The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-11-11
A Girl Dies Under Suspicious
Circums ances.
a GOOD LOOKING MULATTO
Clarence Upchurch Accused of
Killing Her.
BEAT HER WEDNESDAY NIGHT
She Has Been Complaining of Pains
in Her Head Ever Since--An
Autopsy viii Probably
be Held.

DC ENGtus
There is a dead woman at No. 800 East
Dayie stree. Her name is Ida Hill, and
she died yesterday morning about
O'clock.
She was a handsome mulatto woman,
almost white, and scarcely out of girl
hood. But she was a woman OF bad
character.
Some of the people living in that COM
munity say that she was murdered and
a white man named Clarence Upchurch
is the person whom they charge with
the crime.
The girl lived in the house where she
now lies dead. Another woman, LiddlC
Chamblee lived there with her. Last
Wednesday night, while it was raining,
Upchurch went to the house and asked
for Ida. lie was told that she was not
at home, but that he would probably
find her at Dukes store, near by. Re
marking that if he found her there he
would whip her, he went off in that direc-
ton.
According to the story told yesterday
by those who claimed 10 be eye-witnesses
to what subsequently occurred, Up
church went to Dukes store and there
found Ida standing on the sidewalk. he
stepped up behind her and began to beat
her over the head with his umbrella and
then kicked her into the ditch. She got
out into the street cursing and he fol-
lowed her and they fought there for some
time in the dark.
Upchurch, who was intoxicated, then
came back to the store and got meat
knife and two ginger-pop bottles, swear
ing all the while that lie would kill the
woman. Bystanders now intcrfered,
seeing that the woman was already badly
beaten up and that Upchurch was des-
rerate He begged them to let him get
Mt the woman again and said that he
was sorry he didn't have a hickory stick
instead OF an umbrella with which 70
beat her All of this was aid ise oy
persons who claimed to haze been present
when the fight occurred
Immediately after the trouble Ida came
up to Justice Roberts's Office and swore
ont Il warrant for Upchurch and had him
arrested and tried next day for assault
and battery He was fined 81 and costs.
From that night" said Liddie Cham
blee, yesterday afternoon, Ida has been
complaining of her head and body. She
has been sick ever since, but | didn't know
she was in such a bad way till last night
her head. She kept complaining Of her
head all the time. Then when we thought
she was dying we called i'll n man to
send him for DR.. Wrenn, but she dropped
off and he didn't go and soon this morn
ing we told the police about il"
Who was present when she diedI"
There were two women besides my
self and the~man we called in to so for
the doctor"
DO you think she died from the in
jurias inflicted by Upchurch?'
Here she lies" and she pointed to a
bed just within the door, you can see
her Tor yourself"
On her face were black bruises, the
left eye especially being swollen and
black On each side Of the head and
neck. just back Of the ears, were dis
colorations as il made by beating with
some hard substance. No further eX-
animation of the head or body has yet
been made, as the authorities are waiting
for Solicitor Pom, who has been written
to, TO order a post mortem examination.
He will be heard from to-day and then
some legal steps may be taken in the
matter. AS there were several persons
present when the woman died no coro-
ner's inquest was held and there will be
no autopsy unless Solicitor Pou so orders.
Upchurch was arrested yesterday morn
ing on the charge Of numbering the
girl and held for some time but pending
the ordering Of an autopsy Justice
Roberts released him on his own recogni-
zance The warrant was sworn out by
Tom Hin, uncle OF the girl.
The friends Of Upchurch say that it
can be shown that the woman died from
other causes than the blows inflicted
upon her Wednesday night. There will
probably be further developments to-day