Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-08-06
GRAND JURY TO ACT
The Case Of Miss Flagler Will Be
Considered,
TEE DISTRICT ATTORNEYS INTENTION
Case to Be Brought Up After the
Summers Recess.
WHAT MR.. TAGGART SAYS

i The shooting Of Ernest Green, colored.
| by Miss Elizabeth Flagler, which resulted
In Green's death. will be brought to the at
tention of the grand jury when that body
convenes September next. This state
ment is made on the authority OF Assistant
District Attorney Hugh T. Tagsart, who,
during the absence of Mr.. Birney. is in
charge of the district attorneys office. Mr..
Taggart said to Star reporter this after
| noon:-
Most emphatically the grand jury will
investigate the killing OF young Green.
That has been an established fact since the
| shooting occurred"
Immediately after the coroner's inquest,
Assistant District Attorney Tracy L. JEFF
| fords, who represented the government at
that hearing, reported the case to Mr.. Bir-
ney In person. The latter then sent for
Mr. Taggart, and the result Of the confer
ence was decision to proceed as stated.
| Inc grand jury took q recess about the
| middle of July until September O. subject
to call In any matter of Importance, Ac-
| eording to Mr. Taggart. no call win be
The statement Of a iuryman fesarding
the proceedings before the coroner, en-
bracing the alteration of the verdict pub
lished in yesterdays Star. is declared to be
| substar TALLY correct by those present on
| the occasion.
Coroner Hammett's Statement.
| DR.. Hanmett the coroner. told Star re-
porter today that he had expected to have
the testimony in thu Flagler-Green shoot
| ing case typewriter in time to turn 1t
over to the district attorney this morning.
but there had been some delay in the work
| and it could not be placed in the hands Of
| the authorities until tomorrow morning.
| Or. Hammeft understood that the verdict
nO har aircf l,o.
| grand jury take the matter up. He under.
stood that any member of the grand Jury
cogld call it up for consideration.
| Speaking Of the statement of Mr. Dorsey
| In The Star yesterday, regarding the man
| ner in which the verdict was added to by
tie clause permitting Mss Flagler to have
| her freedom, DIR. Hs.mmett SAID that he
| had written the words referred to before
the signatures of the jurors with the assent
OF all present: He had asked IL all were
satisfied with the proposition to insert the
words referred to. There was a chorus of
| asserting voices without objection from
4 any one, and he thought ali were satisfied.
Did Not Attempt to Influence the Jury.
] DIR. Hammeir said he vas careful to say
nothing to in any way influence the jury.
He related to Star reporter in this con-
| nect:oa circumstance attending the first
| jury over which he presided He had an
| idea then that in order to sign the verdict
| II was necessary for him 10 approve 1t.
| ne Hdu learned ln1t MS ONCE merely
| to see that the work Of the jury was prop
| erly conducted. and that he had nothins
| to do with the verdict further than to
transmit it to the proper persons.
Jurors Satisfied.
Messrs. John Schlotterbeck, Smith and
P. d. Finson, members of the coroner's
| jury that tried the Fla2ler case were seen
today by a Star reporter and all were
satisfied with the form of the verdict as
rer dered by them. They all approved the
! action of DIR. Hamnlett in inserting the
words setting Miss Flagler at liberty, and
| they all understood that their action did
] not prevent the grand jury from acting on
the evidence and tndicting Miss Flagler
| if they considered it proper to do SO.
What MIR. Perry Says.
Mr.. Ross Perry today explained to a Star
] reporter of the manner in which the change
| of the ,coroners verdict was made in the
| F'lagler shooting case by the insertion of
words to the effect that the jury could not
hold her.
Il did not said Mr.. Perry to the re-
| porter, interfere with the verdict When
| l was sent for by Dr. Hansnett the latter
told me that he wanted Miss FIagler and
| myself TO go TO the jury room as he's wanted
| to read the verdict to US. / had not heard
| of verdicts being read in that manner but
! of course, l assented. When We went into
| the room DR.. Hammett, turning to Miss
| Flagier, said he was happy to inform her
| that the jury had completely exonerated
| ber.'
THAT news was gladly received and then
| DR.. Hammett read the verdict. j at once
| saw that the verdict did not do what the
| coroner had stated, and his assertion had
been backed up by the assent of the Jurors
| at the time 1t made. l did not want to
interfere, and told DR.. Hammett that tho
| assistant district attorney should be sent
! for, and when Mr.. Jeffords came In ana
| heard the verdict with the declaration OF
| what 1t was supposed to accomplish. he,
] too, saw that it was not in keeping with
| the purpose of the Jurors.
| He suggested words to complete it, and
| after the jury had thoroughly assented
| to the correction of the verdict l then
| made suggestion of q way to amend the
verdict. but both the suggestion of Mr..
| JeffordS. and myself We're not accepted.
| DIR. Hanmett suggested the words that
| We're placed at the end of the verdict and
| wrote them in.
| It was extremely careful to do nothing
| while the verdict was being perfected in tha
| nature of interfering with the work and.
| as have shown. did nothing of the kind.
OF course the verdict has no legal bearing
] on the case as the grand jury can take the
| matter up. It, however, does have moral
bearing on the case as an exoneration CT
| Miss Flagler, far that jury is con-
| cerned, and propose to see that she gets
| the full benefit of it,
| Miss Flagler will come to the city as
| soon as she RECEIVERS sufficiently, prepared
to give bond to appear before the grand
| jury, which she will do at the proper time
! If ii is necessary"
| Mr.. JeTorti's Corroborates.
] Assistant istrict Attorney Jeffords this af-
| ternoon declined to say anything regarding
| the alteration of the verdict Of the coro-
| ner's jury other than that the statements
| made by Coroner Hammett and Mr. Perry
| are correct, and that the transaction was
| entirely regular.
| Parcels Post Importations.
Acting Secretary of the Treasury Curtis
| has issued order to customs officials
| notifying them that the regulations al
| ready in force regarding imports from