Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-30

Coroner's Jury Investigate the Circum'
stances Which Led to It

TESTIMONY OF THOSE WHO WERE PRESENT AND
SAW THE DIFFIcULTY-MARY BRAxToN DENIES
THAT SHE STRUCK THE DECEASED, But THE
VERDICT 10 AGAINST HER.
"Aunt" Kitty Watkins. the old colored woman
who died from the effects of blow on the
head inflicted with broomstick in the hands
of a young colored woman named Mary Brax-
ton. as published in Saturdays STAR, was
buried from her late home on LIST street south
west yesterday afternoon. As published Satur-
day, both women were employed in the laun-
dry of the Howard House annex, on c street.
Aunt Kitty was nearly sixty-fve years old and
Mary is not yet half that old. Shortly before
the funeral the body of the old woman was
viewed by a coroner's jury and an inquest was
then held at the fourth precinct station. The
prisoner WAS present at the investigation.
TESTIMONY AT THE INQUEST.
Louis Moore, short colored man whose blue
coat and brass buttons gave him the appearance
Of holding position of authority of some kind,
was the first witness called. His home is in
Burrville, near Benning, but his occupation
called him to the Howard House annex on the
day that the fatal injury was inflicted.
Kitty had the trouble They were having some
words when went in and Mary told Aunt Kitty
to shut mp At the same time Mary reached
for the broom, but didn't think she would hit
her, but she did"
He said that Mary struck Aunt Kitty on the
head with the broomstick and that when the
latter fell to the floor Mary jumped on her with
her feet and beat her in the face with her fist.
Did Aunt Kitty appear to be unconscious"
asked the coroner.
did, because we all thought she was dead for
long time. and l went upstairs for some cam
phor to bring her to-"
JULIA KING SAW THE DIFFICULTY.
Julia King, stout colored woman who lives
near the James creek canal, was also present
when the difficulty occurred. The quarrel started
early in the morning, soon after they had COM
menced their days labor. Julia is a daughter
of Aunt Kitty and she was SO worked up over
the affair that she was unable to remember
what day the trouble happened. She heard
Mary threaten to strike her (witness) mother
and when she turned saw Mary strike her. Her
mother fell. apparently dead, and she ran to
her to pick her up, but being unable to do so
she called for help. Her mother remained
senseless fully three minutes. About twenty
minutes afterward her mother attempted to
work, but could not. She went to work the
next day. but was SO sick that she had to be
taken home. When her mother was on the
floor Mary walked over her, but did not jump
on her, as described by the preceding witness.
When asked what the trouble WAS about wit
ness said that the day before the fatal blow
inflicted Mary threw a bucket of water on her
mother and the latter spoke to her about it.
Her mother said that she would have gotten
Mary said, II didn't intend to ask you"
That wasn't the first beginning of the
trouble" interrupted the prisoner, ''and l
never will forget what it was.
Mary was told to keep quiet, as she would be
given ample opportunity to say what she de-
sired.
DIR. MARTINS EVIDENCE.
DR.. Thomas Martin who attended the de-
ceased, said he found Aunt Kitty suffering from
a wound on the head when he was called to see
her, two DAYS after the blow had been inflicted.
lie attended her from the 10th of February to
the 25th Of March. Paralysis supervened
about three weeks after he was first called in.
Witness described the condition of the patient
up to the time she died. He was of the opinion
that death resulted from the wound.
ANNIE MARTINS STORY.
A colored woman named Annie Martin, who
was also employed where the difficulty took
place, was called as a witness and she told Of
what happened.
I'm sorry to see Mary get herself into such
a scrape," she said, but Mary Braxton GER
tainly did bring it all on herself. She said she
was going to hit me once, but kept her off,
and there wasn't anybody in the laundry who
could do anything with her"
Witness described the scene that followed the
throwing Of the water on Aunt Kitty and Mary
then said that she was going to "bust her
open" Witness also saw the last Of the diff
Guilty and said that Mary stamped on Aunt
Kitty after she knocked her down.
Are you a friend Of Mary's?" inquired
juror.
mo, indeed, we amt no friends" replied
Annie, ''when she done tried to strike me with
fiat iron once. That there Mary Braxton,"
she added, lis a bad and brazen woman, and
amt got no use for her. She had better stayed
out in the country where she came from, and
then poor Aunt Kitty wouldn't be dead. Why,
gentlemen" said Annie, when that good old
Aunt Kitty sick in her bed, Mary said she
wished she had killed her and sent her to h,
where she was going, and that was q pill to
swallow"
did Aunt Kitty call her any names?"
"No, indeed" she replied, 'Aunt Kitty GER
tainly was one good old lady and everybody
liked her. When she died and Mr.. Scott heard
Of it he stood and cried"
You are excused" said the coroner
THANK you" said Annie, and she added
That woman certainly is bad woman"
Deputy Coroner Schaeffer testified to the
autopsy and said that death was caused from
hemorrhage Of the brain, the result of blow or
fall
THE PRISONER GIVES HER VERSION.
The prisoner was told that she could make
statement If she desired to, though she was ad-
vised that what she would say might be used
against her. Mary, however, informed the
jury that ''de truth is de light" and therefore
she was willing to stand by il. She said that
the trouble was caused by her telling about
Aunt Kitty and her daughter putting victuals
in their pockets. II they had eaten the yictuals
she would not have said anything, but she did
not think it right for them to take the victuals
away. Julia, she said, brought her mother
down stairs and both Of them began quarreling
with her.
Il had the broom in my hand" she said.
''but didn't use it. pushed her away be-
cause Of abuse and she fell down"
Witness said she thought that one woman at
time was enough to quarrel with another
woman. 'And i'll haven't told the truth"
said Mary. Il hope the Lord will never suffer
me to open my mouth again.
But that will not do you any good here"
said the coroner.
Mary again called attention to the fact that
the truth is the light and said: when get
to the end Of the truth am willing to stand
the law"
She said that when the case was tried in the
Police Court Aunt Kitty said she didn't know
whether she Mary struck her or not
After telling the jury that Aunt Kitty and
her daughter were not worth talking about she
was taken back and placed in o cell
THE VERDICT AGAINST NARY
The jury discussed the testimony for q few