Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-08
ON TRIAL FOR HIS LIFE
William strather Before Court Charged With
the Killing of Rosa Talbot.
Deputy Coroner Describes Condition
circumstances Preceding Murder.

The trial of William NJ. Strather col
ored. indicted for the murder Of Rosa Tai
bot, also colored the 18TH OF last October,
was begun today before Judge Bradley in
Criminal Court No. ]. Assistant District
Attorney Shillington and Mr.. Harvey Given
of the district attorneys Office appeared
for the government, while the interests Of
the defendant were looked after Dy Attor-
news Samuel ID. Truitt and Benjamin 7.
Roodhouse.
This being the first trial for murder to
be held for some time past more than the
ordinary degree of interest attached TO it,
The court room was well filed with spec
tators today, the majority being colored
persons, who paid the closest attention to
every word of the testimony.
The first business after the opening of
court this morning was to complete the
Jury Eleven men competent to act were
secured yesterday afternoon. No dift1c atty
was experienced in agreeing upon the
twelfth.
lowing: Frederick b. O'Neil, Joseph w.
Penn, Henry f. Ash Harry g. Koch VIM.
NJ Bean w. c. White. James 9. Reeves,
Timothy A. Driscoll, G: r. Dodge. Charles
" Sudduth. Only enc member of the jury
is colored.
Assistant District Attorney Shilling on
made a brief opening address to the jury.
H told of the killing of the woman early
in the morning of the 18th of October, in 4
room in the second story of house 1873
Franklin street, between New Jersey ave
nue. ard 9th street, and Q streets, say
| ing that a hatchet was the weapon used.
and that the government expected to prove
| "a clear and deliberate case of murder.
| Strather, during the opening address
| and the examination of witnesses, gave
laI1s m nV hat II f.
! tered He kept his eyes fixed intently on
| the witnesses, and at frequent intervals
| leaned forward AND offered suggestions to
| his counsel. Tha prisoner was neatly
| dressed his appar4l consisting of a coat
| and vest of check goods. dark trousers,
| turn-down collar, white shirt and light tie.
The First Witness.
The first witness was DIR. L. w. Glaze
| brook, the deputy coroner of the District
| OF Columbia DIR. Glazebrook testified that
| the morning of the 10th of October he per-
| formed an autopsy on the body of Rosa
| Talbot The woman, SO far as witness
could Judge. was about twenty-four years
| of age weighed about 120 pounds, and APP
DC ared to be in good physical condition.
| The whole front Of the face and the side
of the skull of the woman was battered,
| the witness said. Six wounds were found,
| four of which had penetrated the brain,
ard were absolutely fatal. The body aid
clothing were smeared with blood One
wound had severed the temporal artery
There were other deep cuts and gashes
across the forehead and at the back of the
head.
In the opinion of DR.. Glazebrook. the
| v ounds were in all probability. indicted
with an ordinary Ratchet. The immediate
cause of death was acute hemorrhage.
Heard Humping on Floor
Emma Baylor, colored. the next witness,
stated that last October she occupied house
433 Franklin street with her husband and
children. Strather and Emma Talbot rent
ed a room upstairs, living there as man
and wife. At the time Of the murder they
had occupied the room about one month.
The evening Of the 14th of October the wit
ness heard loud talking in the room up
stairs. She awokc about o'clock in the