The Washington times., 1901-10-05
HELD FOR THE GRAND JURY
York Nelson to Answer for Charles
Washington's Death.
Testimony at the Coroner's Inquest
Highly Favorable 10 Prisoner
His AssaiIant struck First-Ifcrits
of the Case Not Considered.

An inquest was held yesterday after
noon at the New jersey Avenue police
station over the body OF Charles WASH
ington, colorod, who uiCd Wednesday
night at the Emergency Hospital from
the effect Of a stab wound which pene-
trated the heart. At its conclusion the
jury returned a verdict. Aglotng YORK
Nelson unit. the grand Jg-y shall have
had an .ppyrtunity L. more thoroughly
investig;,. sls ease.
The T., ni, feature OF the hearing
was THAI a- witacss,s pres nted, with
out exception, oyiC,Hgs e. -.sa"- that the
trouble was forceu upon Nelson, ana that
it was without doubt q case yf jIstitab.c
homicide. The police officers and Others
expressed the opinion that had the eyi-
dence been presented to a trial jury
without anyone Tor the defence being
heard, an immediate verdict Of acquittal
would have been returned.
A coroner $ jury is only charged with
enquiring into the circumstances attend
ing death. and have no authority to en-
ter into the merits Of the case. Conse-
quently there was nothing for them to do
but hold Nelson, who admitted having
cut Washington. as il was shown that
Washington died from the injury thus
inflicted. 1t is thought possible that the
grand jury may fail to ret.rn an indict-
ment.
The trouble occurred in front of John
Adams oyster house, 1T $40 Twenty-sixth
Street, Wednesday night, shortly after S
O'Clock. Washington died about an hour
later at the Emergency Hospital, at the
conclusion Of an operation.
When Nelson was brought into the
room by Detective Brien, John L Las
key his attorney, announced that he was
counsel for the defendant. Assistant Dis
trict Attorney Semmes was present in the
interest of the Government and the hear
ing was conducted by Coroner hewitt
Charles Slaughter, colored, of pos 1
Street northwest, a waiter in John Ad-
ans oyster house. told of his having
served oysters to Nelson. little later
Washington came in, the witness testi-
fed, as it commenced to rain. Witness
did not see the cutting afr, y, as he was
in the back yard covering oyster barrels
to protect the contents from the down
pour. When he returned to the dining
room he saw Washington leaning up
against the counter.
washington said that he had been
shot but j did not believe him, said the
waiter.
Afterward Washington fell to the floor.
ana witness catIco Precinct Detective
O Brien. Witness did not near any words
passed between the men. and saw moth
ing of Nelson after he had paid for the
two plates OF oysters
Robert Ellis. colored Of 25lS II Street
northwest, testified that he was in the
Adams oyster saloon on the night OF the
trouble. When witness entered, Nelson,
in company with woman, was coming
out of the place, and Washington was
following, threatening to hit Nelson.
The woman told Washington to go
1ng fln wiz fnf cd lHrr ING cd of
doing so Washington forced Nelson back
against the picket fence in the front yard
Of the place, striking him the while
Washington a moment later staggered
into the saloon after Nelson had struck
at him and said that he had been shot.
II was raining and quite dark. Witness
could not see whether or not Nelson had
knife in his hand. He did not know
Nelson, but identified him in the room
where the hearing was being held.
On cross-examination by Attorney Las
key, witness stated that Washington was
angry and trying 10 provoke trouble but
that no anger was exhibited by Nelson,
who appeared TO be trying to get away.
The woman left him and tried to get
Washington away.
Edward Bonner coiored, of Summers
Court, between Sixteenth and Seven
teenth and L and VI Streets northwest,
said that Washington tried TO pick a
quarrel with Nelson and that Washing
ton knocked Nelson against the pallngs.
Witness saw only one blow passed. and
that was struck by Washington.
Witness had known Washington since
he was a boy, but was unacquainted with
Nelson. He had never had any trouble
with either Of them.
Nelson, he said was going about his
business when Washington followed and
struck him despite the efforts of the
woman, who was with Nelson, to keep !
him from doing so. Washington used |
profanity to Nelson, but Nelson did not
reply and was trying to avoid trouble.
Annie Green. colored. of lOls Green's |
Court, who was with Nelson at the time !
Of the trouble. was the next witness
She said that she and Nelson started to
leave the Adams oyster house after fin |
ishing their oysters. AS they started |
out. il was raining. Some one spoke to
her, saying that 1t was raining hard
enough to sink a cork. This was follow
ed up with several other remarks from
the same person.
Nelson turned around, she testified. and
asked the party. whom she afterward
learned was Washington, what he meant.
Witness said that she then walked about
fifteen steps down Twenty-sixth Street
when she was joined by Nelson and they
went home
She did not know that any blows had |