Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-12-25
CRAPS, LIQUOR AND DEATH
ALLEGED MURDER OF FRANK HOOK
BY ERNEST RODGERS.
The Men Had Been Friends. but After
Drinking Together Dis
agreed.

An inquest will be held tomorrow morn
ing by Coroner hewitt to determine the
cause of Frank Hooks death. Ernest
Rodgers, also colored, is locked up for the
crime, and while he confesses to cutting
Hooks throat with a penknife, he claims
he did it in self-defense. The fatal en-
counter occurred on street southwest
between Sd and Az streets about o'clock
yesterday afternoon. Hook was taken to
the Emergency Hospital, dying about the
time of his arrival there. game of crap
and too much liquor seem to have been
responsible for the affair which ended so
disastrously.
Rodgers lives al GIG Sd street southeast,
| while the home of his victim in Broad
alley, in the same section of the city. These
men with several others congregated on G
street yesterday morning about 9:30 o'clocn,
and but one suggestion was necessary to
start game of crap. For nearly three
hours the threw the bones" and
| finally about noon, when some of the men
were without funds, the game was brought
to close.
Its Christmas times. boys" said one Of
the party, and let's have some refresh
mentS'
There followed a season of jollification.
The growler was rushed for a time, and
later when the beer had taken effect, sew
eral of the party were inclined to quarrel.
Before fight actually occurred the men
separated and went to their respective
homes for dinner In the afternoon the
men who figured in the tragedy met and
visited saloons together, being apparently
on the best of terms. But they quarreled,
anc Rodgers claims Hook struck MIN
Others who said to have witnessed the
tragedy deny this claim.
Stabbed Him In Throat.
Rodgers it is alleged. had pearl-handle
penknife up his sleeve, and with this
ba 1icti oh
in the throat twisting the knife while the
blade buried in his neck. Drawing the
knife from Hooks neck Rodgers left him.
and Hook soon became exhausted from loss
of blood.
Clarence Hook, IA brother of the victim,
who present at the time the trouble
occurred. tried to prevent fight, but was
unable to do AS soon as the wounded
man fell to the sidewalk he was picked up
by his brother and Frank Lomax and taken
to Abell's drug store at Az and + streets
The drug clerk saw al a glance that there
was but little that could be done for the
man, and advised his removal to the hos
pital.
The police were promptly notified, and
when Major Sylvester heard of the affair
he offered a reward of 500 for the capture
of the alleged murderer. Lieut. Holm
berger of the fourth precinct directed all
the men on duty in the precinct to search
for Rodgers, and Inspector Boardman sent
I
fell to the lot of Policemen Anderson and
Kemp to overtake Rodgers and arrest him.
The exciting episode had not sobered him
much, for he was still considerably under
the influence of liquor.
Rodgers Makes n Statement
He was taken to the station where he
made to Lieut. Hollinberger a statement
of the affair as follows.
Il left home about $3.50 o clock this morn
I,rr
ley and John Allen in Broad alley south
west. where were joined afterward by
Clarence Hook and Louis Lomax. We
spent some time shooting crap in the alley,
Downey's saloon. for which Clarence Hook
paid. We separated for a brief time, but
/ again met Clarence Hook, Frank Hook
and LomaX outside the saloon during the
afternoon, and we took other drinks with
In the place About O'Clock we left Dow
ney's saloon, and outside Frank Hook be-
gan to aggravate me with an argument in
which / was not interested He squared
himself to strike me, and We closed, after
which l remember absolutely nothing until
l was arrested"
Later he said Hook was approaching him
with his hand in his hip pocket, when he
| (Rodgers) used the knife.
Upon learning of the capture Major Syl-
vester telephoned his congratulations to
! Lieut.. Hollinberger and the officers who
made the arrest. When searched at the
| station the knife and a loaded revolver
were found on the prisoner. The knife he
| admitted was the weapon he used on his
| victim. Before the inquest is held tomor-
| row Rodgers will be measured and photo
! graphed for the gallery.
The arrest was made in less than two
| hours after the crime was reported.