Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-16
THOUGHT IT WAS FOULTZ
Arrest Of Eugene Mercer Gave Rise to
False Rrmor.
The Prisoner Wanted on the Charge
of Perjury-An Old Veterans Mar
II
Ftage Recalled.

The arrest this morning Of Eugene Mer-
Ger, young colored man, who is charged
with obtaining a marriage license last
month for John H. Strong and Mary E.
Robinson by making false affidavit, gave
rise to rumor that Dorsey Foultz, the
colored murderer, had been captured.
Policeman West Hutchins came across
Mercer in the public park back Of the 9th
street station about noon today. and the
moment the negro saw the officer APP
preaching he started off through the mall.
The policeman gave chase, and he and
crowd followed the man. most of the pur
suers being under the impression that he
was Foultz. The attention of Private
Waterman Lucien F. Davis was attracted,
and he joined in the chase, capturiag the
supposed Foultz near the Washington
monument. He was carried to the fourth
precinct, where he was recognized as
tirgly OF District Attorney Davis Office
has been hunting for a week or more, in
connection with the Strong-Robinson mar
riage license.
The License Case.
It will be recalled that, reported in
The Star at the time an old pensioner. ap-
parently about sixty years of age, called
at the city hall about noon of the 24th of
last month. in company with a woman of
about forty or forty-five years, the latter
being attired in gorgeous bridal finery.
Inc OLD man, who was greatly intoXi-
Gated, gave his name as John H. Strong,
the expectant bride stating her name to be
Mary E. Robinson. A license was re-
fused the couple because the man could
not satisfy the clerk, Maj l.. P. Williams,
mat ne was naturaliZed citizen. He was
told that until he could so satisfy the clerk
he could not obtain the license unless ne
nod frNv, h.
i've OF his native country a certificate
showing that there existed under the laws
OF mis- own land, no legal objection to the
marriage.
Woman Indignant.
Inc woman, whose husband was killed q
few weeks previously in a runaway acct
dent. became very indignant when the
license was refused and left the building
declaring that they would get it in spite of
the law or anything else. Three or four
hours later in the day a young colored
man, who gave his name to Major VIII
liams as Eugene Mercer applied for
marriage license for John H. Strong and
Mary E. Robinson
He informed Maj Williams that the par
ties for whom he desired the license were
colored people, giving their ages as thirty
two and twenty-five, respectively, and
stating that neither had ever been married.
and that both We're citizens of the United
oidtes- his SuSpicloH DelIlE aroused, Mill.
Williams closely ques STONED Mercer, but he
stoutly adhered to his statements, and
when informed that before he could obtain
the license he would have to make oath as
to the truth of the statements he expressed
himself willing and ready to DO so.
He then made the Oath required by law,
and the license was issued to him.
The Mnrrih gs Performed.
The following day The Rev. Joseph T
Kelly made a return to the clerk of the
court certifying that lie had on the previ-
Gus day married"the parties. Mr.. Kelly
stated them to he white people. and his
description of them Tailed exactly with
that of the parties who had in the first
il stance applied for the license. Mr. John
X. Young, the clerk of the District Supreme
Court, reported the matter to District AT
torney Davis. ~ ,5G
That official laid the case before the
grand jury, and In the district attorneys
office this afternoon It was stated that an
Indictment will be returned against Mercer
Monday charging him with making false
affidavit, 4 penitentiary offense.