Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-20
THE coRoNERS INQUEST
Official Investigation of the Charge Against
Edward Smith.
Evidence Strongly Points to Him ms
the Murderer of EdmOnia jack
son - The Verdict.

Coroner Carr started upon an investiga-
ton at o'clock today of the circumstances
attending the death of Edmonia jackson,
who was murdered in an alley tenement
Monday night. Edward Smith, the alleged
paramour of the woman is accused of hav-
ing taken her life while in a fit of Jealous
rage.
The evidence adduced was in substance
as follows:
A New Discovery.
Superintendent Schoenberger Of the
morgue made a more careful examination
of the body of the woman when he got
ready to prepare 1t for the autopsy today,
and discovered that knife as well as a
hatchet had been used by the murderer
In addition to the wound in her throat two
ugly cuts across the back of her neck
were found. Embedded in one of her hands
the place OF shoemaker's knife was
discovered
The finding of the knife in her hand indi-
Gated to the police that there had proba bly
been struggle, during which the woman
had attempted to get the knife away from
her murderer. DIR. Ruffin made the au-
topsy. and it was his opinion that the
wound in the throat was inflicted with the
knife, while the two cuts in the back of the
neck had been made with the Ratchet
Coroner Carr held an inquest this after
noon, and Dr. Rutfin told the jury of the
condition Of the body. The wounds in the
back of the neck were the fatal ones. The
only thing he found to indicate a struggle
was cut in the woman's hand and the
finding of the broken blade of the shoe
knife.
Other Evidence.
Mrs. Ruth II. Taylor, 12S Madison alley,
was next examined. She heard Edmonia
Jackson talking Monday evening. Martha
Williams told her that Smith Uhe prisoner
had been cl,rSipo ElnaoDia ha lot
ter went to the Jail TO see her husband.
Edrnolia denied to him that she had been
down to the Jail. She heard that Ed
monia went to Smiths room that night.
The next day witness missed Edmonia and
made inquiries about her. Witness also
told of the fire in the kitchen the next day.
When the smoke was discovered she heard
Smith clear his throat. He then went out
the front door and walked down the alley.
Mrs. Taylor said the woman's absence
annoyed her and she had some of the
neighborS look in the rooms. young
man looked in Edmonia's room and saw
nothing. Then he looked through the
transom into the mans room and said he
could only see a pile of bedding and pill
lows. Several persons in the alley she said
had detected an unpleasant odor in the
room. Several months ago." said wit
ness. Il heard Smith threaten Edmonia S
life"
What did he say?" the coroner asked.
He said if she ever lived with Jackson
again he would cut her throat.
When did they have their last QUARREL"
Monday afternoon
DO you know what Smith was sent to
Jail for?'
Yes, SIR
For what?"
Trying to cut Mr.. Jackson's throat when
they had trouble about Mrs. Jackson"
Mrs. Taylor sad that Smith had been
drinking ever since his release from jail
She said Smiths reputation was bad in
the alley, People she said afraid
of him because he threatened to use a
knife.
Martha Williams. who lives in the house
in which the crime was committed, told
of the meeting between Edmonia and Smith
when the former returned from jail
They went in the room together and
Smith locked the door. Then they began to
quarrel, and witness has not seen her since
She told of the inquiries she made CON
corning the missing woman and said she
believed he had slept in the room in which
the body was found until Thursday Then.
she sad. he moved to the kitchen.
The general belief of those who listened
to the evidence, and who are familiar with
the history OF Smiths relations with the
jackson woman Is that the verdict will be
to hold the accused man for the action of
the grand jury.
Smiths Record.
Detective Hartigan learned that Smith
was born in Charles county. Md, and had
come here from near Piscataway, in Prince
George county, in 1864. Since then he has
resided here with the exception of two
terms. agsregating four years, which he
spent in the Albany penitentiary The first
time he was sent to the penitentiary it was
Tor robhinS man, and his second trip
there was for stabbing a former compan-
ION He has served number of terms in
the jail and workhouse
During his younger days he was always
In trouble. and his father spent hundreds OF
dollars. IL is said, in an effort to make a
sCod man OF him. Because of his maynard
habits. his father neglected 10 provide for
him in his will. and lawsuit about the
property caused strained relations between