The morning times., 1895-08-14


An inquest was he'd yesterday at the
Sixth precinct station house over the
death OF little Campbell Han, which oo-
CURED under circumstances that at
tracted suspicion TO his step-brother, a.
negro named Hammond.
The inquest was conducted by Dr. Glaze
brook, the deputy coroner, in the absence
OF DR.. Hammond, who is out of the city.
or DIR. Hammett, who is out OF the city.
present, and listened intentIy to the evil
dence OF the witnesses as the examination
proceeded
The first witness called was Mrs. Alice
Simmons, who lives at No. 7l5 Third
street northwest, just back OF the Ham
monds, who testified that she had
repeatedly seen the boy In the back yard
OF the house where he lived, and frequently
heard Hammond and his wife beating
him, hearing the blows quite distinctly.
She saw the boy and found that he was
terribly bruised, aud bore marks showing
the terrible licks he had received. To
her knowledge the boy was whipped three
or four times a week
HEARD THE WHIPPINGS.
Ella Payne, colored woman, living
at No. 720 Balls alley, in a house next TO
the Hammonds, testified that she had re.
peatedly heard the whippings the child
bad received, and several times she had
implored those engaged in whipping the
child TO stop beating him. She further
stated that in her opinion the boy was lit
orally starved. He repeatedly told her
he was hungry, and on several occasions
when she had thrown bread to the chickens,
which were kept in the Hammonds' back
yard, the little boy had eagerly taken it
off The ground before the chickens could
get il and eaten it.
she told or the boys running way from
home and capture, and said that when he
was brought INTO the house that Hammond
and his wife tied him by the hands with a
rope and dragged him upstairs, where he
was stripped and beaten with a raEhide
She could distinctly hear the licks on his
naked flesh. The boy afterward told her
that he ran away because he could not get
anything 10 eat, and that every time he
would bring anything TO eat into the house
his mother would beat him.
Robert Cook, superintendent OF the Met
ropoItaD Life Insurance Company, Of New
York, testified that in last June a policy
was taken on Cammie Halls life for SEQ.
made payable TO the Hammond woman. and
the premium Of cents week was paid by
her
Lena Washington, who lives in Balls
court, just across the street from the house
in which the Hall boy died, heard plainly
the blows which Were administered to him,
and When the boy was brought back after
running away saw Hammond strike him
with his fist and knock him down.
TALKED OF HIS FUNERAL.
Mary Claire. No. 722 Balls court. tas-
titled that Cammie was kept housed up
and not allowed TO 20 CUT and play with
the other children; that mis- mother had told
her taht she had had his life insured. but
mat she did not iutend 10 take the insurance
money TO bury him, but would make the So
ciety to which lie belonged dothat
Willie jackson, colored boy about
flrteen years Of age, testified that he had
lived with the Hammonds for over a year
ana had always been treated we'll by them:
furthermore that he had never seen the
Hammonds whip the dead boy The wit
neSSes statements were very conflicting
however, and he was told TO step aside
Dr. Sterling Ruffin, who, acting as
deputy coroner by DR.. Glazebrooks' re-
quest, stated that he had performed the
autopsy on the boy last night, and that he
found az result of the examina tion that
ms condition was poor There was an
apparent lack of ia and the most striking
feature OF the autopsy was the extreme |
of the alimensary canal
The jury brought 10 the following YER
dict:
We, the jury, find that the said Camp |
bell Hall came 10 his death by reason OF |
Ill treatment and deprivation of proper |
food, and from the evidence adduced we. |
the jury, recommend that Rose and Will |
lam Hammond L. held for the grand iurys
that the said Campbell Hall was found |
dead at 722 Balls court on the morning |
Of August u, 1895"
The jury was composed of John Tower,
Frank Lanman, Frank Cotton, John Arm |
strong, Walter Love, colored, and Israel |
Deming.
FOUND IN THE HOUSE
The investigation was brought about by !
Acting Lieut.. Charles Lombardy, of the |
Sixth precinct, who had suspected the Ham,
nonds for some time past, Sergt Lorn-
bardy believes that a thorough investiga-
ton would unearth other cases here where |
human life has been sacrificed TO secure |
death benefits from the funeral insurance |
Policeman Pat Creagh, of No. 6, searched |
the home of the Hammonds, No. 722 Balls
alley, yesterday afternoon. He found the
cownide with which Campbell Hall was
whipped 1t was hidden be-
tween the mattresses on Rose Hammond's
bed. The heavy butt of a carriage whip,
about four feetinlength, W as alsofoundcon-
cealed bcneatha pile ofrubbish. Theneigh-
bors said they had had frequently seen the
boy beaten almost into insensibility with |
the latter weapon, in the hands OF his step
brother, Rose Hammond and the dead boys
father, who also seems to have Ia kena hand
in the beaJings which resulted in Cammie"
Hans death
Policeman Creagh also found in the Ham
nond residence a six dress and other
goods WHICH the neighbors say are stolen
goods.
The remains of the boy are still at the