The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-04-24
scANLON NOT TO BLAME
The Coroner's Inquest Into the
Chisley Homicide.
SEVERAL WITNESSES HEARD
Thomas Scanlon Not Present, Bat
His Interests Looked After by Two
Attorneys-Conflic Testimony
as to the Melee During Which the
Blow With the Bat Was Struck.

An inquest over the remains of Thomas
Chisley, colored, who died Thursday at
Emergency Hospital from the effects of a
blow received during fight on Wednesday
afternoon last, was held at the New Jersey
avenue station at IL O'Clock this morn
ing. Attorneys Lipscomb and Turner
were present TO represent Thomas scanIon,
who, it is alleged, struck Chisley.
Charles E. Burdine was the first wit
ness called. He testified that he saw CHS
ley struck with u baseball bat, but could
not identity the man VINO did it. Mr. Bur
dine stated, further, that the trouble arose
over ball game, ami that Ire was attracted
to the scene by seeing a crowd of colored
men chasing two white men. The crowd
overlook the white men, and penned them
up against a wall. He gave it as his
opinion that the men were in danger Of
their lives when the blow was struck
George l.. Schoeneman, an empIoye Of
the Government Printing OFFICE, said that
he saw the trouble from the start. He
first saw a white man chased by negro,
who overlook the fugitive at the corner
opposite where the witness was standing.
A fight followed between the two men,
and the colored man appeared 10 be
getting the best OF 1t, when lie was joined
by a crowd who assisted him to beat the
white man.
Mr.. Schoeneman said the white man at
tempted to defend himself with baseball
bat, and that he saw Chisley struck.
The witnesses testimony went % sho " that
the white man acted in self-defense.
He was standing close UP against the
wall" continued the witness, and /
could not tell whether Chisley fell or not.
1t appeared TO ne that Chisley was striking
the white man at the time. The crowd
was so thick about the white man thatI
could not see clearly
John F. Calvin, told the jury he was
present at the ball game, but dad not see
the fight. He was excused.
Caroline Green, colored, was the mex wit
ness. Her statements were considerably at
variance with the other testimony She said
that she wa first attracted tothe scenes by
cries and loud talking. She saw a colored
man running, and several white men
chasing him. She saw no blows struck
until white man grabbed Chisley by the
cellar and struck him with bat The
woman was asked if she knew the W bite
man VITO struck the blow. Yes, SIR
she replied, lit was ole man Scanlon's
son, Tom Housed TO serve milk 1.-THE place
where lived when he was a little chap
Rose Green, daughter of the preceding
witness, was next sworn. She told sub
stantially the same story as her mother.
other testimony followed, which showed
that ScanIon inflicted the blow which ended
Chisley's life, but there was wide diver
gence Of opinion as to whether he acted
In self-defense.
The colored witnesses all swore that
Chisley was running away at the time he
was struck, while several white men stated
positively that Scanlon and companion
were hemmed in against a wall, and were
fighting the mob when the baseball bat
was used
Scanlon has not as yet been found by
the police, but Attorney Lipscomb stated
to Coroner Hammett that he would be pro-
duced when the proper time 7le.