Evening star., 1900-02-27
ON CHARGE OF MURDER
Ella Wracks Arraigned Before the Criminal
Court.
Accused, After Some Testimony, Puts
in a Plea of Guilty of
ManslauGhter.

Ella Wracks. a young colored woman, was
placed on trial today before Justice Cla-
baugh and jury in Criminal Court No
l., under an indictments alleging the murder
last October, of Isaac Henderson, colored
Attorney Thomas L. Jones appeared for the
defendant, the government being repre-
sented by Assistant United States Attorney
Gould. The jury is made up of Messrs
George D. Young, John B. Daughton, John
l. Harrison, H. August Wagner, Richard
son Green, A. E. Beitzell, Samuel Jones
Charles Phillips, Owen L. Earnshaw, A. s.
Howard, Robert Petit and F. x. Waite
meyer.
The contention of the government in
brief is that the 18th of October Henderson
was seated on the railing around the porch
of house 32Oa Grace street, about ten feet
from the pavement, and Ella Wracks was
standing in the door. The young woman
was addressing Isaac and the latter was
not taxing any notice of her except to tell
her to let him alone. Henderson turned his
head to spit on the pavement and as ht
did SO Ella pushed him off the porch. He
fell on his head.
After pushing Henderson off the porch
Ella picked up an ak and said: Yes, you
--, If you're not dead, I'll kill you
Testimony of Witnesses.
DR.. Weiton c. Williams of the Emergency
Hospital testified that Henderson was ad-
mitted to the hospital the 18th Of October.
He had no use of his legs and very little
use of his arms. The patient was suffering
from paralysis. He died just eight days af-
ter he was admitted to the hospital.
Deputy Coroner Glazebrook explained to
the jury that he performed an autopsy OF
the body of Henderson. He found no out
ward indications of injury. Between the
scalp and the skull he found a blood clot,
but the skull frapfnrad The hem
orrhage was probably caused by the head
striking some object Witness found an
injury to the spine that was due to violence.
Death resulted from this injury.
Lizzie Butler. called as a witness for the
government, said the day the alleged fatal
assault was committed Ella Wracks, Ike
Henderson and the witness had been drink
ing. Ike entered a room in house 3204
Grace street, where Ella was; they had
some words, and Ella struck the man with
window sash. Ike went away, but re-
turned later, Ella in the meantime pro-
curing an ak. When Ike returned he tool
seat on the railing of the front porch.
Some words passed between them, and
finally Ella showed Ike and he fell to the
ground. Ella grabbed the ak, went to the
fallen man and uttered the threat as
stated In the foregoing.
Guilty of Manslaughter.
After several other witnesses had testi-
fled, substantiating what had already been
related. the government rested its case. A
conference followed, and the defense an
nounced its willingness to plead guilty OF
manslaughter. In view of the circum-
stances surrounding the case the United
States attorney accepted this plea. The
court thereupon directed the fury to re-
turn verdict of guilty of manslaughter,
and such was accordingly done.
The defendant was reInanded to await
sentence. She Is now subject to imprison-
ment in the penitentiary for term not ex-
ceeding ten years.