The times., 1901-04-30
THE PROPOSAL REJECTED
Williams Offer to Take Qualified
Verdict Refused.
some Damaging Testimony Brought
out Against the Negro Accused on
Numbering Mary ID. Brown, color
ed-TriaI to BE Resumed Today.

When the testimony for the Government
in the case of Charles Williams, colored,
who is on trial for the murder OF Mary
D Brown. also colored, was concluded
YESTERDAY. counsel for the defendant
stated that he would accept "quallhed
verdict" on behalf OF the accused Ihem-
as II. Anderson, the District Attorney, re-
fused to agree to the proposition, but said
he would be willing TO submit the case
"a the ilrv on the charge of the court
without argument This proposition was
declined by counsel for the defence, ana
the trial viii be continued this morning.
A qualified verdict" is equivalent to a
sentence to the penitentiary for life
The testimony offered by the Govern
ment was very damaging to the deten-
dant. Williams is chargd with numbering
Mary y. Brown in a small house, known
as 1O2 Fourteenth Street southeast, on the
night Of March 81 last. The most damag-
ing evidence against him was given by a
young colored man named Prentiss Pat
terson, who lived in the same house with
the defendant. and the woman he is ac-
! cused Of numbering. On the date mention
| ed. Prentiss stated that Williams came
home late at night, and that he showed
plainly that he had been drinking. About
| / a. m, the witness said Williams came
to him and told him that he had quar-
| rel with Mary Brown, and that he struck
/ her. and that since then, she had been
| drowsy. and that he could not rouse her
| Williams. the witness said. asked him 10
| go into the room where the woman was
| living upon her bed, and endeavor to
| arouse her from her stupor. When the
! defendant came to him. Patterson stated
| that he, Williams, was covered with blood.
| Upon entering the room Patterson said,
| he was convinced that the woman was
| dead. and advised the defendant TO in
| form the police OF the fact. Instead Of
doing this the witness said that Williams
| lav down and went TO sleep. The next
! morning. Patterson stated, Williams in
stead of informing the police that the wo-
! man was dead went TO an undertaken
! named Better, and asked him to come
! and bury the woman without speaking
| 10 anvone about it. This Better refused
/ t. do although Williams promised to pay
him vel for his trouble Finding that it
| would be impossible to hide the crime
| in this way, the witness stated. Wllhams
! then went out and reported the matter
| at the Fifth precinct stationhouse This
| was about S O'Clock in the morning, the
! witness said, and soon after Williams was
| placed under arrest
| Evidence was also offered tending to
! show that between the hour Of midnight,
| when il is supposed that Williams made
| the fatal assault upon the woman, and
| morning he changed his clothing ana
| put his old clothes in trunk. together
| with some garments the woman had worn.
| An examination Of the body of the dead
! woman showed that her skull was frac-
! turpd, one of her ribs broken, ana her
| face badly bruised.
| Other witnesses who testified are Rob
! ert Perry, Coroner Nevitt, John E. Bar
| den, and Policeman Howard