Evening star., 1899-03-15
Woman's Accusation Against South
Washington Grocer.
ALLEGED PRACTICE OF V0ODO0lSM
Complainant Parts With $500 and
Gold Watch.
FOR RETURN OF HER LOVER

Seven charges of theft confronted John
South Washington grocer, who appeared
for trial in Judge Scott's court this morn
ing. Mrs. Sarah Smith, also colored, ap-
peared as the prosecuting Witness. and
charged that the defendant had obtained
various sums of money and a gold watch
from her by means of trick.
Policeman Luton made the investigation
and caused the defendants arrest. Mrs.
Smith came here from near Warrenton,
Va, ten years ago, and has lived here
ever since.
In his opening to the jury Mr.. Mullowny.
the prosecuting attorney, said he expected
to show that the defendant got about $500
from Mrs. Smith by a means which he ex-
pected to prove to be a species of WOO
dooism.'
Attorney Kicks appeared for the defend
ant and entered a plea Of not guilty in
each of the seven cases.
The Woman's story.
'Is your name Sarah SMITH? Mr.. Null
lowny asked the woman when she appear
ed on the witnesses stand.
Yes, SIR" she answered.
Where were you employed during De-
cember and January
"At Mr.. Sherman's."
What Mr.. Sherman"
''Secretary Sherman
She said she was working there when the
defendant called on her. Mora than year
ago. she said, when she was working at
Mr.. Edson's house. she received letter
from Johnson asking her to send him S.,
saying he was locked up. Thirteen months
later she said, he called and asked her why
she had not sent him the money She ex-
planned to him that she did not have that
amount at the time. During the converse
tion she said the defendant, whom she
called DR. Johnson, asked her where her
"feller'' was. She told him she had not
seen him for more than a year, and she
knew nothing of his whereabouts He asked
her if she wanted him to return, and told
her he could make him come back. Mrs.
Smith told him she had not seen her "fel-
ler'' for so long a time that she was not
bothered about him very much. DR."
Johnson, the witness said. insisted that he
could cause him to return. and when he
said he would not charge her anything for
his services she consented.
Upon the occasion of his next visit, Mrs
Smith said, he told her he had bought
vault from a New York firm and he had
put her name in 1t. He explained to her
that by using a certain kind of gas in the
vault 1t would so affect her name that it
would bring her sweetheart back to her If
the vault was not properly supplied with
gas and 1t dragged it would kill her.
Enters a Protest.
Witness told him he had no business put
tirg her name in such vault. Later he
returned and told her the vault had killed
the man who sold it to him, and he could
get no more gas. This rendered necessary
the purchase of the ground on which the
vault was built He told her there were
fifty other names in the vault and these
people had all contributed money for the
purchase of the ground. After that he told
her of prospective lawsuit against the
frrn uh oh Ir;,~
$1,000.
Where was your lover all this time?" in
quired Mr.. Mulowny. Did he come
back?'
Il didn't see him." was her answer
Il guess he got lost in the shuttle" was
the prosecuting attorneys remark
Witness resuming, said that Johnson de-
manded sum of money every time he
called. There was one item of $35 to keep
her name out of the papers. His last de
mand, she said, was for 500, and this she
said, he told her had to be paid, in connec-
ton with the New York suit, the afternoon
OF the day he made the demand and she
had to hurry out and borrow the amount
mentioned. She got $50 from Lucy Will
1ams and similar amount from Carrie
Smith. -
money you had saved?" Mr. MulIowny
asked.
II was going to build little house in
the country In the spring. was her answer.
Total of Six Hundred Dollars.
She said she paid the defendant about
5000 in all OF this amount S14325 was
borrowed money.
On cross examination witness said no
member of her family had ever been sent
to the asylum at Staunton, nor did any Of
them ever complain of pains in their heads.
who is this Ioyer?' incurred Attornav
Ricks
DO you mean my gentleman friend ?"
Mrs Smith wanted to know.
YES"
She objected to telling his name, but
finally said it was John Jackson.
How frequently did he come to see
your
Every other night
Did you want him to continue his
visits?"
IF it had been his pleasure would have
liked him to keep on
She declared she had never asked the de-
fendant to get poison for her. Witness
gave the names of the persons from whom
she had borrowed money, and denied that
she had written letter shown her by de-
fendants counsel.
COrrObOrative Testimony.
Louisa Fitzhugh, colored, testified that
Mrs. Smith called her and asked for
the loan of s35. Witness only hsd $40, and
she let her friend have it, The latter, she
said, was frightened and told her she
wanted the money to keep herself out of
prison. When witness questioned her she
said she had done nothing wrong, but she
preferred to keep the case out of court
rather than go to trial. Witness said Mrs
Smith seemed very much agitated when
she asked for the money, and refused to
discuss her reasons for wanting the loan
Carrie Smith, daughter of the prosecuting
witness, told the court and jury that she
had given her mother $50. In January she
gave her $50. and one day last week she
gave her s6 Her mother, she said, was
Every much upset." and she told witness
she wanted the money to keep from going
to court.
Witness told OF a conversation with the
defendant in which he denied that he had
defrauded her mother. and said the money
she had given him had gone to the lawyers
in the case. He said he had gotten almost
$500, and promised to return 1t to witness
mother.
Lucy Williams, colored, testified that she
loaned Mrs. Smith so
JOhnsOn's Admission.
Witness told of Johnsons conversation, in
which she said he admitted having obtain
ed nearly $500 from Mrs. Smith. She ex-
planned that this conversation took place at
the house of ex-Secretary Sherman. 1t was
due to her actions that Johnson was ar