Evening star., 1897-02-16
ALEXANDRIA AFFAIRS
Policeman Wilkerson INDICATED From
a Woman's Charge.
RESULT OF TEE MORAL CRUSADE
Local Notes of General Interest
to All Classes.
GONE TO ICHMO Nd
Evening Star Bureau,
No. 121 North Washington st.
(TeleDh,,no 116l

Evening Star Bureau,
No. 121 North Washington st.
(Telephone 1867
ALEXANDRIA, Va, Feb. 16, 1SN
A most clear case Of spite was brought to
light in the police court before Mayor
Thompson last night, when Policeman Will
kerson was honorably acquitted on the
charge of conduct unbecoming an officer
and a gentleman. This charge had been
preferred against the officer by negro
girl named Ella Hope. who also charged
that the officer had been intimate with her.
The GIRL when put on the stand. told her
story in a barefaced manner which stamp
ed it as untrue. She said that her uncle
and aunt, Jack Lee and his wife. were
familiar with all the circumstances. but
when they were put on the stand they
stated most positively that Policeman Will
kerson had never been in their house. where
the act was claimed to have been commit
ted; that they had never known the officer
to have anything to do with the girl. The
respectability Of Lee and his wife was at
tested by several reliable witnesses. Police
man Wilkerson, when put on the stand in
his own defense. told Of the circumstances
leading up to the charge. He said that
while patrolling his beat yesterday morn
ing Joe Mitchell. well-known negro char
acter, had approached him on the street
and made the accusation; that he imme-
diately arrested Mitchell on the charge of
abusive language, and then swore out IL
warrant for the girl Ella Hope on a va
grancy charge, so that they could be under
lCck and key where no one could tamper
with them. He then reported the matter
to Chief Webster and demanded complete
investigation. which. as stated, resulted in
his vindication. Joe Mitchell was arrested
by Officer Wilkerson during the recent
moral crusade" charged with living i'm
morally with the mother Of Ella Hope, and
fined $40 for the offense. Some time ago
Ella Hope reported to the police that Joe
Mitchell had been the cause of her ruin.
and Mitchell was punished. 1t was due to
Ella Hope that Mitchell was arrested dur
ing the recent crusade. She was arrested
for living immorally with a man, and,
misery loves company, she told the officers
that Mitchell was living immorally with
her mother. and his arrest and punishment
followed.
Officer Wilkerson has been a member Of
the police force for about three years and
has proven himself highly efficient officer.
MurderOusly Assaulted.
Melzena Swallow, noted young white
woman. very narrowly escaped being killed
last night about 10 o'clock by being hit In
the head with brick, thrown by her neg.o
lover, William Ford. The trouble started
at the intersection Of Princes; and Royal
street, where she was found by Officers
Atkir son, Beach and Hall, lying PROSTATE
upon the ground, and apparently dead. She
was placed upon stretcher and taken to
the station house, ard DR.. William r. Pur-
Wis summoned. Before the doctor arrived,
nov ever, she regained consciousness. When
the doctor arrived he made an examination
OF the woman's wounds and found that
they were not of serious nature. How the
trouble originated or what it was about no
one seems to know, for the woman stated
to Star man that she did not know who
had struck her. Ford was arr ested about
30 o'clock by Officers Wilkerson ana
Knight. When seen in his cell by Star re-
porter he acknowledged having struck the
woman with the brick. Ford and the Swal-
low woman have for some time past been
living together as man and wife, and dur
ing the recent crusade they were both
fined. Ford was brought before Mayor
Thompson, In police court this morning,
and after hearing the evidence he was fined
$50 or ninety days on the chain gang The
woman had entirely regained her senses
this morning aid seemed no worse from
the blow.
Married Under Durens.
Up to this morning there have been twen-
ty nine marriage licenses issued by the
clerk of the corporation court, as a result
Of the recent moral crusade. and more
have followed during the day. Mayor
Thompson has allowed the couples who
have living together immorally to be mar
red. in order to avoid the punishment.
The crusade Is still going on in a quiet
way, and more arrests will follow daily as
cases are detected. 1t is said that the at
tempt to close up the immoral houses in
the White Chapel district has proven a
failure as some of them are running again.
Last night there was a fight in the house
Kept by Maud T1ppett. A young man NAM
ed Walter Posey assaulted Viola Dawton,
one OF the inmates. The Dawton woman
reported the matter to headquarters, but
Posey has not yet been arrested. 1t will
be remembered that Mayor Thompson
granted n Of
In the case of these women, SO that they
could leave town. But few, If any, of them
have taken their departure
L. H. s. Exnminations.
In the semi-annual examinations at the
Episcopal High School the following bows
were uniformly successful: Charles H.
Cooke and F. A. Cooke of Mississippi. Ed
gar Snowden OF Alexandria. Hugh s.
WOrthington and w. S. Worthineton of
Fairfax, and w. Williams Yen of Shanghai
China.
Police Court.
Mayor Thompson this morning disposed
Of the following cases.
Horace Walker, colored; charged with
lewd and indecent conduct; fined s..
Virginia Nelson, colored; charged with
drunkenness and disorderly conduct; fined
$3.50
William Triplett, colored; charged with
seducing Lizzie Ford. colored. under prom
ise Of marriage. made to pay cost of war
rant and marry the girl.
Shirley King; charged with assault on
Prof. John Lucas; fined S.
Sallie Williams. colored: charged with
keeping a house Of i'll fame; fined s..
Gone to Richmond.
Capt. E. r. Boyer of Rathbone Company,
Uniform Rank Knights of Pythias, and Mr.
William H. May of Lodge No. Of the same
order went to Richmond today to attend