Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-10
JEAL0USy'S GRIM {.
Mollie Harris Held for Killing Alice
AQussnan'
CORONER'S JURY PLACES BLAME
Women Fought for Possession Of
Tommy Smoot
AN ALLEGED ACCOMPLISH

Mollie Harris, alias Sadie Williams was
held for the action of the grand jury by
coroner's jury today for the alleged killing
Of Alice Queenan Della Dyson was also
held for the grand Jury as an alleged &C
cessory. All the parties to the affair are
colored. The homicide was the result of
jealousy over a colored man named Thorn
as Smoot. who drives lumber wagon.
For several years he lived as the COM
mon law husband of Alice Queenan in South
Washington. Three months ago Mollie
Harris. alias Sadie Williams, alienated
Shoots affections, 1t is said. She came
here from Hunters station, Alexandria
county. Va, where she has relatives She
declares, however. her home is in Freder-
lex, Md Mollie walked through Cullinanes
alley about o'clock last night with Smoot.
The Queenan woman and friends attempt
ed to take the man from the woman. The
result was that a knife was used, it Is al
legged, by the Harris woman. q stab through
Alice Queenan's heart following.
Placed Under Arrest.
Policemen Headley, Cowne and Dyer ar
rested the Harris woman at her room in
Nolan's court later in the night and lock-
ed her up. This morning Della Dyson was
arrested in Cullinane's alley and locked up
The inquest was held at the sixth police
station this morning at IL o'clock
Deputy Coroner Glazebrook testified that
he performed an autopsy on the body of
Alice Queenan this morning. He found a
woman about thirty-five years old, fully
dressed. There were six or seven skirts on
her, but her body was only thinly clad.
Had her body been as we'll protected as
her limbs her life would probably have been
spared. Witness: described the wound.
which was about ,one-half inch long. The
weapon used cut through the third rib and
lung and penetrated the left side of the
heart. Witness said that the wound was
made by long thin instrument Hemor-
rhage following the wound caused death.
Mary Stewart, colored, of 715 Burke's
alley was next sworn. She told the jury
that she called at Alice Queenans house
last night about o'clock. and while there
she heard some one say: Good night, Mr..
Tom Smoot and Mollie Harris, whom she
had known as Sadie" Alice Queenan
looked out and said: There's my Tommy"
Witness said that there was much pro-
family and obscene Language used. Alice
Queenan held to the man and said: "All 1
want Is my Tommy"
Did Alice strike at the prisoner?' the
coroner asked.
NO, sir" was her answer. "'all she did
was to pass the woman and grab the
man.
The Stabbing Described.
Mollie Harris called her an obscene name
and told her to let go the man. Then. she
said, Mollie stabbed Alice
Had any Of the parties been drinking?"
Il don't know about that"
Witness did not know where the woman
got the knife. nor did she know what be-
came of 1t afterward. She identified a
knife shown her as the weapon that was
used.
Jennie Snowden, colored, who was In the
alley with friends last night also told the
jury that the prisoner did the stabbing
She said she heard woman saw ..Good-
bye, Mr.. and Mrs. Smoot."
Mollie was ther warned that there might
be trouble. and she said she could look out
for herself Witness described the trouble
as told by the preceding witness and told
used.
The Alleged Accessory.
Della Dyson, 429 Cullinane's alley, testi-
fled that she was in the alley last night
She was standing in her door when the pris-
oner came and asked her to walk down the
alley with her, as there were three women
fighting her. Witgess walked down the al
ley and just after the trouble started Alice
Queenan fell. She thought that the pris-
0ner had struck her. MOllie then threw her
Tom Shoots hat and told her to come on
down the alley with her. Just after they
started Mollie told her that she had cut
Alice because the latter was always after
her.
Did you see her with a knife?"
Il didn't knife last night" she re-
sponded. but l saw the point of a knife
sticking out Of the bosom Of her dress Sun
day
Witness said she was not personally ac-
quainted with the defendant and had seen
but little of her before last night.
Malinda johnson. colored. testified that
she went out in the alley when she heard
of the trouble. Alice Queenan was holding
to Tom SmoOt when she got there. She
was cut before witness reached the scene
of the encounter.
The Cause of 1t All.
Thomas Smoot. the man about whom the
crime was committed, informed the jury
that he was present at the time of the kill
ing. but he did not see who did the cutting
What were you doing all this tme?" he
was asked.
Il wasn't doing nothing" he answered
but the women were pulling and hauling
at me-"
What women were they?"
Mary Stewart and Alice Queenan."
why Were they pulling at you?"
They wanted me to go to Alice Quee-
mans"
Did you want to go?"
mo. sir. Me and her was walking out
together"
He pointed toward the prisoner as the one
who was with him.
whats her name?' the coroner inquired
"Mollie."
M0llfe What!
Tell you the truth" said Smoot. Il can't
Just remember the last part of her name"
He said that when Alice fell she ex-
claimed, I'm cut"
The prisoner said she desired to make a
statement to the jury. and her version of
the affair was heard. Twice during the
past two weeks, she said, Alice Queenan
had assaulted her. Last night she had
started out of the alley with Smoot. when
four women attacked her She explained
that both Alice and herself wore red waists.
and this she thought accounted for the
There was Considerable cutting being
done by the women, She said and her cape
and waist were cut, The blow that Alice
received. Mollie thought was intended for
her. She explained that when she saw
that trouble could not, be avoided she called
Della Dyson to- help her. and the latter
said she would stick' to her till she died.
During the fight, she gave Della her cape.
which was returned to her afterward. 1t
was her idea that the knife was put in the
lining of her CAPE while the Dyson woman
had it. She repeated, her statement that
she did not do the cutting.
Additional . Testimony.
George MarbIfy testified that he occu-
pied a room In Alice Queenan's house. Last
night. when Alice had been out of the
house several minutes. he went out to in