Evening star., 1898-04-16
CLOUDEDBY MYSTERY
Death Of a Colored Woman Under
Peculiar Circumstances.
INQUIRY FAILS 10 DISCLOSE her NAME
Arrest Of Mr.. and Mrs. Buckine-
ham Pending Investigation.
CORONER TO HOLD AUTOPSY

A young colored woman whose identity
has not yet been established died about 5
o'clock this morning at the house Of Mrs.
Lizzie A. Buckingham, No. 1913 @ street
northwest after a night of intense suffer-
ing. Owing to alleged suspicious circum-
stances In connection with the case the po-
lice arrested all the persons found in the
house and sent the body OF the dead wom-
an to the morgue. The persons arrested
registered as Lizzie A. Buckingham, house
keeper, forty-eight years; John w. Buck
ingham, carpenter, fifty-ave years: Mrs.
Florence L. Gear, thirty-eight years: Lena
Ehrlick, servant, twenty-eight years. and
Annie Wallace, servant, twenty-six years.
Sergeant Dunnigan of the second precinct
questioned the persons arrested. and finally
locked up Buckingham and his wife. The
others were released.
Mrs. Gear said sh. had come here from
Norfolk and was stopping at the house Of
Mrs. Buckingham as a nurse, while Lena
Ehrlick ard Annie Wallace said they were
servants in .he house. A search of the
dwelling by the police, 1t is said, revealed
large quantities Of medicine, as well as
medical books and advertisements.
The arrests were made as the result of an
Investigation by Policemen Holmes and
Goodwin. Soon after going on duty, at II
O'Clock, Policemen Holmes and Plenmons
had their attention called to the house by
an unusual activity about the premises and
piteous outcries made in woman's voice
inside the residence. A few minutes after
l o'clock Holmes and Goodwin went near
the house and awaited developments. The
unusual activity of people coming out and
going in was kept up most of the night.
Several times the officers heard the voice
of a female say to another, Keep quiet"
and each time the answer would be. '.All
right
Suspicious Cireunstnnces.
Mrs. Buckinghams colored driver made
several trips in a buggy for doctors, and
the last time he returned he drove to the
side gate in the alley. Thinking the sick
woman was to be removed, one of the
officers hailed the driver.
1t was near o'clock when the driver
came out of the house with a young white
man. They looked in the alley, If they
wanted to see If the officers were there.
Where are they?' the white man asked
the d1ver. and the latter replied:
They We're here half an hour ago.
III only knew one of the policemen it
would be all right. the white man said.
Il know Policeman Holiness, the driver
added.
Il wonder what she could have takeny.
the young man then asked.
The men were about to separate, when
policemen made known their presence
The young man. who said his name was
Samuel Maddux. told the officers that he
ingham, and he was there last night be-
cause she had called at his house for him
About D o'clock this morning everything
became quiet, and later in the day the ar
rests were made. When the police took
possession of the house they found the
dead woman's body on a single bed in the
rear room on the second floor, and Coroner
carr said the appearance Of the body in
d1cated that death had resulted from blood
poisoning. What caused the blood poison
ing he could not say.
Mrs. BuckfnEhnm's Story.
When questioned by the police. Mrs.
buckingham said that the colored girl
came to her house Good Friday looking for
work. She gave her a position as a domes-
tic, and she complained at that time that
She was sick. Last Thursday. she said. she
sent for physician, and the latter paid
several visits to the house.
Inc woman. she said. told her that her
name was Earle, and that was all size
knew about her. 1t was not until after the
police had made an investigation that they
were told the deceased was a Virginia
school teacher.
Deputy Coroner Glazebrook will hold an
autopsy this afternoon in order TO detnr-
NINE II the woman's death resulted from
other than natural causes.