Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-15
MISS FLAGLER'S CASE
Very Little Doubt Of Manslaughter In
dictment
The Tragedy Which Brought Grief to
Two Familics-In Case of
Conviction.

It was virtually admitted today by an
official of the District Supreme Court hav-
ing cogniZance of such matters that The
Star was correct in intimating yesterday
that the grand jury had determined to
charge Miss Elizabeth NJ. Flagler with
manslaughter for killing Ernest Green, a
small colored boy, on the I'd of last August.
Just when the Indictment Of the young wo-
man had been decided upon the official was
unable to state, but that it had been he
said he could no longer deny, nor could he
state when the Indictment would be pre-
scented in court, but some day during the
present week he was reasonably certain.
The officials in the district attorneys Office
when questioned today by Star reporter
were non-committal in the matter al
though they would not deny that they had
been informed by the grand jury that an
Indictment of Miss Flagler for manslaugh-
ter had been decided upon. The drawing
up of the formal indictment will be, it is
said. matter requiring neither any great
length of time nor any voluminous docu-
ments, and hence 1t is not at all improb-
able that the indictment will be presented
In day or so.
The Tragedy.
The boy was killed by Miss Flagler on the
morning of Friday the I'd of last August,
at the home Of her father, Gen. Flagler, of
road. That morning the little fellow ac-
companied a number of his friends to the
suburbs to play ball. They stopped, 1t is
claimed, in front of Gen. Flagler's resi-
dence, and it Is commended by Miss Flag ler' 8
friends that the boys proceeded to help
themselves to the fruit hanging on her
fathers trees and lying on the ground. The
young woman at the time was in an upper
room of the house. and, seeing the crowd,
she imagined, it is claimed, that they were
the same boys who had previously robbed
the garden. Taking up small revolver
the young woman fired twice. but not, it is
asserted by her friends, with the intention
OF firing in the direction OF the boys. But,
unfortunately. one of the bullets struck the
Green boy in the body, and he fell to the
ground. Miss Flagler had the little fellow
carried into the house, and did all in her
power to save his life but he died in few
minutes time.
The young woman al once drove to police
headquarters and surrendered herself to
Maj. Moore. She was detained until the
inquest was held that evening. The YER
DICT of the coroner's jury was that the boy
died at the hands of Miss Flagler, and the
formal verdict concluded as folio VS.: I'VE
do not believe that she did it with murderous
intent. We believe that the shots We're fired
carelessly and indifferently, but from the
evidence we cannot hold her"
An Indictment.
Miss Flagler was thereupon released from
custody, but several days later was required
to give bond Of $4,000 to await the action
of the grand jury. Last week District At
torney B;rney presented the case to the
grand jury, and that body examined some
twehty-three witnesses, including the boys
companions and the servants of Gen. Flag
Ter.
Upon the return in court Of an Indictment
against Miss Flagler, she will be required
to come into court and plead, and then a
ed, it is said, that the killing of the boy was
accidental. The penalty for mansla ugh er
is imprisonment not exceeding ten years
and fine not exceeding $1,000. So that
should the unfortunate young woman be
convicted, the court could impose a SEN
tence as light as an hours iInprisonm ent and
a fine as small as one cent.