The record-union., 1892-02-01
MURDEROUS ATTACK.
John Pierre Grasser Nearly Stabbed to
Death on the Street.
A Negro Named Nathan and the Noto-
rious Ruby Green Were the AS
sailants-Robbery Intended.

There came near being a murder early
yesterday morning.
1t was not long after midnight Satur-
day night when Police Officers Maley
and Gibson received word that negro
named Thomas Nathan and Ruby Green,
a notorious white courtesan, had taken
turns at stabbing a man named John
Pierre Grasser. The officers Immediately
Went in search of these two, and also sent
word to Police Captain Lee of what had
happened. Nathan and the Green woman
were soon found by Captain Lee and Off
GERS Maley, Gibson and Mclaughlin and
taken to the City Prison.
CowARDLY WORK.
From all that could be learned by the
officers, it appears that a deliberate at
tempt was made to murder Grasser be-
cause the latter refused to give Nathan
and the Green woman money, and it is
only miracle that they did not succeed.
Even as 1t is, Grasser is far from being
out OF danger, and, while he is improv-
ing, change for the worse may occur at
any moment which will quickly end his.
existence. He was badly cut in several
places by either a razor or sharp knife.
one cut IS IN the nape of the neck, and is
considered quite serious. He was also
cut under the right shoulder blade, on
the left hand and on the leg. and his coat
shows rents where the assassins had re-
peatedly slashed at him without touching
his body.
Grasser was making the rounds of the
dives and in the course of his meander-
ings met Nathan, who amused him
greatly with his jig dancing. He treated
the negro to drinks and then the latter
took him in tow" The officers are con-
tident that Nathan took Grasser with
him to rob him, and, meeting the Green
woman on the way, took her as an assist
ant.
THE WOMAN WANTED GORE
1t appears that the woman was even
more bloodthirsty than the negro, be-
cause when GraSser refused them money
Nathan knocked him down, and the
woman sprang upon him with knife or
razor. 1t is said that after she slashed
the unfortunate fellow d number of times,
she turned the weapon over to Nathan
and bade him try his hand at the muir
derous businesS-and Nathan accepted
the invitation.
After the arrival Of Nathan and the
Green woman at the jail, Captain Lee in
tervlewed them separately in his private
Office. Both made statements, but con-
tradicted each other.
Nathan said that he and Grasser were
together at the corner of Second and l.
streets talking. 'He asked me to 90
down to Front street with him and have
drink" said Nathan, "and when we
got IN front of the Garibaldi Hotel we
MET RUBY GREEN
And man who is a German They fol-
lowed Us and the man who was with me
turned around and said, 4 don't want you
- = - to follow me- When we got
tn EFpnt and u ha I'm Il
again and told them not to follow him.
lie struck at the German and hit me. I
then asked him for half a dollar that he
owed me. He said he would not give it
to me, and then threw him down. Ruby
ran up to him and said, You ---,
you don't want to pay him; take that
Then Ruby and / went away together
She told me to go through the alley with
her, as she had cut the fellow. We went
to French Maria's, on L street, and Ruby
told her that she cut man. When Ruby
cut the man / had hold Of him."
THE WOMAN DENIES IT.
Ruby Green's story to the Captain was
that she met Nathan on L street and
asked him to take a walk with her down
TO Front and X streets. They turned up
X street and walked toward Second,
where they met Grasser. Grasser, she
says, asked why Nathan was walking
with a white woman.
Nathan struck him." she said. "and
while he and Grasser were fighting I was
talking with stranger and went off
little way with him. Then Nathan re-
turned and he and l went down to l.
street together"
She denied positively that she cut any
body, or that she told anybody that she
did
Grasser was not stupidity drunk at the
time and says he remembers seeing both
Nathan and the woman cutting him. He
declared at first that he had been robbed
by them of $50, but found the money in
his pocket. Grasser is lying at the Re-
ceiving Hospital and will not get out of
there for some time