Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-03-31

A Coroner. Jury Fails 60 Solve the Mys.
terry OF q Death.

terry Of . Death.
There is not little mystery attending the
death Of the elderly woman. Mrs s. L. Downs.
who was burned TO death at her home, 20 n
street northeast. yesterday afternoon as men
toned in The STAB OF yesterday, and the police
are not yet satisfied that the woman's death
was not due to foul play. The uBfortu-
nate woman lived in the house &C.
cupied by Mrs. Stupe and occupied .
room on the second ioor Mrs. Stupe de-
tected the odor of smoke few minutes after
Yesterday afternoon. and upon inyestigat-
ing the cause of il discovered that the smoke
came from Mrs. Downs room No. Engine
Company were called and when thew rcspon,- "A
theT found Mrs. Downs lying ON a single feather
bed, burned beyond recognition. especially on
the upper part of the body.
The woman Law on her left side in easy
position, with the head resting on her arm. No
cutlery was heard from the woman and there is
no means OF knowing whether she was alive
when the fire occurred or not From the fact
that her position showed that there had been
no movement of the body such as would have
been caused by pain through burning 1t IL not
improbable that the woman either dead or
unconscious when the fire started
An examination OF the body by Deputy Cor
oner Schaeffer at the morgue today showed
that there was no fracture of the skull. but the
body too badly burned to enable the physi-
clan TO determine whether death due to
any other cause than burning. The woman had
evidently thrown herself on the bed without
disrobing, but her shoes the only articles
remaining uninjured by the flames.
N AFFECT POVERTY.
The room occupied by the old woman told .
story Of poverty. An old-fashioued wood stove
was the only apparent means by which the fire
could have caught, and the firemen say there
was none in il when they reached the
house. In a big iron box. such is used by
tho express companies. the officers believe
will be found a considerable amount Of vGlna-
bles, il not cash. The box was locked and the
kew could not be found. A lot Of old news
papers containing account Of the sssassina-
ton of President Garfield. and the sensational
trial which followed had been carefully pre-
| served
THE INQUEST TODAY.
Deputy Coroner Schaefer held an inquest
over the body at the sixth police precinct this
afternoon, the following composing the jury:
John NJ. Elliott, James II. Olive, VIM. II.
Sleeper, James Holmes, Peyton ID. Ninson and
| Thos. J. Crawford
Mrs. Martha A. Ferguson OF 221 ID street
northwest. was the first witness called, and said
that the deceased came 10 her house thirty-four
wears ago a bride. She the wife OF John T.
Downs. who died here fourteen years ago The
old woman was of English birth. refined and
educated. She eccentric in
some ASPECTS. but always careful to
maintain her position. She lived with witness
some years ago. but moved ut the request OF
witness. who afraid that she would set fire
to the house through the rs1ans OF al old lamp
which she patched up with bread, soap and
putty. Witness felt confident that the old
woman fell asleep and that the FIRE originated
from the lamp.
Miss Olive Gardner, who lived in the same
house when deceased met her death. said she
last saw Mrs. Downs alive three or four DAYS
ago. About an hour before the fire was dis
D
saw no smoke. When the fremen arrived the
| door of Mrs. Downs room had to be broken
! open. Witness understood that the deceased
| would sit up late at night reading, and would
| lie abed until late in the morning. Did not
know of her having any visitors.
Mrs. Annie r. Stupe. from whom the de-
ceased rented the room, STATED that she de-
tected the smoke and gave the alarm. Mrs.
| Downs had told witness that she often sat up
until late in the night, falling asleep while the
lamp burned.
Charles Lee Cook of No. 8 Grant place, a
young man, stated that he attended 20 Mrs
Downs business. He last saw Mrs. Downs last
Friday evening. when she was in good health
and spirits. he had known Mrs. Downs since
his childhood. About ten days ago her old
lamp exploded and she purchased . small
new one. The new lamp was found after
yesterdays fire in good condition. Witness
was about the only visitor the deceased had
She was a bright, active woman. well able to
manage lamps and otherwise take care Of her
sell. The deceased was about sixty-eight years
of age. Witness imagined that her clothes
caught fire from the stove aud that she
then threw herself on the bed to smother
the flames. He understood that the deceased
and her landlady, Mrs. Stupe. were not ON
friendly terms. Mrs. Downs had intended to
move on April I. She had no relations that
witness knew of. As far ss he. knew. the de-
ceased had no friends beyond himself. She
owned three pieces Of property here worth
about Il, 400
This concluded the evidence, and after .
short elaboration the jury returned the follow
ing verdict.
TIE VERDICT.
THAT the said Sarah L. Downs came TO her
death at 3 pm, March 80. 1888, at No. 80 b
street northeast, Washington. ID. C., Of burns
from fire accidentally communicated to her
clothing by herself while alone in her room
The body turned over 20 Undertaken
Speare and will be deposited this afternoon IN
vault at the Congressional cemetery and
buried beside the body Of her husband there
tomorrow.
The effects Of the unfortunate woman were
taken possession of by the police this afternoon.
The iron box was found TO contain ELI in gold.
SAC in notes. IL pennies, q bunch OF KEYS,
number of letters and old papers and u lot OF
old-fashioued jewelry of little value. The
woman's four trunks were not opened. nor was
q large box which also belonged TO her.
Mr.. Cook. the young man who attended to
the business of Mrs. Downs. stated 10 a STAR
reporter that he did not know whether she left
q will or not. although she had often told him
that lit was all right" and the inference was
that her property would be left to him