Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-31
DEATH FROM COMMISSIONS.
The Ooroner's Jury Investigate the Sudden
Death of Colored Woman.
Uncertain ms to What Caused the Con-
vulsiOns-The Attention of the
Health OAce Invited.

the sixth precinct police this morning at 10
O'Clock and heard testimony regarding the
sudden death of Rebecca Tills, a colored
woman. whose home was at No. 324 Garfield
avenue. She died at the house Of a colored
woman named Rebecca JONES' who lives at
lie D street southwest. The latter is known
as DR." Jones. and a sign on her house
conveys the information that she is an herb
doctor. who cures all peculiar diseases. and
that she is also a clairvoyant.
Mrs Tills died Monday night about 8
O'Clock, and 1t was not until the next morn
ing that Rebecca Jones notified the police
of her death. Coroner Woodward ordered
an investigation of the case and DR.. Schaef-
fer performed the autopsy yesterday after
noon.
Ambrose Tills, respectable colored citi-
zen. who is bricklayer by trade. was pro-
duced as a witness. He was asked IL he
recognized the body of the woman in the
morgue as that of his wife and he an
swered in the affirmative. Night before last,
he said his wife was well and hearty and
in good spirits. She had complained of a
sick stomach some days before. Monday
night, after supper, witness told his wife
that he was going to the Capitol and she
made the remark, 81 know you are going
to stay all night" Witness left home, but
1t was raining and he only went as far as
the grocery store ana got a piece OF tODaccO
He returned home in about ten minutes and
found that his wife had left the house. He
did not know where she had gone.
The heart-broken man complained about
the action of the woman in allowing the
body of his wife to remain in the house SO
long before sending word to the police.
Since Monday he learned that his wife told
some one in the doctors house where be
cher husbandD could be found.
Result of the Autopsy.
DIR. Schaeffer testified as to the result Of
the autopsy he made yesterday afternoon.
He found the body Of the woman In the
morgue, where it had been sent by the
police. The woman was about thirty-five
years old and weighed about 160 pounds.
Witness found the woman's brain greatly
congested. and described the condition of
the different organs From the condition Of
the body witness said he thought an at
tempt had been made by some one to per-
form an abortion.
What is your full nameT the coroner
asked a colored woman called as a witness.
Rachel Ann jones'" was her reply.
Have you any business
Eyes, SIR"
What is it?'
Il am an herb DOCTOR" she replied. II
cure bed sores. spasms and rheumatism"
Witness was then questioned concerning
the deceased and she said that Mrs. Tills
came 10 her house Monday evening about
o'clock. She said she wanted to see wit
ness. and when she went in the room Mrs.
Tills said she wanted to see her (witness)
privately. They started through the hall
together, when Mrs. T1lls suddenly threw
up her hands and fell. Witness thought she
had SpaSm. An application Of cold water
was made, and several doctors were sent
for, but when Dr. Brooks responded, he
said she was dead. The doctor, she said,
advised her to keep the body in the house
until the next morning, and then notify the
police. Witness said that Mrs. Tills was a
stranger to her, and she refused to give
her name. The coroner questioned the doc
tress about her remedies, and she mention
ed the names of several herbs which, she
said, she used in the cure of the diseases
mentioned.
A colored woman named Josephine Lee,
who lives at the house of preceding wit
ness. was next called. She said that Mrs.
Tills appeared to be in a dazed condition
when she came to the house Monday night,
ard wanted to see Mrs. Jones When Mrs.
Tills fell, witness thought she had spasm.
She was in the house nearly an hour be-
fore witness heard she was dead. Witness
did not know how long the woman had
been in the house before she Tell.
DR.. Woodward questioned. witness CON-
corning the nature of DR. Jones practice.
but she professed ignorance, although she
has been living there more than a month.
Josephine said she heard that Mrs. Jones
was sick and she called at the house to see
her. She was not acquainted with Mrs.
Jones, but the latter allowed her to remain
there. When questioned by juror. wit
ness said there was no excitement in the
house, nor did she hear Mrs. Jones call for
help. There are four rooms in the house.
She thought Mrs. Tills was in the house
nearly half an hour before she was taken
sick.
The Herb Doctors Husband.
James Jones. husband of the doctor"
was next sworn. He testified that he saw
Mrs. Tills when she came to his house
1nxr ,s.rhN H.
wife. Il want to see YOU"
They went upstairs and presently he
heard a fall. Thinking some one had fallen
from chair he went upstairs and found
Mrs. Tills unconscious. He thought she had
a spasm The doctor reached the house
about IL o'clock. Witness was questioned
concerning Mrs. Lee, and he said she had
visited his house nearly every week during
! the past eight or nine months. and he said
Christmas.
Has your wife any business?" asked the
coroner of witness.
Yes. SIR he replied; "she's an herb doc
tor O.
What is on the sign on your house?"
Madam Jones, herb doctor, cures all Pc
culiar diseases; future unfold"
DR.. Jones was recalled, and she said
she had known Mrs. Lee since July. Mrs
Lee denied that she had known the Joneses
for more than a month. She said she had
never before figured in such a case this
although three members of the Jury
thought she had been before them before
She denied that she had been calling at
Mrs. Jones' house with Mrs. Brown as Mrs
| Jones said.
This closed the testimony, and the Jury
after discussing the evidence returned a
verdict as follows: That Rebecca Tills
| came to her death about o'clock D. m
January - at No. 116 ID street southwest
from commissions, the cause of which we
determine n oxi-
dence we believe that Rachel Jones, at
whose house the woman died, is practicing
medicine in an irregular manner and rec
ommend the case to the health officer for
| investigation"
THEY WILL BE PRINTED.
The ReDOrta of the Insnecfian nj the