Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-11-01
CASE SENT TO GRAND JURY
RESULT OF INQUIRY CONCERNING
DEATH OF PERRY OFFICER.
Charles Coleman Charged With MUIR
der Before the Coroner and
Jury.
n Jury.

BY the finding of a coroner's jury this
morning, Charles Coleman, a colored boy,
apparently about fifteen years old, WIS held
for the action of the grand jury in connec-
ton with the death of Perry Officer, also
colored at the Emergency Hospital. yes
ter1ay The inquest was held at No. 6
police station. Coroner hewitt presided,
assisted by his deputy. DIR. Glazebrook
Stenographer Robert Boswell made notes
of the proceedings for the district attor-
ney's office. and Attorneys W. Calvin Chase
and Thomas L. Jones appeared for the pris-
oner
A long. heavy piece of gaspipe was in
PRODUCED in evidence. 1t was the weapon
with which Coleman is said to have struck
officer during a fight Wednesday after
outside Fords stable, South Capitol
and NJ streets, where Coleman, officer and
most of the witnesses are accustomed to
Congregate
John Nelson. one of the crowd" to which
both the prisoner and victim belonged,
swOre that Officer began the fight and that
Coleman beat him away with the pipe. Dr.
GlaZebrOOk testified that officers death re-
suited probably from his fall, rather than
from the blow at Coleman's hands.
The Testimony Heard
The first witness was William r. Mac
GregOr. a policeman. detailed for duty at
the Emergency Hospital He testified that
officer was brought into the hospital
Wednesday evening at $50 O'Clock, and
that he had made a statement charging
Charles Coleman with having inflicted the
wound in his head. Officer died at ) o'clock
Thursday morning. said MacGregor, while
the latter was on duty.
An elderly cOlored man. Charles johnson,
who lives at No. IS G street southwest, was
the next witness. In all his testimony the
witness referred to himself as Uncle
Charley. There had been some discussion
outside the stable. where the witness work
ed. and a little later when Uncle Char
ley came to the stable door two men,
John Nelson and Charles Dixon. told him
Coleman had hit Officer. With Nelson and
Dickson, Uncle Charley picked up the
wounded man and revived him.
John Nelson, a young colored man about
twenty years old. who did not know the
street number of his home, proved to be the
most important witness. Officer, Coleman,
Nelson and others were standing together
when Uncle Charley went by to water a
horse. Coleman began to kid the old
man. and Officer and Nelson demonstrated
The prisoner and Officer then began to
quarrel Officer threatened to Smack the
out of Coleman" and the two ciinched.
coleman struck at Officer twice with an
IRON pipe. missing his mark the first time,
but 'lammin him the side of the head
with the second blow James Peterson, AL
Williams and John Dixon all saw the fight
Officer went to his house unassisted Cole
man tried TO run back from Officer but
Perry Kept followin' him up and tryin' to
grab the pipe witness said.
Another Eyewitness.
John Dixon. another of Coleman's COM
panions, testified when Nelson concluded
He saw the beginning of the quarrel and
corroborated Nelson's testimony as to the
origin of the dispute. When he returned
from the stable Officer was lying on the
ground. The witness was very positive he
had seen Officer strike at Coleman at the
beginning of the fight.
Allen Williams was bout eighteen
years old. he said. and was an associate OF
the prisoner. He remembered that he saw
Charley Coleman slide along the fence
and pick up the pipe" Coleman struck
twice with the pipe and then ran away
Walter Mills. colored boy came into the
inquest room giving testimony as he walk
ed 1t developed, however that nothing
he had to say had any bearing on the case
and he was escorted to the door still de-
scrfbing how another fellow came up tc
him and said various things.
Result of the Autopsy.
Dr. l. W. Glazebrook, deputy coroner.
testified that he performed an autopsy at
10 o'clock this morning. He found that
Oficer-a well-developed man of about
twenty-five years of age and 40 pounds in
weight-had received a superficial confused
wound one-half inch long left of the nose.
extending along the left eyebrow bruises
OF the forehead and nose and other wounds
and that death resulted from cerebral hem
orrhage following fracture of the skull. 1t
was ms opinion the fracture of the skull
from which the hemorrhage resulted was
nccaSloned rather by Officers fall to the