The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-14
POLICE SUSPECT MURDER
Investigating the Mysterious Death
of Joseph A. King.
A Maryland Carpenter Sustnins
Fatal Injuries Inflicted Under
Suspicious Circumstances-Inqu
Postponed i'm order That Addi-
tional Evidence May BE secured.

detailed to investigate the death OF Jo
seph A. King, a resident of Bladensburg.
Nd, forty-fye years of age. who died at
the Casualty Hospital Sunday afternoon,
from injuries sustained near the corner of
Fifth and II Streets northeast late the
previous night. Most of last night was
spent by the detectives in working on tne
case, but nothing in the way of definite
evidence has yet been secure. Acting Cor
oner Glazebrook held an inquest in The
case. No verdict was returned by the
jury, the hearing being adjourned in order
to await further evidence from the Police
Department..
There appears to be doubt whether King
met death as the result of fall, as was
at first supposed. Evidence brought out
yesterday at the inquest gives color to this
doubt, and complete investigation is nee
essary to determine the cause and respor
sibility. Last night it was said that suf
ficient evidence may be ready, today, to
allow the inquest to be concluded, in which
event Acting Corner Glazebrook will direct
that the hearing proceed. Another inquest
will occupy the acting corner this morning
I jury as that already sworn in the case OF
King, so as to facilitate a second hearing
and verdict in the latter investigation.
Many witnesses were examined at the
inquest yesterday. 1t was shown that
King, who was carpenter. left his hoile
in Bladensburg early Saturday morning
and came to this city. He was employed
4 by Mr.. Lynch, residing near First and
r Streets northwest, and Saturday he
spent at work at a Seventh Street store.
! Late Saturday afternoon. the police are
! told, King received 500 from his employer,
put away his TOOLS and left. Since that
time until he was found lying in the gut
/ ter near the corner of Fifth and Fl Streets
northeast his movements are uncertain. 1t
was also shown, as brought to light at the
/ inquest yesterday, that the pockets oil
Kings trousers and coat were turned in
( side out. and that all his money had dis
appeared prior to sustaining fatal ilju-
ries. Again, 1t is stated by those who dis
covered King that his coat was several
yards from where the unfortunate car
penter was lying. other facts said to in
dicate possible foul play were adduced yes
terday at the hearing. and have since been
brought out by investigation.
When the inquest began yesterday,
promptly at noo... many witnesses were on
hand. A jury had been sworn over the
body by Acting Coroner GlaZebrook and
an autopsy had been performed on the
remains by Acting Deputy Coroner Fisher.
Thomas Edward King and Joseph A. King,
jr., sons of he dead man, were present
and gave testimony. Thomas King was
away from his home Saturday, he said on
| the stand. and had no information OF his
! fathers movements prior to his death.
! Joseph King told the jury that his father
/ left home early Saturday morning. He
! failed to return home again. Sunday the
+ family learned OF the death, and he came
( to the city.
/ DR.. W. P. Reeves. resident physician of
the Casualty Hospital, was Witness and
be told the jury that King reached the hes
! pital about 3:15s o'clock Sunday morning.
/ He also said that he understood that the
/ deceased was under the influence of liqucr.
+ but not to an extent that deprived him Of
Z his reasoning powers. There was a severe
! cut over his lefteye. said the witness, and
a large knot or bruise at the base OF the
head, which latter injury, witness thought,
was the seat OF fracture OF the skull. DR..
( Warner, assistant physician at the hospita |,
/ was In charge of the case, according TO the
4 witness. Despite treatment. King died
about / 40 o'clock in the afternoon OF Sun
day, DR.. Reeves told the jury. Several
other physicians including DIR. Powell, of
the visiting stan of the hospital, were pres-
ent when death occurred.
The first person, so far as known, to dis
cover and aid KING. was DR.. James E. Bliss.
VINO resides at 6e4 Street northeast Di.
Bliss was a witness yesterday He ex-
planned to the jury that King was appar-
emily intoxicated. and that he was week
from loss OF blood when he found him.
There were two ladders on the curbing
several yards from where King was lying.
the witness said, and over these he thought
King may have fallen. DR.. Bliss said he
blew his police whistle. and ten minutes
elapsed before a policeman responded.
| Then. said witness. King was taken to the
hospital In the patrol wagon.
Policeman G. w. Kreamer attached to
the Ninth precinct ~tation. was referred TO
in the testimony OF Dr. Bliss. He was also
called to testify. Policeman Kreamer saw
King lying several yards fron the lad
ders, and he also noticed large bloodstains
near the PROSTATE man House 5l3 H Street
| northeast was being painted, witness said.
and this accounted for the presence OF the
ladders. which are the property of the
painters. There was no light on the lad
ders The policeman said he found a large
piece OF paling lying near King which had
, evidently been broken from a fence. This
paling was taken in charge and removed to
the station by witness
| The last witness examined was i. W.
Blazer, who lives at 654 Ninth Street
northeast Blazer went in the patrol
wagon to the scene. and saw King lying In
the street. Dr. Bliss was with the patient
King was in a serious condition, witness
thought, and his clothing was much de-
ranged.
This closed the testimony. DR.. Glaze
brook. Acting Coroner, stated that suffi-
cient evidence had not been adduced. in
his opinion. to warrant a verdict. and at
his direction the inquest was continued
until today. It is possible an additional
postponement may be necessary in order
to allow the police TO sift the case.
At a late hour last night Detective Null
Ter and Baur located Frank Hale. carpen-
ter. with whom King worked during Sat
urd.y last. Hale made a statement to the
detectives He said he. together with
King. was paid eff Saturday afternoon
about o'clock. They then left Johnson 5
grocery store, in Seventh Street, where
they were working temporarily. walked
/ down Seventh Street. and stopped at a
saloon pear the corner OF G Street. There
they each took three drinks. Hale says
and then continued to the corner of
Street. where they entered barber shop
In the shop, Hale says both he and King
we're shaved Shortly afterward they went
down seventh Street to the corner of L
Street Here Hale says he met his wife
who had driven to town in a buggy for
him He parted with King on the corner
he SAYS AS yet the detectives have beer
unable to trace Kings movements fur
ther.