Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-14
HELD FOR MURDER
Talmage Walker Responsible for
Hannibal Shorter's Oath.
RESULT OF A QUARREL SATURDAY
Verdict of the Inquest Held by
Coroner Today.
THE EVIDENCE SUBMITTED

TaImage Walker. COlOred, twenty-One
years old was committed to Jail today on
charge Of having killed Hannibal Shorter.
alias Tom Leitz also colored. The former
lives at No 1888 II u street northwest, and
was a companion of the latter. Saturday
they worked together on the road near
I-aHgdon, and in the afternoon when the
weeks work was finished they came to the
city in wagon. They stopped at a saloon
at 4th and . streets. where they had
drinks. While in the saloon The men quar-
relied and were ordered from the pace
BEFORE leaving the vicinity of the saloon
Walker was so annoying that Shorter hit
him with a coffee bottle After this had
been done the men got IN the wagon and
made another start for home. Walker re-
newed the trouble en- 9TH street just above
Florida avenue by striking Shorter on the
back Of his head with the foot of 4 feed
box and followed 1t up by using a piece of
cord wood him.
Policeman Drager of the eighth precinct
arrested Walker soon after and he
leased on collateral The case could not
be heard in the Police Court yesterday be-
cause the injured man could not appear.
About o clock in the afternoon the patient
died and his body removed to the
morgue. Policeman Carroll then rearrested
Walker and locked him up on a charge OF
murder. Today an inquest was held at the
sixth precinct station. The prisoner was
represented by Mr.. Thomas l.. Jones. Sew
eral witnesses were examined and the jury
returned a verdict holding Walker
spOnsible for the killing.
Deputy CorOner's Statement.
Deputy Coroner Glazebrook told the jury
about the injuries received by the deceased
The autopsy was performed this morning
Witness told of the dressing of the wound
by the hospital surgeons. There was a
fracture Of the back of the skull that ex-
tended to the base Of the skull. Opposite
this severe wound there was a big blood
clot. The hemOrrhage had taken place per-
haps forty-eight hours previous TO death.
Dr. Glazebrook stated that the wound was
evidently inflicted by blunt instrument,
and the injury caused death. Witness said
the injury might easily have been made
with the piece Of cord wood exhibited in
evidence. ShOrter's skull, he said. I'M
usually thin for man of his age and
color
Dr. E. H Gee. resident physician of
Freedmen's Hospital, testified that Shorter
was brought to the hospital about o'clock
Saturday evening. He showed evidences
Of having been under the influence of alcO-
hOl, and witness thought the liquor had
sonnet hing to do with his ComatOse Condi-
ton Witness described the injury received
by the victim and said he showed symp-
toms Of fractured skull after he had been
il the hospital about twenty-four hours.
Cornelius Burrel, colored, living at 253S
9Th street northwest, testified that Satur-
day evening several persons himself among
them. started home together from work.
They stopped in d saloon at 4th and q
streets, where they had drinks. Walker
and Shorter Quarreled and friends separat-
ed them Later they came together and
Shorter struck Walker with a coffee bottle.
Walker looked for a stone. but did not get
one The several members of the party
then started toward their homes in a
wagon They stopped in front of the
Maryland House. on 18th street. and Walker
renewed the trouble by striking Shorter on
the head with the leg Of feed box. This
blow was followed by the use Of piece of
cord wood When the last blow was struck
the men were not in the wagon.
Tried to Avoid Trouble.
Witness assisted in removing the injured
man to the hospital Shorter, the witness
said, tried to avoid the trouble, but Walker
kept following him up.
When the leg Of the feed box had been
used did Shorter seem to be hurt much?"
the witness asked.
Yes, sir. was his answer; ''he said he
felt numb all over, and he could hardly
stand"
Charles Magruder, colored. whose home
is at Brookviile. Nd, was also a member
OF the party returning from work He
testified To the trouble at the saloon. and
said when they got on It'll street near the
Maryland House, Walker tore a leg from
the feed box that was in the wagon and
struck Shorter on the back of the head
with il The blow stunned him, and wit
ness assisted others in holding him. AS
they started to the hospital with the in
jured man W dlker dealt him blow on the
back Of his head with piece Of cord wood
Witness then left the injured man and
went in search of a policeman.
William West, cOlOred, 2S25 It'll street
was examined He was driver of the team
The prisoner and the deceased, he said
got in quarrel in a saloon. and when they
got outside Shorter threw the coffee bottle
al him The men got in the wagon and the
trouble was renewed He saw Shorter
when Walker dealt him two blows on the
back Of his head with the leg of the feed
box Witness did not see the last blow in
hicted- What the quarrel in the saloon
was about witness said he did not know
and like the other witnesses he said he
did not hear what said He was drink
ing glass Of beer at the time and he
paid no attention to what was being said
While in the saloon, he said five of them
drank TWO pints Of whisky and ten glasses
OF beer
Testimony of Policemen.
Robert l. Carroll. a policeman Of the
eighth precinct, testified that he went TO
the hospital with the injured man Satur-
day night, and the doctors seemed to think
his injury was not serious
Policeman Drager gave similar testimony
1t was for this reason. he said that Walker
was released on collateral The prisoners
hat. which WAS cut and torn by the bottle.
was exhibited TO the jury, but the prisoner
took The advice Of his counsel and made no
statement
Shorter. It is said, recently returned from
the penitentiary. where he served a term
for manslaughter- Ii is claimed by friends
Of Walker that Shorter had drawn a knife
on Walker and was about to cut him when
the blows on his head were inflicted