Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-19
CASE NOLLE PROSSED
Emma Reed Commits Suicide in a
Jail Cell.
WAS DETERMINED TO DIE
Found Hanging by Rope Made
of Bed Clothes.
NO BLAME ATT A G III Z d

"Case nolle pressed"
This record was made in the Police Court
case of Emma Reed, charged with keeping
a discrderly house. She committed suicide
In Jail last night by hanging.
Last evening when Richard Anderson,
the van driver. left court he was given a
release for Mrs. Red, and was told 10
have her III court this morning for trial.
Her counsel had demanded trial by jury,
and the woman had been in jail about two
weeks awaiting a hearing. When Sergt.
Daley started his crusade against the keep
ers of disreputable houses along Maryland
avenue Mrs Shea was receiving rent from
this unfortunate woman. But, like all the
other women In tho neighborhcod, Mrs.
Reed was forced to move. and lately she
has occupied house on list street south
west only a short distance from the Capt.
tol.
A man named Samuel Lancaster. who
gave his name as smith, went TO her mouse
and enjoyed an evening with one or the
women who lived there, and then COM
planned that his money. 81. had been taken
from him. When the police reached the
house his money had been restored, but
all the women in the house were arrested,
and 1t was for this that the woman was to
have been tried today.
Mrs. Reed, who was an occupant or cell
No. In the female department OF the JAIL
was particularly quiet, and did not give
the n atron any trouble. Although Ger
man, she spoke English very well. and had
deported herself in a manner that had re-
suited in her gaining friends among the
women prisoners.
Her Companions.
Her cell companion for the first few
days Of her imprisonment was quiet col
ored woman, but the contrast between her
prison life and the life she had led in dis
orderly houses was so great that she re-
Quested that younger woman be put In
her cell. She preferred some one who was
lively and who would make life less bur-
densome.
Her request was complied with. and a
young colored woman named Frances
Lewis was made fse- cell companion.
Emma Reed. who was rot more than
fifty years old, showed evidences OF re-
fnement. although her life during the past
few years had told her. She had be-
come nervous, and appeared feeble Re-
Gently she had complained OF headaches
and insomnia, but doses of bromide SEEM
ed to do her good and restore her to her
normal condition. Her approaching trial
had caused her considerable uneasiness
and anxiety, and she very gloomy
over the prospects of the findings of the
Jury. She felt certain that she would be
convicted, and although she was so much
worried she had never shown any disposi-
tion to take her life.
The Fatal Act.
Last evening at about the usual hour for
the prisoners to retire she removed her
garments and prepared to go to bed, as
did the colored woman. and then both
women soon got under cover.
Some time In the night Mrs. Reed got
up and MADE & rope ,,sd OF nt piece esr OF necE
and stood on a chair while she tied the
end to the iron bars in the transom VEN
tilator. The door of the cell Is OF wood,
30 that no one In the corridor or other
cell could possibly have seen what she
was doing In this rudely constructed
moose the suicide tied nearly dozen knots,
30 that there was no possible danger OF
slipping, and when all arrangements had
been completed the chair was quietly slip
ped away, and soon afterward the spirit
of the woman had departed. Death re-
suited from strangulation, but so quietly
was the affair conducted that even the
colored woman in the cell knew nothing
of ii until life was extinct
Startling Discovery.
When the discovery was made Frances
Lewis gave q good exhibition of the
strength of her lungs and aroused the
sleeping prisoners. Her screams made 1t
evident that something had happened and
the matron and Guard Smith We're soon at
the door. But Frances thought they would
never come. She was alone with the corpse
and her vivid imagination caused her to
believe that ghosts of every description
were lowering about the cell.
It was about o'clock In the morning
when Frances had occasion TO get out Oh
bed and, lighting a match, she saw what
she thought was a human form suspended
from the top of the cell door, and 1t took
her but a few moments to see that the Dody
was that of Emma Reed, who was missing
from her cot.
Guard Smith cut down the body, and DR..
Shute, the Jail physician, who reached the
cell soon rfterward, saw that life was ex-
Nnct.
No Blame Attached.
Coroner Hammett viewed the body later
IN the day. and examined the cell in which
the suicide was committed. The coroner
saw no way in which the act could have
been prevented, and gave certificate of
0yath by suicide.
Speaking of the case Coroner Hammett
said there was no blame attached to Gny
one, and he did not anything to be
gained frCm an inquest.
Mrs. Reed was born In Berlin, and Is
said to be a widow. Her body will be turn
ed over to friends should any such request
be made.
DIR. Shute, who had attended the woman
for ten DAYS or so, stated to Star reporter
today that she had been nervous and had
difficulty an sleeping, but showed no symp-
toms of insanity. The occurrence, he said.
was entirely unavoidable. All the corri-
dors had iron beams and all the beds have
bed clothing.
DIR. Shute said that 1t would be impos-
sible to prevent a similar occurrence. and
that in his opinion no one was to blame
and he so reported to the coroner.
THE VENEZUELAN COMMISSION.
aome DfmcuItv FOund I'm Perfecffuu