Brockenborough recognized her he (Reddick)
would release her"
OTHER TESTIMONY.
Jennie Barnes, young colored woman
who attended the ball given by the
Cleopatra Household of Ruth, was be-
fore the jury and gave evidence as to
tHc DelWeeu Taylor and
Dick" Reddick. She said she did not see the
blow, but she saw 'Dick" lying Oh the side
walk after he had blown his whistle
A colored girl named Patterson, who was
also at the May ball. described the fatal meet
ing, and saws when she Reddick fall she
went back into the armory.
THE CAUSE OF DEATH.
Deputy Coroner Schaeffer testified that he ex-
amined the body of deceased and found no
external injuries except a swollen lip, on which
there was small cut. There was no cut on
the scalp. but there was plenty of blood be-
meath 1t and large clot of blood
over the right ear. The skull was
remarkably thin one The membranes
OF the brain showed much extravasated blood
Both ventricles showed large clot. There was a
linear fracture from one ear to the other
around the head. Witness said that the blow
on the face was evidently a powerful one and
the fracture was caused by the fall to the pave
ment. Death was the result of hemorrhage of
the brain.
DAVIS HELD FOR THE GRAND JURY.
There were other witnesses present, but the
jury did not deem it necessary to hear their
evidence. After short deliberation the Jury
returned verdict holding Taylor for the kill
ing and he was committed to Jail to await the
action of the grand jury.