Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-05
CRIMINAL ACT CHARGED
Warrant Issued for the Arrest Of an ALLEGED
Abortionist.
Bessie Smith, n Servant Girl and the
Victim, Gives Testimony Against
the Accused.

The body of a newborn colored infant
was found in a trunk at the residence of
Mr. w. r. Truxton. 1872 s street north
west late yesterday afternoon under cir
cumstances which suggested at once some
thing in the nature of a criminal action.
The eighth precinct was notified by Mr..
Traxton and the trunk was removed. The
coroner viewed the body yesterday evening
and decided today to hold the inquest Mon
day. Detective Rhodes was assigned to the
case.
1t appears that a servant named Bessie
Smith, who had been working for The Trux-
ton family at the above number. was taken
i'll Saturday a week ago. Nothing had
been noticed up to that time of the girls
condition but when DIR. Barry was called
in he Informed Mr.. Truxton that she had
in all probability suffered a criminal stbor-
ton. and advised that she be sent to
Freedman's Hospital, which action was
Immediately taken.
Odor fn Room.
Nothing further was thought of the mat
ter until a bad odor was noticed about the
trunk, which, 1t. was supposed. contained
some Of the girls belongings. and which
she had left behind her when she was
transferred to the hospital This occurred
Wednesday. and yesterday afternoon the
odor became SO strong that search was
made for the key of the trunk I'm order to
see what 1t contained. The key was found
hidden beneath the trunk, where IL had
evidently been put to keep the contents OF
the trunk safe from inspection or discoy-
cry. The key having been found the trunk
was opened, disclosing the body of the in
FAINT in an advanced state of decomposition.
Mr.. Truxton, shortly after the departure
of the girl for the hospital had occasion to
inspect the portion OF the house where her
room was located including the bath room.
and discovered every evidence OF child
birth having taken place Portions or the
garments of the girl were found in her
room in a condition which confirmed the
suspicion. Although DR.. Barry's statement
was that the operation had occurred In all
probability before he was called. he could
not be positive on this point. He was sure.
however, that the operation was a criminal
one The finding of the body in the trunk
Yesterday makes sure the fact that the
operation did occur before the girl left for
the hospital.
Woman Tells the Story.
Detective Rhodes, accompanied by Star
reporter. visited the woman at Freedman's
Hospital Ibis afternoon and gained from
her all the information that was needed
to find the guilty party. She stated that
the cause of her trouble was one Harry
Sedgvick, who works for James Viers,
coal and wood dealer of Rockville. Sedg-
wick lives in Rockville, and Bessie Smith
worked there for DR.. w. R. Andrews be-
fore coming to Washington. She states
that she wrote to DIR. Andrews, asking
what she should do, on account OF her
condition and the answer that he returned
was strictly in the lima Of legitimate medi-
cal attendance.
She then said friend of hers, named
Mamie Nicklers, who lives at 2aN o street
northwest, had visited her Friday. and.
upon being informed OF her condition. said
she CNicklens) could do away with ii. She
came again, and. after using instruments,
gave the girl two powders, one OF which
she took then and the other short time
afterward. This produced the desired effect,
the birth of the child occurring before she
was visited by Dr. Barry, at Mr.. Truxton's
request She did not like to tell her en-
ployer of her condition and what she had
done, and so bundled the child into the
trunk and locked it,
Detective Rhodes Immediately sent word
to the coroner, who fixed Monday as the
day for the inquest. and then had war
rant sworn out for the Nicklens woman