Evening star., 1899-04-12
William Reed Charged With Murder
Of Elizabeth Logan.
THE TRIAL IN PROGRESS TODAY
Story Of Crime Outlined by Assist
ant District Attorney.
THE EVIDENCE SUBMITTED

An hour after the opening of Criminal
Court No. 1 today tho jury which will
decide the fate Of William K. Reed, colored,
indicted for the murder Of Elizabeth Logan,
last September, was completed. The twelve
men comprising the jury are Messrs. John
Fl. Davis. Charles T. Dickinson, Julius Toll
son, John H. Becker. w. H. Robinson, An
drew Archer William C. Peake, Benjamin
Sinsheimer, John T. Holden, E. G. Leapley,
NJ c. Gallaher and George D. Biggs.
The defendant, a well dressed man Of
middle age, wore a buttonaire of violets
Beside him throughout the day sat his wife
and three small children, the youngest an
inrant OF five weeks. Attorneys Peril w.
Frisby and Royal Hughes appear for the
defendant, Assistant District Attorney
Shillington representing the government
In his explanatory address to the jury,
the prosecuting attorney made reference to
black board diagram of the scene of the
alleged crime, the vicinity of I'd and M
streets southwest. The murder, stated the
attorney, was perpetrated shortly after II
CLOCK Sunday morning, the 4th of last
September. Reed had known Lizzie Logan
lor aoou1 four years, 1T was explained, and
their relations had been more or less inti-
mate For certain reasons he became very
jealous of her, and upbraided her for going
with other men. said the attorney. He
made threats to other people regarding
what ne would do If she should be untrue
to him. Saturday night, September 8,
shortly before midnight Lizzie Logan and a
man named Williams appeared on I'd street,
near M street.
The Deed Committed.
Ihey talked for little while, and then,
according to the attorney, Reed appeared
on the scene. He approached the couple.
remarking:
Lizzie, 1 want to talk with you"
The woman replied:
No, I'm otherwise engaged"
Reed then plunged a knife In the wo-
mans throat. She ran short distance,
put IeH ana expired moment later.
Reed also ran off, the attorney went on
10 say. He was later arrested at his home
On the way to the station house. accord
ing to the assistant district attorney Reed
told the policemen that he had repeatedly
warned the woman that If she persisted in
going with other men he would kill her.
and had merely carried out his intentions
In that regard. The contention of the gov
ernment, said Mr.. Shillington, was that the
crime was committed because of jealousy.
Reed is married man. he added, and was
living with his family, but he had an
irresistible tnfatua ton for Lizzie Logan.
who was unmarried.
First Witness Called.
DR.. Sterling Ruffin. He testified that the
4th Of last September he performed an au-
topsy on the body of Lizzie Logan at the
morgue. He found that death had resulted
from wound in the neck inflicted by an
instrument with a keen edge. One of the
largest branches of the main artery had
been severed
Andrew Williams, colored, the next wit
Eess, stated that he was with Lizzie Logan
the night of the homicide. He met her on
"a street near M street. They were stand
ing by tree box near the corner talking
Reed approached them from the other side
of the street Lizzie said to the witness
Take this stick. That man is going to do
something to me-.
Reed asked the woman if he could speak
to her, but she replied that she was other
wise engaged. Reed thereupon put his hand
in his pocket, drew forth something and
made lunge at her throat.
The blood spurted out on my shirt -
said Williams. Reed ran off. Lizzie went
as far as the middle of the street, where
she fell forward on her face. 1 stayed
there until the officers took her away in a
patrol wagon"
Williams was followed on the stand by
Richard Smith. He testified that he had
known Lizzie Logan for thirteen or four
teen years About midnight September 3
the witness was standing at the corner of
I'd and NJ streets southwest. He noticed
man approach q couple on the opposite
side of the street. The man a moment
later ran off, and the woman proceeded
to the middle of the street and fell. Wit
ness hurried to the spot, found that the
woman was Lizzie Logan, and that her
throat was cut.
Did you recognize the man who crossed
the street," asked Assistant District At
torney Shilington.
NO, sir, did not" replied the witness.
AT this point recess was taken.
COrrobOrative Testimony.
After recess Joseph Hughes, colored, was
examined and cross-examined at length
but in substance his testimony was the
same as that of the preceding witness.
Alonzo L. Whitfield, a barber, told the
jury that twice Reed sent letters to Lizzie
Logan, the wife of the witness delivering
the communications to Lizzie at the re-
quest of Reed. By this procedure 1t was
stated, Reed and Lizzie made appointments
to meet on the street.
The night of the homicide, so Whitfield
testified he was at the corner of I'd and M
streets southwest. The witness saw Reed
cross the street, saw him strike Lizzie
Logan, saw her fall and watched Reed as
he ran away.
The examination of witnesses was still in
progress when this report closed.