The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-03-05

There was quito furry IN police cir
cles early this morning, and the excite
ment did not subside until six hours had
passed.
There was cause for apprehension; not
so much, however, as was at first sur
missed. There was the dead body OF a
woman in the morgus and behind the
bars at the Central station were two
men and a woman.
These prisoners were being held on
suspicion, an autopsy was to be held
and considerable mystery seemed to sur
round and envelope the case
WAS ON A SPREE.
The woman had been out on spree.
She had been escorted 70 lunch wagon.
and, as It appeared, from no natural
cause suddenly collapsed. fell from her
seat and pecame unconscious.
An hour and half later Patrolman
Cornelius j. Dunn was called 10 Dick
Jennings saloon. on Chapel street. where
this same woman lay dead on the floor.
The first, and quite natural suspicion
vas that somewhere in her later pereg-
Knockout drops.
That surmise, together with certain cir
cumstances which needed a little more
light shed upon them, led TO the arrest
of the three people found in Jennings
place.
. They were Thomas Jennings, brother
OF tho proprietor OF the saloon, William
Holden a waiter employed on the second
floor, a tavern license being held by Dick
Jennings. and Grace Middleton. alias Sui
loway.
Medical Examiner Perkins was called
at 3:40 o'clock and ordered the body re-
moved 10 the morgue, pending the hold
ing OF an investigation, the preliminary
step OF which would be an examination
OF the body 20 determine the cause OF
death.
Capt. Parker was notified and at s
o'clock detailed Detective Merrill to look
up the facts of the case.
Gradually the details were gathered and
when the several parts were assembled
IL was seen that the womans death had
resulted probably from dissipation.
KNOWN AS ANNIE PEcKHAM.
About town the woman was known as
Annie Peckham. This was, however, an
abbreviation OF her name, which was
Rockingham.
She was y years old. had separated
from her husband about four months ago.
and her three children were inmates OF
an institution on Smith street.
Yesterday afternoon, Miss Peckham, as
she was called, came here from Attic
boro. and late in the evening called at
Dick Jennings place 10 see her brother
James who Is employed there.
She reached there at IL o'clock and re-
NAMED until few minutes after u, when
Dick Jennings said that he had got TO
close up and told them that they would
have 20 go.
Thomas jennings and Grace Middleton
had, Just before l2 o'clock, gone over 20
the Dewey. and Holden and Miss Peck
ham remained until Holden's task OF set
ting tho cafe 90 rights had been com
pleted. when they went over TO Charles
Wells lunch cart. which stood at the
ca.,ner Of weybosset and Page streets.
As Miss Peckham and Holden entered
the wagon the other couple came along
and Joined them.
The Peckham woman had. before ar
riving al Jennings place. been drinking
quite heavily and her condition was such
that no Mauor was there served to her.
As she was getting into the lunch wag-
on at o'clock, she moved so slowly that
she had 20 be boosted.
when the four had taken seats lunch
was ordered. For Miss Feckhnm. a cup
OF strong black coffee was served. evi-
IDENTIFY With the intention OF STRENGTHENING
her out.
FELL TO THE FLOOR.
BEFORE she could take a sip ~ Tho cof-
foo she suddenly collapsed then slipped
from the stool snd fol- uron the floor.
Jennings az first Thought that ~ was
simply n case OF blind drunk" and thcu
he surrnised that the woman had tainted.
~. hurled 10 Dorrance reet,socured n
''night-hawk" and the supposed sick
woman was conveyed in that hack 10
Dick Jennings saloon. where che was
laid on the noor.
Jennings made a hasty examination cf
the woman and discovered that she was
dead.
Requesting the others not 20 stir from
tho place and not ~ modest the body,
Jennings went ont 90 Ind Patrolman