The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-07-30
Another Negro AssaulterCaught
at Washington, d. G.
His Crime SO Horrible the PeO-
pie Are Excited.
FEEL LIKE KILLING
They May Therefore, Not Wait
For the Law.
The Negro Had Assaulted and
Murdered a Girl.

Washington, July 3O.-A coroner's
jury yesterday found James Smith,
negro waiter, guilty of the murder Mon
day night, of Marguerite Drown, at Seat
Pleasant, a large country house about
eight miles from Washington, in Prince
Georges county and late developments
in the case have added so much horror
to the crime that there are numerous
threats of another Maryland 1ynching
as soon as a convenient opportunity oc
ours. Smith was arrested bythe Wash
ington police yesterday in the northern
part of the city and in view of the con-
dition Of the people in Prince Georges
county, probably will be held until
formal requisition is made, in order to
permit the excitement to be partly al
layed.
The negro made two confessions,
partly contradictory, but each admit
ting the murder. In his first confession
he said that he had been intimate with
the murdered girl for whose foster
mother he had worked for several years,
that Mrs. Drown discovered the fact
and had discharged him but had re-
employed him on his and the girls
promise to cease such relations, and
that he had cut Miss browns throat
with knife yesterday because she had
rejected advances he had made to her
again.
In his second confession he declared
that he had not told the truth when he
asserted that he had intimate relations
with the girl, and denied that he had
outraged as we'll as murdered her yes
terday but also stated that he had gone
to her room for the purpose of making
advances to her had been repulsed, had
choked her into Inconsistencies and
then procured knife from the kitchen
and killed her.
The developments at the coroner's in
quest tended to discredit the most re-
voting part of the negroes first confess
sion. Mrs. Drown, the foster mother of
the dead girl testified that Marguerite
had complained to her last Thursday
that Smith had attempted to kiss her.
Several servants swOre that the girl
had called to them and made complaint
that Smith was attempting to kiss her
Mrs. Drown in explanation of Smith 5
continued employment after this occur
renee said that Smith left the house.
but came back the next day, pTOfeSsed
to be exceedingly penitent and begged
to be re-employed. He had been a good
servant for years and she finally agreed
to let him come back On the day Of
the murder she and DR.. Miller, a board
er, had driven into town leaving the
girl at home with the servants. The
latter swOre that they heard a noise up
stairs in the girls room, loud enough TO
attract attention but said they could
not tell whether it was a. laugh or q cry
A little later Smith came down and in
answer to questions said the noise they
heard was Miss Marguerite laughing at
a story he had told her
He had a small basket on his arm and
left the house at once saying he was
going to a neighbours for some eggs
The doctor who performed the autopsy
said that his examination of the body
showed that the girl had first been
Knocked down and rendered uncon-
scious by blow on the forehead, that
she had been outraged, and later killed
by the severing of the windpipe and
juguIar vein.
The jury promptly rendered it's YER
diet in accordance with the evidence
The negro servants about the place
they knew more of the affair than they
had disclosed in their testimony.