Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1899-03-20
A NEGRO'S CRIME.

Two defenceless women living alone
in their ancestral home in an isolated
country spot near Bowie, Md, were
attacked by John Berry, their negro
servant, on Saturday night. One Of
them is dead and the recovery of the
other is in doubt. Amanda A. Clarke
is the name of the victim who fell by
the murderer's hand and Anna E.
Clarke is the name of the woman who
survives the assault. They were sis
tiers. She who is dead was fifty-six
years old, and she who lives is forty
five. Berry was subsequently arrested
and he has confessed. He was taken
to the county jail at Marlboro, and at
once there we're ominous muttering
suggestive of lynching, and later the
prisoner was taken to Baltimore. The
sisters lived alone on q large farm be-
queathed them by their father. They
sublet parts of the farm and superin-
tended the tillage of about fifty acres
themselves. Their only servant was
Berry, thick-set mulatto, about 16
years old, whom they secured two
years ago at the Maryland House OF
Correction at Cheltenham, Prince
Georges county. This man, while the
sisters were at supper on Saturday
evening, attacked them with stick of
stove wood. He first struck Anna, the
younger, from behind, knocking her
to the floor. Amanda rushed to the
aid OF her sister, and Berry turned on
her, killing her with his improvised
club. He fractured her skull at the
base of the brain and at the left tenn
pie, and broke her left arm. He then
rushed at his living victim aud dealt
her vicious blow which lacereted her
face and knocked out her front teeth.
He then stamped upon her chest in
flctng internal injuries, the extent oil
which cannot now be determined. He
then attemplei TO commit an assault
on the PROSTATE woman but desi ted.
The living sister implored the murder
er to go for doctor and priest, tell
ing him if he would she would give him
800 and shield him from suspicion as
the murderer. They agreed that to d.
vert the suspicion that would naturally
fall on Berry it should be given out that
when the murder was committed he
was absent on mission to Collington.
The murderer made the woman
swear in peculiar way that she would
not betray him: "Cross your heart, u
commanded the assailant. The woman
did this, and Berry went to the stable,
hitched horse to buggy and started
after the priest and doctor.
On the way he stopped at the home Of
relatives of the deceased and stated
that robbers had killed one sister and
terribly injured the other. When PEG
pie arrived at the house the younger
sister refused to tell who the asaailant
was. Berry busted himself about the
house, bringing water from a nearby
spring and performing other services
Early yesterday morning Berry was
taken into custody by Constable Nor
man Porter, OF Bowie. He was held
simply as a witness. About o'clock
he confessed aad requested that a priest
be brought to him. Father Gardiner
obeyed the summons and it is said that
Berry made full confession to him.
When Miss Anna Clarke was asked
why she had not revealed the assailant
on Saturday night, she said that having
sworn not TO expose him, and having
made the sign OF the cross upon her
breost in token OF her promise, she felt
that this oath was binding on her con-
science.
The prisoner was cool and evinced no
nervousness, and showed no emotion.
He admitted having killed the woman,
and that he also intended to kill both.
He claimed hecommitted the deed for
revenge, having, he said, been i'll
treated by the sisters. He showed 10
remorse whatever.