Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-07-30

Bioodi1y Murdered, the Fate Of Mar
gueritc Drown, Almost Under the shad-
ow of the National Cspi'oi-LynchinS
the Next Crime Espected-Crippie Greek
In n Had way-Threc wifc-Murderers.
WASHINGTON, July 3O.-A coroncr's jury
yesterday found James Smith, the negro
waiter. guilty Of tho murder Tuesday
night Of Marguerite Drown az Seat Pleas
ant. N large country boarding house about
eight miles from Washington in Prince
Georges county. and late Developments in
the case have added 50 much horror to tho
crime that there are numerous threats OF
another Maryland lynching as soon ns a
convenient opportunity occurs. Smith
was arrested by the Washington police
yesterday in the northern part Of the city,
and la view 0f the excited condition OF the
people of Prince Georges county probably
Nill b. held until formal rcquisition IL
made in ord r to permit the excitement to
b. partly allaycd.
Brute Makes Contradictory Con ssions.
The negro made two confessions, partly
contradictory, but each admitting the
murder. In his first confession he said
that be had been intimate with the muir
dcrcd girl. for whose foster mother he had
worked several years; that Mr.. Drown
discovered the fact and had discharged
him. but had rc.cmploycd him on his and
the girls promise to cease such relations,
and that he cut Miss browns throat with
"a knife because she rejected advances he
hrd made 10 her again. In his second con-
fcssion be declared that he had not told
the truth when he asserted that he had
had relations with the girl, and denied
that he had outraged ~ well as murdered
her Tuesday. but also stated that he had
gone tn her room for the purpose of max
ing advances TO her had been rcpulscJ
had chokcd her into uncunsciousnc-s and
then had procured knife from tn,
kitchen and killed hcr.
Attempted to Kiss His Victim.
Tho developments ut the coroncr's in
quest tended To- di-crc,lit the most revolt
inv part uf the ncpro's first confession
Mrs Drown. the foster mother of the dcat
girl, testified that Marguerite had com
,ilainrd to her lhst Thursday TINT Smitl
had attempted to- kiss her. several Of tn,
servants also sworc that the girl ha(
called to them and made complaint tina
smith was attempting To kiss her. Mrs
Drown, in explanation Of smiths con
tinucd employment after this occurrence
said that Smith Immediately after Vt lcf
the house, hut came back the next day
prnfcsscd to be exceedingly pcnitcnt, an'
h'gIcd to De- rc-cmploycd. lie had been
ruud servant for years, and she had inall
agreed to let him come back. On the da
of the murder she and DR.. Miller, a boar,
or, had driven into town, leaving the gii
at home with the servants
They Heard n Laugh or n Cry.
The latter sworc that thcy heard u nois
upstairs in the girls room loud enough {
EXTRACT attention, but said they could NJ
tell whether II was laugh or II cry.
little later smith came down and in ~
swsr to questions said that the noise the
had heard wns Miss Marguerite laughin
mt ~ story lac had told her lie had II sma
basket on his arm and ut once left I'll
housr, saying he was going to u ncighbur
for some eggs. Tho doctor who pcriornr
the autopsy said that the girl frs; hl
been knocked down and rendered uncci
scious 10y hlow on the forehead; that :!
had then been outraged, and later klllC
blythe scycringof the windpipc and jurul;