Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-15
Rosa Talbert the Victim of Her Para
mour's Atrocity.
her HEAD BATTERED INTO A JELLY
The Murderer Arrested After Con-
Tossing to the Crime.
DEAD BODY AT THE MORGUE

One OF the most brutal murders ever per-
petrated in the District OF Columbia was
committed early this morning at No. 1888
Franklin street northwest, only short
distance from the scene of the Dorsey
Foultz affair of May last; but, unlike
Foultz, William NJ. Strothers, the perpe-
TRAITOR did not escape. Rosa Talbert, his
victim, had lived with the murderer as his
wife, and when the police learned of the
horrible affair one of them remarked: Its
another case of the wages of SIM
Ratchet was the instrument used and
the woman's head was cut and battered
into jelly. So suddenly were the blows
struck and so great was the force used
that the woman did not have time to make
an outcry or summon assistance. 1t Is
likely that the first blow either rendered
her unconscious or robbed her of life, for
the condition of her head made 1t appar-
ent that at least a dozen blows had been In
f1tcted. Strothers and his alleged wife
We're the only ones in the room at the time
the crime was committed. She is dead and
cannot tell the story of the affair. and the
murderer declines to tell why he killed her,
SO that the police had to draw their own
conclusions.
1t was about five minutes before o'clock
when John Baylor, a colored man, from
whom Strothers rented the room, reached
the second police station, almost out of
breath and called in the door: There's a
man over here beating his wife to DEATH"
Where?" inquired Policeman Luton.
who was on duty in charge of the patrol
service.
AT my house on Franklin street." was
Baylors response.
In II few seconds the wagon was driven
from the shed and Policemen Luton and
Cooper FASTENED to the house designated
When they reached the house they found
Stynf hev-c tyr,~r IT., IL
tory to leaving for parts unknown, perhaps
TO join his old friend, Dorsey Foultz. But
the officers were too prompt for him, and
he submitted quietly without making an
effort to use his weapon on them.
Guessed 1t Was Murder.
Whats the trouble here" the colored
man was asked by Policeman Cooper, as
the latter assembled the steps leading to his
room on the second floor.
Il guess it's a case of murder" was his
cool response.
Step inside commanded the officer
when he reached the upper landing. The
door was pushed wide open and the officers
Baylor and the murderer were in the pres
ence of a most horrible sight. There, lying
on the bed, was the dead body of the wo-
man, and the mass Of matted hair, blood
and fragments of bone over her face and
head concealed her color, but her body
colored
The woman's head was hanging over one
side of the narrow bed while from the
opposite side hung her feet. Her face and
head had been literally hacked to pieces,
and the drawn curtains and dim light in
the room made the sight one scarcely to be
forgotten.
Turning to the murderer, and with his
finger pointed toward the CHASTITY object on
the bed, Policeman Cooper inquired: did
you kill that wonanT'
Il did" was his decisive answer.
And did you use this Ratchet to kill
her?' came next.
Il guess So"
Baylor adds n Statement.
Joseph Baylor. who had been standing in
the background, advanced and volunteered
the statement that he was the owner of the
Ratchet.
He went down stairs last night and took
1t out Of my chest" Baylor said, before he
had recovered from the shock; "and," he
added, Il didn't know it,
NO. 1 didn't volunteered the man, who
stood there accused of SO serious a crime.
Il went down stairs this morning and
found 1t on the shelf"
'AThy did you kill the woman?" Police
man Cooper inquired Of Strothers.
1t wouldn't do me any good to tell you,"
he responded. land IT wouldn't do you any
good to know"
Strothers was then in his stocking feet
and had tracked through the blood, leaving
footprints on the bare floor AS he was
only partially dressed. the officers waited
Tor him to put on his clothing and then
drove him to the police station, where he
was locked up on charge of murder
He gave his age as twenty-four years. Po-
hceman Cooper remained in charge of the
Trumbo, who remained until the arrival
of Coroner Carr. The latter directed the
removal of the body to the morgue.
Murderer and Murdered.
William Strothers, as already stated, Is
only twenty-four years old, while the wo-
man whom he murdered was two years his
senior. He has lived here all his life, but
she spent her younger days in Leesburg,
Va. although she had resided here for sew
eral years with her parents, prior to her al
lance with Strothers. William had been in
the business Of selling newspapers since he
was ten years old and his face is familiar
to the patrons Of newsboys about the vicin-
ity of 7th and F and 7th and G streets
northwest.
He is a good-lookinE young man and al
ways dressed well. and because Of his ge..-
tlemanly manner had gained many friends.
But all this time he was leading a dual
life, for while his appearance on the street
and among his male acquaintance was
gentlemanly and his conduct made him q
favorite in his home life, the brutal instinct
predominated. He had beaten the woman
with whom he had lived q number Of times,
but her regard for him was SO strong that
she would never prosecute him, not even
after the police would arrest him.
While living on Fenton street, about two
Eionths ago, her sister had to call in the
police because his treatment of his wife
was SO bad, but Rose would not appear
against him. The police told her on this &C.
casion that unless she prosecuted him she
reed not expect good treatment Of him, and
this mornings affair made 1t evident that
tie words of warning were not idle.
Just two months ago they rented the
front room on the second floor Of Joseph
Baylor's house, and within two weeks
thereafter there was trouble between them.
The woman was so badly treated one night
that she ran down stairs in her night
Clothes calling for help, and exclaiming:
He'll kill me IL he gets his hands on me :"
Fortunately for the woman. Mr. Baylor
was at home that time. and got between
them for her protection. Rose then sep
arated from William and remained away