Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-12
DEATH ACCIDENTAL
coroner's Inquest Over the Body Of
Nettie Cummins.
FELL IN 4 DEATH TRAP
She and Martin Had Been Drink
ing Some.
SEW AL WIT n E S S e S

James Whitemore, John Lucas, James E.
Crump, Burton Vernon, John Thomas and
Alfred T. Monroe composed the coroner's
jury in the case OF Nettie May Cummins, the
young woman whose body was taken from
the James Creek canal early Sunday morn
ing as published in yesterdays Star. The
inquest was held at the fourth police station
yesterday afternoon at $3.50 o'clock. There
| had not been much of police investigation
made previous to the inquest. except what
| the officers in uniform had made about the
| canal and at the home Of the dead woman.
! Detective Boyd had been detailed on the
! case, but his work did not commence until
| he appeared before the coroner's jury and
| listened to the testimony of the witnesses,
who had been summoned by the precinct Of
| ficers. Those who had been summoned to
| pass upon the facts in the case reached the
| police station at o'clock. and Deputy Coro-
ner Glazebrook went win them to the house
! of the deceased, where they were sworn over
! the body to make diligent inquiry and rem
der a true verdict as to the time, place and
Kramer of the young woman's sad death.
When the members of the jury returned to
the police station and were ready to take the
testimony there were several persons about
the building, attracted there by idle curiosi-
ty, evidently expecting to see the womans
Herman ]. Martin, who was the last person
| With the woman before she was drowned.
vas there, was the mother Of the dead
woman, and also her brother.
| Two lawyers interested in both Martin and
| the deceased's mother were also present at
! the inquest.
In the Water.
! George Chapman, colored man. who
| lives at No. 80 street southeast, was the
| first witness called, and he testified that
| Saturday night about II o'clock he was
| at Mrs Sweeney's He went there with
Della Washington. Witness said that when
| he went over the bridge to Mrs. Sweeneys,
| he did not see anybody, but on mis- way
| back he heard man say: "Oh, Netie,
why did you do this?"
| The man said to witness: For Gods
sake come and help me-
Witness said that the man was standing
on the wall, and he saw q dark object Ghe
| woman) in the water. She was on the
| south side of the bridge and about four or
| five feet from the wall.
| WAS the woman alive?" he was asked
| by the coroner.
| Witness said he did not hear her say any
thing. He could see her floating on the
| water. The man called for witness to come
| down and help him. But said witness,
Il was alone, and when he came towards
| me L backed
The man (Martin) left and went for the
| woman's mother, and witness told two
| policemen of what had happened. The man
| came back and was there when the body
| was taken from the canal and put on a
| stretcher.
Witness went as far as the house, and
there he saw the man CIartin), who was
| crying.
| did the man say anything about SWIM
| ming?" asked the coroner.
| YES. SIR answered witness, "the man
said he couldn't swim, and 1. told him
| could not swim either
| Witness said he was afraid to go down on
| because feared
| pushed in the water.
| No Marks.
| Deputy Coroner Glazebrook made an ex-
| ternal examination of the woman's body.
| and while he could not give the cause of
| death positively, he thought. from the APP
pearance of the body and the history of the
case, that she was drowned.
Witness said there no evidence of
violence about the body. He did not make
an autopsy. DIR. Glazebrook was question
| ed about the death trap as the canal u
| known, and he said it was the easiest mat
| ter in the world for a person. whether sober
| or not. to walk into the canal from This
plain bridge.
John F. Dugan, who keeps q drinking
| saloon at No. SO X street, was next sworn
| He had just closed his place of business
when he heard that there was trouble at
| the canal, and he went down to the bridge.
| Herman Martin was there crying, and was
| saying something about Nettie drowning
Witness looked in the canal ana saw what
! appeared to him to be Il raised umbr ella
| floating on the water. He got in boat
and followed the floating object far as
| the bridge and when he reached out from
| the boat he felt the clothing and then he
| discovered. from the length of the hair,
| that the object was the body of the woman
| There was rope in the boat which he tied
| about her body, and then towed her ashore
Witness told of the dangerous con istion
| of the bridge. and said that that locality
| was poorly lighted The parties in the case
| he said, had not been in his place for more
| than a week.
| Mother and Lover.
Mrs. Maggie V. Thompson, mother of the
| deceased. was sworn, and she said, while
| not positive of her daughters age, she
| thought she was about twenty-eight years
| cid. Her daughter lived with her husband
! Mr.. Cummins, until she was deserted three
| years ago. and about five months ago she
/ got n divorce.
Since them" said the coroner. has your
| daughter been receiving company"
"Only friends of the family" said the
mother. land she's been going with Mr..
| Martin"
was he regarded as her beau?"