Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-08-13
LITTLE CANINE HALL
Inquiry Into the Cause of His Death
by the Coroner.
EVIDENCE As TO BRUTAL TREATMENT
Rose and William Hammond He'd
for the Grand Jury.
AN ms URANCE FEATURE

AN INSURANCE FEATURE
The suspicious circumstances connected
with the death of Campbell Hall were in
vested today by Acting Coroner Glaze
brook, who assembled jury at II o'clock
at the sixth precinct station house on New
Jersey avenue.
The jury was out ten minutes after hear
ing the testimony. when it brought in a
verdict that little Cammie Halls death
was brought about by i'll treatment and
deprivation of food, and recommended that
William and Rose Hammond be held for
the action of the grand jury. The evidence
of DR.. Sterling Ruliin showed that the
stomach and intestines of the dead boy
were empty. and all the evidence tended to
show that Cammie Hall led a very niser-
able life ana got very little to eat.
remarkable feature of the testimony
was that Rose Hammond was not only the
beneficiary of the life insurance policy
placed on Cammie Hall, but that CamInie's
little brother, who died two months ago
had his life insured for S20U, which amount
was paid to Rose, while another small boy
and young man, who have also been liv-
ing at the HaminondS house, also had their
lives insured IN her favor.
The jury was composed of Frank W. Col
ton, Walter Lane. Israel Deming. Frank E.
Lanman, John 7. Potter and John Arm
strong.
Heard Frequent Whippinss.
Mrs. Alice Simmons (white) Of rs Sd
street northwest was the first witness
called. She was not acquainted with little
Campbell Hall and had seen him but once.
She heard the Hammonds whipping the boy
frequently. She could hear the ticks dis
tinctly. Two months ago she had called to
the colored people that ii they did not stop
whipping the boy she would notify the po-
lice. A colored woman appeared at a back
window and told her that she was not
whipping the boy, but Cammie's brother
was doing The colored woman told her
that if she were whipping the boy she
would keep on, appearing to think that her
rights were being interfered with. Witness
said she had seen 4 cowhlde in the hands
of Charles Hammond, and from her yard
had seen the little colored boy, who up
peared to be naked or nearly naked, On
these occasions.
Had Seen the BeatinEs.
Ella Payne, colored, of 100 Balls court,
was called. She lives in the house adjoin-
ing that of the Hammonds. She had heard
that the childs mother vas dead and that
his father had left him at the Hammonds'.
When Campbell's brother died in June she
had not gone in the mouse because when
she had spoken to Rose Hammond about
badly treating the boys, Rose had cursed
her. She said she had often heard blows
i'll the Hammond house and heard little
Campbell Hall crying. She could plainly
hear the blows. She had given the boy
bread because when she threw crumbs to
the chickens in her yard Cammie would
pick up the crumbs. When Cammie would
bring meat home Rose Hammond would
take it away and beat him. She could tell
by the blows that they were given on the
naked flesh, and she had seen the cowhide
that was used. On one occasion the little
boy was upstairs with his hands tied. She
had also seen a light colored boy, who
Rose Hammond had said she had brought
up, beat little Campbell Hall
Had Warned Hammond.
Robert Payne. colored, 20 Balls court,
porter for the New York Biscuit Company
a son of Ella Payne, said that Cammie
Hall had run away three weeks ago next
and boys brought him back
Chas. Hammond was sitting in the door,
and as Cammie Hall passed him he gave
him lick with his fist and witness heard
the boy fall. He heard the blows being
given the boy from within the house. Wit
ness had told Hammond before that if he
beat the boy again he would report him to
the police. So on the occasion referred to
he attempted to see Mr.. Wilson, agent of
the Humane Society, but could not see him
at that time He made no further attempt
to report the case because the beating of
the boy was stopped for the time.
Insurance ON the Boys Life.
Robert Cock, superintendent for the
Life Insurance Company of
New York, testified that the company had
a record OF Cammie Hammond-no record
Of Cammie Hall that he could discover
for cents a week, which would make the
policy about $50. He said his agent had
told him that the woman Rose Hammond
had come TO him and applied to have the
boys life insured. She had represented
that she was the boys mother, ana had
the representation been otherwise they
would not have placed the insurance, as
they never insure either Legitimate or
adopted children. He had not yet seen the
applica ton paper, which ne had sent for,
and which would be here tomorrow.
Lena Washington, a young cOlored girl,
said she lived at 127 Balls court, just
across the street from the Hammond house.
She had heard the whipping. Three weeks
ago, when the boy came back after having
run away, she had heard him being whip
ped. AS the boy passed in the house Chas
Hammond had struck him with his fist and
knocked him down.
Mary CIair's Testimony.
mary CldlI, ColOIeu, WHO lives III Dali .
court, next to the Hammonds, said that
two months ago she went to the Ham
mond house and Rose was whipping the
boy. Three weeks ago Cammie had run
away and was brought home. From her
back window she saw Willie, a boy who
lives with the Hammonds. go into their
back yard and get clothes line. They
tied Cammie and a man named George had
pulled him to the top floor of the house
She had heard the whipping of Cammie
and saw Charles Hammond with rawhide
in his hand. Cammie was a good boy she
said. He was not allowed to go in the al
ley to play. She would have given the boy
to eat, but she was afraid to do
so because she might have trouble with the
Hammonds. The boy had told her he was
hungry, but said he was afraid to take any
bread because Rose Hammond would " nip
him. Rose had told her Monday that
If the boy died she would not use The in
surance money to bury him, but would let
a society she belonged to pay the funeral
expenses. She knew Cammie was sick, and
said Rose would not send for a doctor be-
cause. she said. it was the business of the
society she belonged to to send doctor.
Mary Wilson, colored, living at 729 Balls
court, was called. Two months ago she
saw little Cammie fall from window to