Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-11
MRS. CUMMINS' DEATH
Coroner Hammett Will Investigate It
This Afternoon.
The Drowning I'm the james Creek
Think There Was Foul Play.

minis, an attractive woman, twenty-six
years of age, was dragged from the foul
waters Of the James Creek canal directly
beneath the X street bridge, about 1:3O
yesterday morning. Whether Mrs. Cum
Minis death was the result of murder. sui
eide or accident Coroner IIammett will en-
deavor to ,3certain at an inquest to be
held at o'clock This afternoon at the
fourth precinct police station.
Mrs. Cummins was the divorced wife Of
Charles F. Cummins, a clerk in the sixth
auditors office, and was the daughter Of
James G. Thompson, a well-known carpen-
ter of South Washington. She married
Cummins six years ago. but secured di-
vorce at the end of three years, and since
that time had been living with her parents,
4 l. street southeast.
The last person who saw Mrs. Cummins
alive was Herman j. Martin, a printer.
whose office Is at 4O7 It'll street northwest,
but who resides at 702 T street northwest.
For the past seven months Martin hes
been very attentive to Mrs. Cumnlins, and
he often expressed himself as intending to
make her his wife. According to the fam
lily of the deceased, about o'clock Satur-
day Mrs. Cummins announced to her moth
and two sisters that she was going to
the theater that evening with Martin. She
left the house, the family thought. to go
to the theater but the next time they saw
her she was dead.
Went for n Walk.
According to the story told the police by
Martin, he went out with Mrs. Cummins
for a walk. Several saloons were visited
and a quantity of beer imbibed. Shortly
saloon. at LIST and K streets southwest, and
were walking in the direction of Mrs. Cum
Minis home AS they were crossing the K
street bridge. so Martin says, his compan-
ion requested that she have one more
drink of beer. Martin replied that he
tie. He had almost reached the door of
the saloon when he heard Mrs. Cummins
call out. Goodbye, Herman" Turning
back. Martin says. he saw the woman
save her without assistance, so he ran to
her home.
On reaching the house Martin aroused
the family with the startling announce
by the father of the girl and boarder
named Cobb, Martin FASTENED back to the
bridge. and arrived in time to see the dead
body carried up the bank by the police.
What Was Heard mt the Saloon.
John d. Dugan. the proprietor of the sa-
loon at LIST and K sire southwest. states
that shortly after midnight he heard queer
sounds coming from the direction of the
fridge. The sounds were also heard by his
Larkeeper. and it seemed to them as though
they were uttered by some one in agony
Dugan and the bartender hurried to the
bridge and found Martin there alone in the
middle of the span. He excitedly informed
them that Nettie Cummins had fallen over
board. Dugan leaned over the rail and saw
the body in the water. The bartender went
In search of the police. and soon returned
with several officers. Martin then departed
for the house of the parents of the girl.
The body was taken to the house. and
w hon ia1 iyta no
Thompson. the aged mother Of the deceased,
was overcome with grief.
Members of the Family suspicious.
1t was said that bag of fruit, crushed as
though in a scuffle. was found on the bridge
There was slight scratch over the woman's
right eye. Mr.. Spindler, the undertaken who
prepared the body for BURIAL told Star
reporter that he discovered no marks of
violence upon it. The family of the dead
woman are quoted not believing the sui
eide or accident theory. and her brother.
william thompson, says: II know that Net
tie didn't kill herself. and 1 firmly believe
that she didn't fall into the canal by acct
dent Her death Is a mystery l can't ex-
plain" Mr.. Thompson expressed himself
to the erect that his sister was not in the
habit of drinking, and that he did not think
many men would leave a young woman
alone on a bridge in the middle of the night
while he went off to saloon.
N1ihSS tCiiii6 HIS W the ponce Mar
tin has refused to say anything regarding
the affair, acting, he says, on the advice of
his attorney. Mr.. T. K. de Graffenried. How
ever, he Is said to have told Mrs. Thompson
that he had taken Mrs. Cummins to the
theater, and returning home on an electric
car he asked her when she would marry
him. as promised. She replied that she
could not be his wife, but would always be
good friend to him. Then he repeated
the story about going back to Dugan's after
beer and leaving her on the bridge.
No Motive for Suicide.
The family declare that Mrs. Cummins had
no known. motive for ending her life. In
contradiction of this idea they state that she
had made an engagement to meet her sister,
Mrs Bessie Hodges, Sunday morning at
o o'clock. The deceased had earned a good
reputation as a dreSSmaker. Martin was
not placed under arrest. AS stated, an in
quest will be held this afternoon. The
funeral is to be held tomorrow afternoon.