Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-17
BEATEN TO DEATH
Tragic Ending to Henry Britner's
Fight in Bloodfelds.
DIED FROM The INJURIES
Police Looking for the Two Eich-
eIberger Brothers.
A F FE CTIN ARTIN e.

The dead body Of Henry Britner was
found on the dissecting table in the morgue
at the Emergency Hospital this morning.
when Coroner Woodward went there in re-
Spouse to a call. A slight glance at the
face of the dead man made 1t evident to
the coroner that an inquest would have to
be held, for there were cuts and bruises to
indicate that the mans death was due to
violence. Britner had been assaulted and
severely beaten and kicked. and had sus-
tanned scuh serious injuries that last night
the physicians al the hospital concluded that
an operation was the only thing that would
save his life. and even that they feared
would not be successful
Before performing the operation the ply
sicians sent word to the mans wife, who
is employed at the Riggs House. Husband
and wife had not been living together re-
Gently. but when the wife reached the sick
room, thoughts of the worst part of their
married life vanished and before she could
put her arms around her husbands neck
she tainted away, and had to be carried
from the room. She saw the dying man
afterward, and there was an affecting scene
when she babe him a last farewell.
The operation. rendered necessary because
Of a serious wound of the abdomen. was
performed on Britner. but his condition
failed to improve. He fingered until
o'clock this morning. when he died.
Henry was only about twenty years
old. but his wife CT uld not live with him
because Of his dissipated habits. Like so
many others Of the so-called stronger sex
he loved liquor and bad company better
pany with persons Of questionable char
acter. He had been employed at st. VIM
cents Asylum. but was unable to keep his
situation there on account Of his unsteady
hn haI< ha@
Saturday, when he went TO the house Of
man named Eichelberger, c13 n street
southwest, where he was perhaps better
known than he had been at his own homo
FOR long time. William and Albert Eichel-
berger. young men. were his associates at
times.
The Eichelbergers' shanty II q small two
story frame structure and the boys who
live there are known in police circles, al
though neither Of them ever served q term
In prison 30 far as II known. They, too,
had money Saturday. and were out for Q
roe: While they were enjoying Life driving
nuence of liquor. Britner was enjoying some
"Bloodheld" liquor. such as IL sold 1T I'VE
cents hummer" as the drinkers call the
big glasses OF whisky.
The Fatal ARRAY.
About o'clock In the evening the Eich-
elberger boys returned home and found
Britner In the horse. He was being cared
for, and had not caused any trouble, so far
a. Is known. Just why they should have
turned on him suddenly has not been
told by an eyewitness to the affair, but
they did turn upon him, 80 the police
claim, end the trio went out into the back
yard and fought. Britner was not able to
cope with his alleged assailants, and he
was soon worsted. He was knocked down
and handled In q rough manner. being
kicked about the head and body, In addi-
n - nit tha ,ax,'a Ao$a h.
Britner was tho under man In the fight
from the beginning to the end. and his
cries and appeals were heard by a colored
The father Of the Eicheibersers. So it I.
said, was there all this time, and when he
thought his family's guest had been given
enough punishment he called time and
instant that Britner was seriously wounded,
although blood was streaming from
wounds inflicted BY being Kicked giving
the victim the appearance Of having been
cut with knife. -.
Left on . Lot.
Instead Of taking him In the house and
dressing the wounds Eichelberger led him
OH to q lot on Delaware avenue and left
him. There the badly injured man fell
from exhaustion and was soon uncon-
scious. A largo crowd gathered about him.
and soon afterward Policemen Anderson
managed to get the crowd back. 50 the dy-
ing man could get q breath Of air from the
filthy water Of the James creek canal,
which IS not arched in that particular Sec
ton, and there he remained until the arri-
val Of the patrol wagon. BY the time the
wagon arrived upon the scene the man
had regained consciousness.
II want to see my wife and child" was
the first thing he said. but the officers
thought he had better be taken to the hos
pital. and % he was taken away in the
wagon.
1t was not thought that his injuries were
fatal upon the first examination and the
police did not attach SO much Importance
to the affair. They felt reasonably certain
that he would recover, and they knew full
well that he would never want to prosecute
the Eichelbergers. While the police felt
certain Of this they sent out word to arrest
tAe mans assailants, but the latter were
nowhere to be found.
When the serious turn In the mans condi-
ton was made known last night the police
made thorough search Of South Washing
ton for the Eichelbergers but without sue
cess, and this morning a warrant for their
arrest was issued from the Police Court
Descriptions Of the Eichelbergers were
furnished the officers Of the various pre-
cfncts this morning, and the detectives
were also told to be on the lookout for
them. About noon the father of the young
men was arrested The inquest WIN be
held tomorrow.