Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-07-18
John ]. Eagle Found Lifeless in Bed
This Morning.
AUTOPSY REVEALS EVIDENCE OF BLOW
A Friend Of the Deceased Gives
important Testimony.
INQUEST IN RESS

South Carolina who has been in the sery-
| ice of the So lthern Railway Company for
| a number Of years. Samuel Bait, driver of
one Of the wagons of the Union Transfer
| Company, Is under arrest, charged with
having caused his death. Eagle was as
saElted by Bait last night at 14th and C
streets, 1t is alleged, for no apparent cause.
Afterward the victim of the assault went
| to the Genoa Hotel. on 18th street, where
| he lived. During the night ne had what
was thought to have been an attack of
nightmare. This morning he was found
dead in bed. When his body was found
life had been extinct several hours. There
was no evidence of death struggle. and
the body mad the appearance of man
| lying perfectly at ease.
With the exception of Mr.. w. W. Hob
Htzell. none of the friends of the dead man
| suspected any foul play. He alone had
seen his late friend knocked down by a sin
gle blow from an Unknown mans fist.
Even when he told his story Of the affair,
his friends would not believe that the blow
mad anything to do with the death, until
the autopsy made by Deputy Coroner
Glazebrook showed conclusive evidence
that death had resulted from violence.
The doctor made the autopsy at j. w.
Lees undertaking establishment. He found
that there was fracture Of the skull three
Inches long above and to the right of the
ear. One of the large blood vessels be-
tween Inc Shui anu scalp haQ been rGD-
tured. An immense clot of blood had press
ed the brain out of position. This hemor-
rEage, the doctor found. had caused death.
Coroner Carr decided to hold an inquest,
ana arrangements were made to swear the
jury at o'clock this afternoon in order
that friends may send the body to Ches-
ter, 5. c., tonight.
Death Discovered This Morning.
The first that was known of Mr.. Eagles
death was about 0 o'clock this morning
| when Ella Smith of 2O3O 10th street called
at the Genoa to get Mr.. Eagles weekly
wash. She had washed his clothes for him
for several years, and yesterday she sent
| him note telling him she would call to-
day. This morning about the Time stated
she was promptly on hand and went direct
to his room without making any inquiry
at the office. The door was not locked,
and she walked in. When she saw that
the bed was occupied she hesitated, then
called, but as she received no response,
she Ventured into the room and found
that the man in the bed was dead.
Tell somebody to come I'D here" she
called. Mr.. Eagles dead"
MT Moore, the hotel proprietor, was
soon In the room, and at once instituted all
inquiry for the whereabouts of the dead
mans friends, but was unsuccessful Then
he summoned the police, and the body was
taken away in the first precinct patrol
wagon. Some of the friends of the deeeas-
ed mad been found meanwhile and at their
solicitation the body was not put in the
public morgue, but was taken to the
morgue at Lees undertaking establish
menf. All this time there was no suspicion
OF foul play. and the friends asked that
the coroner should give a certificate of
death from natural causes.
coroner Carr thought the circumstances
demanded a more searching Investigation
than was to be made by the mere view of
me body, and so directed. When Deputy
coroner elazebrook made his examination
ne found no conditions which could have
CAUSED death, and there
signs on the head to indicate violence. but
the removal of the scalp revealed the frac-
ture already described.
His Friends Shocked.
number of young men, all friends of
the deceased, was gathered In q room at
the Undertaking establishment and were
greatly shocked when told of the result
OF the autopsy. Some of them discouraged
the idea of assault until the last minute.
and even the result of the autopsv couII
hardly convince them Eagle had met with
foul play.
He was quiet man and always at
tended to his own business one of them
remarked, and l fail to see why anybody
sbCud ever have molested him.
But the fracture was there and Mr. Hob
ntZell was present to give his version of
the injury. They could then do nothing
put believe the worst, and tomorrow they
will appear at the inquest. In the mean
While they will endeavor to apprehend the
man who dealt the fatal blow. There were
several persons on the sidewalk who were
witnesses to the affair and these people
are wanted by the police witnesses
Mr. Eagle had worked yesterday at the
once where he was employed, as had Mr.
HoDlitzell, and late in the afternoon the
two men went over to the bathing beach
and enjoyed plunge in the water. 1t was
4 few minutes after o'clock when they
got out Of the water and left the beach
They stroiied through the monument lot,
and when they reached 18th and c streets
they stopped. They stood there a few
minutes, undecided as to whether they
would return to the office and do some
more work or continue on home.
The Fatal Blow.
They concluded they would go home and
were about ready to start when a man on
bicycle rode over the curbstone to the
sidewalk. The front wheel of his bicycle
struck against Mr.. Hoblitzell. When the
rider of the silent steed laughed, Mr.. Hob
litzell imagined he the wheelman) was
probably acquainted with Mr.. Eagle, and
turning to the latter, he inquired:
John do you know this man?'
II don't know him" was the response.
why did you do that?' demanded Mr.
HoblitZell of the wheelman
Don't you like it?'' the latter retorted
Indeed, don't like it," said Mr. Hob
litZeI
Then you take that" said the
wheelman In tone indicating that he was
ready for fight. AS he made this remark
the wheelman tried to use his fist Just as
MIR. Hobiitzeli lodged the blow, two other
men appeared IL they had come from
beneath the pavement and proceeded to
take the wheeman's part against Hob
itzell One blow landed on his mouth and
cut his lip. Another struck him in the back
of the head In the meanwhile the wheel
man dealt Mr. Eagle a blow and he fell
to the sidewalk.
There on the pavement he lay apparently
senseless. and as Mr.. Hoblitzell ATTEMPTED
to raise him and express sorrow, because
of his misfortune. the wheelman who had
delivered the blow remarked to his vic
tim:
Il feel sorry for you, but as for
that I'd like to get at him again.
These remarks he directed to Mr.. Eagles
friend.
what is my nameT asked the injured
man of his friend.
John Eagle" he answered.
Where do I liver
cat the Genoa"
Apparently Stunned.
Mr. Hoblitzell then asked his friend how
he felt, and learned from him that he was
not aware that he had been injured.
Because Of his seeming to be in a dazed