Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-19
Michael Rurney Held for Murder of
Aloysius johnson.
ACCUSED OF INFLICfING FATAL BLOW
Arrested by Sheriff Of Montgomery
County, Md.
ACTION OF CORONER'S JURY

Micfael j. Hurncy, twenty -elght years
old, whose occupation, given is that of
| a bartender. was locked ufs last night at the
| first precinct station on a charge of murder.
He is accused of being responsible for the
| Death of Albert Aloys!us johnson, who
received fatal injuries at Cabin John
| bridge Sunday night. Detectives Peck and
Herndon arrested him on a warrant sworn
out by Sheriff Williams of Montgomery
county, at Rockville. yesterday morning,
The arrest was made after Coroner Carr
had held an inquest and the jury had been
unable to fix the responsibility for the
mans death. The jury met at Lees under
taking establishment. and after hearing the
testimony of a number of Witnesses return
ed verdict that Johnson was assaulted in
Maryland by some person to the jury I'M
known. Among the witnesses who were
examined was Hurney, who is now charged
with the crime. Apparently the most i'm
portant witness to the fatal assault, the
son of the man who keeps the peanut
stand was not called by the detectives. So
far as the evidence was concerned, it is de-
c'ared, the fight in which Hurney partici-
pated occurred in front of the hotel more
than two hours after johnson had been as
Saulted on the bridge.
States Attorney II. Maurice Talbot of
Montgomery county was present at the in
quest. and cross-examined the Witnesses
Hurney is held at the sixth precinct sta
t1on for the Maryland authorities. 1t was
stated today that a requisition for him will
reach here from Governor Smith tomorrow.
His friends have secured the services of At
torney Tracy l.. Jeffords, who will appear
in court tomorrow when the requsition is
presented.
Testimony Before the Jury.
Deputy Coroner Glazebrook testified that
he performed the autopsy upon the body
of Johnson yesterday afternoon. After
telling of the condition of the clothing of
the dead man. the witness described the
numerous wounds on his face. His left
eye was black. Witness removed the scalp
and found large hemorrhage under 1t on
the left side. The skull of the deceased
was unusually thick and tough. There was
general congestion of the brain. Death,
he said, was the result of hemorrhage and
shock. There was no fracture of the skull
Because of the thickness of the skull wit
ness said the injury could hardly have
resulted from blow with the fist. 1t was
his opinion that a hard, blunt instrument,
something like blackjack or sandbag
had been used. Witness also found sew
eral wounds on the left hand of the de-
ceased.
DIR. Arthur NJ McNamee of the George
town University Hospital testified that he
saw Johnson several hours after he was
admitted to the hospital, and he was then
unconscious. His face was covered with
blood, and his left ear was also filled with
blood. An attending physician told wit
ness the man was bleeding when he was
admitted to the hospital. The case he
said, was diagnosed as one of a fracture at
the base of the brain. johnson died Tues
day afternoon at $40 o'clock. The patient
was under the care of DR.. Vaughn. He
said johnson was completely paralyzed be-
fore he died. He never regained conscious
ness.
Johnson's Friend Testifes.
James E. Greer, 1909 L street northwest
testified that he went to Cabin John Sunday
afternoon and reached there, he thought,
about 4:30 o'clock. johnson went into the
hotel and remained awhile and then Joined
witness on the porch. Witness met friends
while he was at the bridge. About o'clock
they started toward the cars. When they
reached the east end of the bridge johnson
bought two packages of peanuts. They
then started toward the car, but johnson
said he wanted some more peanuts and
started back. He later saw badly dis
figured man lying on the bridge, but he did
not recognize him as his friend johnson.
Being unable to find johnson, as he sup
posed, he got on a car. The injured man
was put on the front of the car and wit
ness had no idea of his identity until he
heard somebody say: That's Sergeant Sui
ivans brother-in-law. Witness then
recognized his friend and accompanied him
to the hospital. Johnson, he said, was a
quiet, inoffensive man, and he was perfectly
sober al the time he was assaulted 1t was
dark when the affair happened, and there
was no light on the bridge. When he saw
his friend lying on the bridge some man
lighted a match and asked: DO you know
the man." The man who asked the ques-
ton was stranger. Witness said he saw
three Maryland Agricultural College cadets
near him, short distance from the bridge
The witness was questioned at length by
Mr.. Talbot, who asked him if he saw two
men, whom he described, near the bridge
&C ann ~arorI IY,tx,
who wore white fedora hat, 1t was said.
was there apparently apologizing to the
cadets Witness heard nothing of a row
Witnesses Who Knew Nothing
James Shugrue, who resides on the Con-
duit road. testified that he was at Cabin
John Sunday, but he left there between 4
and 8 o'clock. He said he knew nothing
about the trouble that occurred when John
son was assaulted.
Lloyd Cross. 1898 NJ street, was next
sworn. He was unable to tell why he had
been summoned. He said he spent Sum
day in Prince Georges county. beyond Ia
koma Park.
Hubert E. Kelly, $50 New Hampshire
avenue. told the jury that he knew nothing
OF the affair.
What were you summoned for?" he was
asked.
That's what I've been trying to find
out, was the answer.
Witness said he was at Cabin John Hotel
Sunday night. but he did not even hear the
case discussed.
Detective Peck was called and asked WHY
the previous witnesses had been summoned
The witness, Kelly he said, was called be-
cause he wrote a letter to young lady ex-
planning that he had been unable to keep
an engagement, because he got into trouble
at Cabin John Sunday night When he
mad told why the other witnesses had been
called, Cross was recalled and he denied
that he had made a certain statement con-
corning the trouble at Cabin John. He was
in a saloon on 9th street when witness re-
marked to a man: You look as If YOU
have been up at Cabin John bridge" He
heard no statement about Johnson having
been struck with a beer bottle. Witness
denied that he named two boys, and that he
mad said they had come from Cabin John
bridge with beer bottles In their pockets
lie heard Mr.. Reynolds say somebody had
got into trouble at the bridge and mem
toned two names Cross said REYNOLDS re-
marked that the two brothers had got into
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