Evening star., 1896-10-20
A VIOLENT DEATH.
James Brown In Some Way Got His
Head Broke,

James Brown In Some Way Got His
Head Broke.
A death that may have been a murder
occurred shortly after o'clock last even
ing. The dead man is James Brown, color
ed. who was thirty-five years of age He
lived with his wife and her family in a
small frame house at the corner of 18th and
X streets southeast. young white man
named Harry Sommers. twenty-three years
of age. who is a farmer or truck gardener
and who lives near Twining City, was ar
rested at an early hour this morning BY
Policeman Smoot and locked up at the
fifth precinct station on suspicion of hav-
ing caused the deaf tn Of Brown.
An autopsy is to be made on the body
this afternoon, and Coroner Hammett will
hold an inquest at noon tomorrow at the
sixth precinct police station, New Jersey
avenue between D and E streets. Som
mers will be held in custody to await the
verdict of the coroncr's jury.
The facts in the case are decidedly oh
scure and hard to get. The attention of
the police was first directed to the affair
last evening when DR.. Emmons who at
tsEded the dead man. visited the fifth pre-
clnct station and explained that Browns
injuries appeared as though inflicted BY
some blunt instrument.
1t was learned that Brown reached his
home about midnight Saturday, suffering
from lacerated wound of the head and an
injury of the right side. He was in a da.ed
condition, and all the information that
could be extracted from him was that he
had fall. DR.. EmmonS visited the man at
l o'clock Sunday afternoon, and from that
time until his death he was unconscious
Death was due, SO says the physician, to
hemorrhage of blood vessels of the BRAIN
which induced paralysis. Brown made no
intimation that he had been assaulted.
On the statement of the nhVSicfan the
injuries appeared as though inflicted by a
blunt instrument, the police considered the
case worthy of Investigation, but were
at sea in regard to clues. However on
learning that Brown was dead. Frank Col
Inns and Fred Hall, two colored men, pro-
ceeded to the station and informed the po-
lice that In their presence Harry Sommers
had stated that he had struck man Sat
urday night On this Information, Sommers
was arrested. as stated.
The statement of Sommers is to the effect
that as he was about to enter his wagon
Saturday night in front of Coxen's saloon
on Sth street between G and 1 streets
southeast he was accosted by Brown, with
whom he vas acquainted. Brown, he says.
was intoxicated, and persisted in throwing
bis arms about Sommers, who finally found
1t necessary to push him aside. Brown.
according to Sommers. then sank to a sit
ting posture on the sidewalk and Sommers
drove to his home at Twlning City without
giving further thought to the matter
The man under arrest is firm in his decla-
ration that he did not strike Brown. but
merely pushed him aside that being neces-
sary, he says. to get away from the man.
In reaching Browns house 1t is necessary
to pass along a narrow path, on one side
of which is q steep embankment. It Is
quite possible for a person, especially while
in an Intoxicated condition, passing that
way in the middle Of the night, to lose his
footing. A fall down the. embankment
would. in nine cases out Of ten, result In
serious injury.
A Star reporter who visited Browns
house this afternoon found that the rela
tives Of the dead man are ignorant of the
manner In which he received the fatal In
juries. It Is not at all likely that further
light will be thrown upon the affair until
the coroner's inquest IL held.