Evening star., 1901-09-03
MYSTERYSURROUNDSDEATH
CANAL AT GEORGETOWN.
Lawrence Norman Being Held Pending
Notwithstanding Smith Also
Held as Witness.

Lawrence Norman, colored, aged thirty
five, employed at the Star laundry on 14th
street as an engineer, whom the police
suspect of murder, was arrested last even
ing by officers Of the Georgetown precinct.
William Smith, colored, aged thirty three,
a laborer, was taken into custody later as
a witness, and the police are now looking
for Rosa Duvall, who was said to be in
company with Smith. The case is being
carefully investigated.
The victim in the case Is Annie Brown,
colored, aged twenty-nine, who resided at
3207 Grace street, just opposite the site of
the old police station. The woman either
accidentally fell into the canal or was
thrown in and was drowned. Acting under
orders from Sergeant Conlon, Policemen
Hess, Lintler and Walsh secured boat
and dragged for the body, beginning the
work shortly after 1 o'clock this morning.
At 4:30 o'clock the body was recovered,
and later 1t was conveyed to the morgue
at the sixth police precinct and the coro-
ner notified An inquest will probably be
held tomorrow.
There have been no witnesses found who
saw the woman go overheard. Several
people say they heard a faint cry of Save
me-" uttered several times Norman is also
that he believed the woman had fallen
overheard. his remarks being directed to
the man named Smith and the woman In
the same room with him. He practically
ing, though he talked freely OF the matter.
Norman's Statement.
According to Norman's story, he lives at
1121 Both street near the canal. and kept
regular company with the Brown girl
He visited her house last evening. about 8
o'clock, and she wanted something to
drink. He sent man named 'Hoppy
Smith twice after five cents worth OF
beer, of which they all drank. The woman
wanted whisky, but he refused to give 1t
to her, she had evidently been drinking
rather freely during the day.
After drinking what ne wanted, he said,
he fell alseep on the sofa. He was awak-
ened about 10 o'clock by Buddy" Smith
and a woman named Rose Duvall, who
lives in Washington, both Of whom came
into the room. Anna Brown, he stated,
had a piece of paper in her hand and was
looking around the room, and when he ask
ed her what was the trouble she stated
that she was looking for a dollar which
knew 1t belonged to him, and she replied
that while he was asleep she examined his
pocket and saw three 81 bills, but there
were only two in his pocket then. She ac-
but he accused her.
One word led to another he said, and he
finally slapped her across the nose and
mouth with the palm of his hand bringing
blood. She ran out of the room, but he did
not follow for several minutes He did not
know whether she went out the front or
back of the house, and when he did start
in search Of her he went in the back door,
where he stood for while; but owing to
the darkness he claimed to be unable to
see anything outside. He returned to the
room and told the others that Annie
was not in sight, and Smith made the re-
mark that perhaps she went to the floor
beneath and was in the room of another
colored girl named Lena. He did not go
down stairs, however, he said on the
grounds that the people in the house OBJ
jected to the disturbance he was raising
He went home and was in bed when arrest
ed.
Smith is said to have told the police he
saw the trouble and corroborated Norman
up to the time the woman left the room
He, however, claims to have heard the
faint cries for help, which Norman stated
he did not hear, though all were in the
same room.
Location of the House.
The house in which the people were Is
located on the north side Of the street. and
from the rear steps to the canal is a dis
tance of about ten or twelve feet. A steep
embankment formerly protected by huge
masonry wall which collapsed several years
ago, was surmounted by a railing fence
about four feet high with three or four
layers Of boards ortrails. In one corner OF
the grounds, 1t is said, there are marks Of
some disturbance. These do not appear to
have been made by a struggle, and by
some 1t is thought the girl was hiding
there, and losing her balance, rolled down
the embankment into the canal. The body
was recovered at a point almost immedi-
ately opposite the place where the girl is