Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-22
FOUND DEAD IN A RAVINE
Prominent Colored Resident Meets Death
Under Suspicious Circumstances.
Attended Lodge Last Night and COL
lccted "a Sum Of Money-FOul
Play Suggested.

The dead body of William Lazenberry, a
| well-known colored man, who lives at
Deanwood, not far from the Benning race
track, was found in Watts branch almost
directly beneath the tracks of the Bal
timore and Potomac railroad. The body
vas partly in the mud and partly in the
water. There was an ugly cut on the back
CT the mans head but beyond this no
other injuries were found. Coroner Carr,
who viewed the body at the morgue this
afternoon, was unable to determine the
cause of death, and an inquest will be held
tomorrow afternoon to have the question
settled by Il jury. The finding of the body
IN the branch SO near the railroad caused
the belief that the man had been knocked
off the track by a train, but there We're
no marks found to indicate that such was
the case. When this was learned the police
concluded that the man had either acct
de ntally fallen from the trestle had been
dealt a blow on the back of his head and
knocked off. If he had been knocked off
by some other person then the motive, il
is believed, was robbery. This question,
however, will be determined later, when a
further investigation shall be made.
An engineer on passing engine was the
first one to discover the body, and he sent
word to Policeman John Boland, at Ben
ming. The officer visited the scene and had
the boGy removed from the water. When
the body was recognized as that of Lazen-
berry there was partial search of mis-
clothing made so it is stated and ONLY Is
cents could be found. This money, it Is
said, was turned over to the dead mans
son. Later the booy was removed to the
norgue. casual inspection of the body
by the coroner showed only the one cut
mentioned. This cut appeared to have
been made with a heavy instrument, prob
ably stone, and may have been sustained
by falling from the trestle to the stones in
the branch. The distance from the tracks
the coroner says a fall this distance might
have inflicted such a wound as he found
in the mans scalp.
Skull Not Fractured.
There was no apparent fracture Of the
skull, and the doctor thought death prob
ably resulted from conclusion of the brain.
About the neighborhood of Deanwood the
dead man was well known, and he had
many friends. He was a member of the
Grand United Order of Odd Fellows, and
was one of the most prominent members
of Columbia Lodge, No. 1876 which meets
at No. hob 18th street, Georgetown. He
was treasurer of the lodge and was also
treasurer of the West Washington Hall As
ISOLATION. 1t is stated that ne was also
treasurer of a Deanwood organization.
The unfortunate man attended his regular
semi-monthly lodge meeting last night and
collected quite a sum of money, which he
turned over to another member of the
lodge, Mr.. Morris Honesty, the secretary.
Lazenberry did not remain until the conclu-
sion of the meeting, as he wanted to take
the 10:45 train for home. After getting off
the train he had nearly mile to walk, and
was not a great way from his home when
he was killed. Lazenberry was about forty
five or fifty years old and leaves wife and
two children. For about ten years he
worked as a laborer at the naval observa-
tory and had been treasurer of the lodge
for fully ten years. Tomorrow afternoon at
o'clock Coroner Carr will hold an inquest
in the case.
The Brethren Interested.
Secretary Morris Honesty Of Columbia
Lodge, CT which deceased was a member,
and Mr.. W. c.. Martin Of the Grand Lodge
this afternoon called at police headquarters
to learn something Of the sad affair of last
night. Mr.. Honesty said he had been per-
sonally acquainted with Mr.. LaZenberry for
many years, and knew him to be highly
respected citizen. Last night at the lodge
meeting, he said. Treasurer Lazenberry
turned over to him some of the funds OF
the lodge.
The recessed, he added, was connected
with several organizations. and being treas
Urer of three of them he frequently had as
much as $50 on him. When he learned of
the circumstances under which the body
was found he could not believe that the
man had accidentally fallen from the tres
tie. 1t was his belief that he was either
knocked off by train, or was assaulted.
The police say there were no evidences of
re bbery, for the mans pockets did not ap-
pear to have been disturbed A number Of
persons called at the morgue this after
neon to see the body, among them several
friends of the dead man. The police in the
county are looking for witnesses this after
room, who will appear before the coroner $
jury tomorrow. Before the inquest is held
Deputy Coroner Glazebrook will make an
| autopsy. and this will show the exact cause
of death.