Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-24
IT ENDS IN DEATH
CONTINUED from First Page.)


latter took hold of his leg, and. with an
oath, discharged his weapon, sending the
bullet into his leg.
The dying man could give no minute de-
scription of the one who did the shooting.
and he was satisfied that his assailant was
a stranger, for he said he had no enemies,
nor had he ever had trouble with anybody.
When the wound was first seen the doc
tors and nurses at the hospital thought IL
was not serious, but that the bullet had
entered the fieshy part of the leg and re-
manned there. But the severe pains in the
stomach, together with other symptoms.
made 1t evident that his condition was
serious.
The autopsy was performed by DR..
Sterling Ruffin in the dead house at Provi-
dence Hospital this morning at IL O'clock
Besides the coroner Detectives Weldon and
Lacey were present. They were there. they
explained, to get a look at the bullet and
compare it with several taken from the
pistol Of colored man captured early this
morning.
Death Was Unexpected.
Prior to the autopsy. DR.. Jesse Rems-
5urgh, house surgeon of Providence Hos
pital, gave DIR. Ruffin a brief history Of the
dead man while in the hospital. He told
of his admission, of his being put imme-
diately to bed, and of his great nervous
ress. He appeared to rapidly improve I'M
Ger the palliative treatment he received
Until yesterday afternoon, when he COM
pidiilcO VI Intense pam IN the region OF the
neart. A heart stimulant was administer
ed and he appeared somewhat easier He
explained to the doctor that the pain was
evidently the result of some cabbage he
mad eaten. During the night he rest
less, but replied to frequent interroga-
tories that he was feeling much better
HIS death was very sudden, ard was un-
looked for. In fact. he was improving so
rapidly that arrangements were being per-
fected to use the Y rays on him for the
purpose of locating the bullet. He made
no arte-mortem statement, and could not
describe his assailart other than to saw
ne was very black and that he approac hed
Marshalfs wagon and grasping him by the
leg shot him.
Before proceeding with the autopsy Dr.
Ruflin closely examined the clothes of the
dead man. He was Immediately struck by
peculiar feature. There was no bullet
hole in the trousers that could be distin-
guished, although there was long tear in
tne region or the location of the wound
This was due. DIR. Remsburg explained as
the dead man had told him, to the persons
VINO tore his pants in trying to find the
wound. The coroner examined the trous-
ers, ana thought he detected the smell of
powder near The upper part of the tear
where the bullet is supposed to have en-
tered. The underclothes of the dead man
were not there, the sister having Disposed
OF them An effort, however, will be made
to get them.
Bullet Found fin the Abdomen.
proceeding with the autopsy, probe
was Inserted in the wound which is locat-
ed in the inner side of the right leg near
the upper thigh. The probe went smoothly
IN until 1t struck the pelvis, and there il
stopped An incision was m ade i'm the leg
but the course of the bullet was lost where
the probe stopped. The opening made by
the bullet was SMALL and very much dis
colored from the powder stains showing
conclusively that the pistol must have been
heiu IN close proximity to the leg. The
abdomen was next opened. and immedi-
ately 1t was seen that death had been due
to peritonitis. There was large amount
OF blood and bloody serum in the abdom-
lfal cavity. and in several places the in
testines We're torn by the bullet. Search
ing the abdominal cavity brought the bull
let to view. 1t was lying loosely in the
cavity of the pelvis, where it had evidently
glavitated after spending its force and
decorating the intestines.
An Inquest Ordered.
AS soon as the bullet was brought to
light the detectives hurried to the doctor
and examined it. They exchanged knowing
chances and requested permission of the
coroner to take the bullet away with lam
for the purpose of comparing it with some
others they had. After marking the bull
let it was turned over to the detectives.
They Immediately repaired to one corner
or the room, and cartridge was extracted
from the pistol CT Detective Lacey and
WIN H. II proved mucn larger
than the ones which fitted the detectives
pistol. and they Immediately stated it was
of :tS caliber.
The autopsy was complete, the entire
body being carefully examined. There was
70 evidence of disease, and the man ap-
Feared to have been in perfect health be-
fore the shooting.
The coroner ordered an inquest tomor-
row morning at IL O'Clock at the morgue.
Strongly Suspected.
Leaving the scene of the autopsy De-
tectives Weldon and Lacy proceeded direct
to the Police Court. The colored man
johnson had not been taken to Jail He
was claimed by the detectives and was
escorted to police headquarters
The prisoner was ushered into the PIES
ence of Inspector Mattingly in his private
office. The proceedings were behind closed
doors, Detectives Weldon, Lacy and
Health Officer Woodward in addition to
the inspector, being present.
1t was stated that Johnson steadfastly
refused to say anything regarding the
case, but the detectives believe him to be
the man who fired the shot that resulted
in the death of Farmer Marshall.
At o'clock the prisoner was locked up at
the first precinct police station to await
further investigation. He will be interro-
gated later. The detectives at once set
forth to look further into the case, and to