The Washington times., 1894-08-05
Engineer Steele Smashed His Furni-
ture and Slapped His Wife.
EARLY MORNING DIVERSIONS
The Irate Naval Officer Jumps Through His
Own Portralt-Bric-a-bra Smashed Into
Smithereens-Infdelity and Abuse of Her
stepchildrsn Charged Against His Wife.


patch boat Dolphin TO Assistant Secretary
MeAdoo. of the navy. while en- route from
Boston to Washington by the train on Friday
night Mr.. McAdoo told Steele that he had
better take matters coolly, and Steele prom
ised to heed the advice. The sequel will
show that Steele did not follow his superior
officers counsel.
Shortly after 6 o'clock yesterday morning
tries of .'murderl murderr' rang out from
the house No. 1924 Sixth street, between L
and NJ streets northwest and in less time than
1t takes to write it the usually quiet neighbor-
hood was the scene OF unprecedented excite
ment for that locality.
At scores of windows there appeared ladies
and gentlemen in the scantiest OF attire.
These saw a man engaged in what seemed to
them to be the very foolish act of throwing
fine furniture into the street, jumping on the
top of trunks and smashing them in, break
ing handsome mantel ornaments to pieces.
and, TO cap the climax OF destruction, put his
foot torough fine crayon picture OF himself.
Once or twice the infuriated man stopped in
his mad career TO slap woman who stood
near him. but she soon decided that il was
best for her to get away as soon as possible,
and she hurried through the back entrance.
ENGINEER sTEELEs STORY.
The man was Engineer Steele and the
woman was his wife. To TIMES representa-
tive Mr. Steele yesterday said:
81 reached the city shortly before O'Clock,
and taking n hack, was driven rapidly TO my
home. had been drinking pretty heavily il
New York and on the train so when / got here
was pretty well intoxicated. As L left the
hack in front of my doorl said to the colored
man who drove it: 1 am on an excursion to-
day. There will be fun in a little while, but
10 in vaf,tNy MIN NAr1
wait till get through.
by tits time | was worked up to terrible
frenzy, and l did not stop to knock at the
door, but kicked it in. The old darkey who
brought me to my house must have concluded
that he had seen as much as he wanted, for as
kicked in the door he whipped up his horses
and drove away from the neighDorhood as
fast as he could. and haven't seen him since.
my wife heard the noise and jumping out
of bed met me at the foot of the stairs. She
knew what had come for, rs she had learned
from n letter that had sent to another person
that was fully aware OF her wrOnGdOinS. l
gave her two or three slaps. which could not
have hurt her severely. and my little ten-year-
old boy. who has been terrorized by the woman.
who is his stepmother. began 10 cry ard L
desisted would have killed my wife was ii
not that loved her.
Il then broke up what things l could, sent
five loads of furniture to the Guction-house.
took the children away to place where they
will be properly taken care Of, and am now
ready to go back TO the Dolphin or answer to
the law if the authorities think 1 ought to.
THE SKELETON II THE CLOSET.
While the work of destruction and removal
was taking place Mrs. Steele ran out in the
alley in her night clothes. where she remained
until she was seen by Z colored woman, Mrs
Mason, who lives in the neighborhood and
who took her to her own home. Mr.. Steele
left few cooking utensils which he did not
care for in the house, and these were taken by
Mrs. Steele to the house OF Mrs. Mason during
the day
Mr. Steele declined to 90 further than is
above related into his domestic affairs. but a
gentleman who occupies Irresponsible position
at the Executive Mansion told The TI1fEs
man that he had long been coenizant OF the
skeleton in the closet at the Steele house.
1.-The first Mrs. Steele" said he. 'was a
most estimable woman and was the mother
of the two children of Mr.. Steele-a girl aged
twelve years and a boy OF ten. Mrs. Steele
died between two and three years ago. On
her death bed Mrs. Steele asked the present
Mrs. Steele, who was a servant in her employ,
O take good care of her children. soon 10 be
motherless. and the latter promised faith
fully to comply.
after the lapse of reasonable time Mr.
Steele married the former servant of his de-
ceased wife. At first, and especially when
Mr.. Steele was at home, the step-mother's
treatment OF the children left nothing to be
desired. But as soon as Mr. Steele left the
city on a cruise. which sometimes lasted for
months. Mrs. Steele would beat the children
with heavy strap on the slightest provoca-
ton and sometimes without any provocation
st all. Her language and conduct before the
children were so indecent that a gentleman
who. with his wife, had rooms in the house
IL.
Steele on the charge OF cruelty to the children |
and for the use OF indecent language"
About this time Mrs. Steele was taken sick !
and for some reason the warrants were not
served for several weeks. By this time the
gentleman and his wife, who were the prose-
cutting witnesses, left the city and the charge |
of cruelty to the children was abandoned for
want of direct proof. Mrs. Steele went to the
station and deposited So as collateral to ap-
pear to answer the charge OF indecent con-
duct, but this was subsequently forfeited.
The same gentleman mentioned as an in
stance of what trivial causes got the children
q beating that on the night of the Fourth of |
July the little boy sat on the front steps |
looking at the display of fireworks near |
Mount Vernon Square. The gentleman asked |
the boy why he did not go down into the |
street where he could see better 'I would |
like to. sir, said the boy but mamma is |
sick and won't let me-" For that remark he |
was called in the house, and after being |
in 4 room, was beaten by his step |
mother with heavy strap, and it was said |
his arm was dislocated.
MRS. STEELE INTENDED To ELoPE.
About two months ago Mr.. Steele was or
dered on a cruise on the Dolphin, and he was
not expected to return until next February.
The Dolphin had hardly gotten out of sight |
before, it is said, Mrs. Steele began telling
people what she intended TO do She would,
she said, save all the money she could while
Mr.. Steele was away and put it with about
{ 500 or 5000. which she had of her own. in
bank. and just before the time for her hUs-
band to return would sell the furniture and
elope with a certain man in Washington.
1t is understood that Mr.. Steele furnished
his wife with $50 month to take care of her
self and the two children, besides which he
paid the rent of the house, S35 per month.
Mrs. Steele rented out enough rooms to pay
her $50 month. and slept in tho basement,
besides which, it is stated. she would not al
low the children enough to eat. Recently
ady living in the block. seeing how the chill
lren were being treated. persuaded them TO
come to her house occasionally and eat some
hing.
At last information of what was taking
place at his home reached Mr.. Steele. and he
wrote to his daughter who is an uncommonly
fright child for her years, telling her to write
md tell him just how things were The little
,irl obeyed her father ana when he received
he confirmation of the reports which had
cached him, he determined to come to
Washington and end the dreadful condition
If affairs by driving his wife from the home
le had provided for her and placing his
hildrep with those who will care for them