Evening star., 1901-09-04
RESULT OF INQUEST
Lawrence Norman Held for Action
of Grand Jury.
ANNIE BROWNS DEATH INVESTIGATED
The Testimony Of Witnesses and
Statement of Defendant.
AN AUTOPSY PERFORMED

A jury composed of Thomas Crawford of
IL E street northwest, John Holmes of 1O3
E street northwest, William Hickey of 1906
V street northwest, Henry Wills of 327
New Jersey avenue northwest. David Ucti-
nan of 46 G street northwest and James
Mckee of Alb / street northeast, was i'm
paneled by Acting Coroner Glazebrook this
morning at the sixth precinct station house
to inquire into the circumstances attending
the death of Annie Brown, who was drown
ed in the Chesapeake and Ohio canal above
sd street Monday night. After hearing
the testimony of a number of witnesses
and the prisoner. the following verdict was
returned:
THAT Annie Brown came to her death
about 1870 pm, Monday, September 2,
and that her death was due to drowning by
falling into the canal from the back yard
of No. 1907 Grace street. and from the evil
dence 1t would appear as If she had been
assaulted by one Lawrence Norman, and
we further believe that she fell in the canal
while fleeing from the said Lawrence Nor
man. We therefore recommend that Law
renee Norman be held for the grand jury
The Testimony.
officer Daniel Connor of the seventh pre-
cinct was the first witness. He testified
that Monday night shortly before II o'clock
a small colored girl told him a woman was
drowned in the canal. Describing the house
occupied by Annie Brown at 32O7 Grace
street, which is situated near the Ches-
apeake and Ohio canal, he said he found
blood on a bed in the back room on the
second floor and on the floor of the roorn
The appearances were that there had been
desperate fight in the room. Parties In
the neighborhood said a man had beaten
Annie Brown so badly that the blows
could be heard outside the house. Witness
said he inquired about the identity of the
man alleged to have beaten the woman
and was told he was Lawrence Norman.
The latter found out where Norman was
employed and was told by the man that
he had been keeping company with Annie
Brown for some time.
Lena Harris, inmate of the Grace
street house, sWore that all she knew of
the trouble in Annie Browns room Mon
day night was hearing the latter "holler'
and say, Look how you have smacked the
blood out of my face. It's not the first
time you've done me like this
Norman had been at the door of witness
room, she swore, and Annie was eating her
supper downstairs when Norman called
her and they went to the woman's room
together. Witness could not tell whether
Norman was in Annie's room when the
trouble she overheard occurred. The noise
began about an hour after Norman had
called Annie. The Brown woman came
downstairs once, after going up with Nor
X.
Smith and a woman not Annie came down
stairs and went out. Witness did not see
Annie Brown again or hear anything fur
ther.
Heard Noise of Fighting.
Lucinda Moore, the next witness, mid
dle-aged colored woman, who lived next
door to Annie Browns house, testified to
hearing noises in Willie Smiths room in
that house and to getting up off her bed
nd hat how or fphf
ing in there she would go out and call a
policeman. Witness saw the parties in the
room. They were Norman, Willie Smith,
Annie Brown and another woman. Witness
heard Annie say:
Lawrence, don't you hit me again.
You've blOodied my nose already"
Witness heard the sounds Of several blows
or 'licks," as she described them. After
witness threatened to call the police the
trouble stopped and witness heard nor
knew nothing more
Annie Brown according to witness, had
occupied the same room with Willie Smith.
and Lawrence Norman came there to see
her. Witness had never before heard any
trouble between the parties.
Regarded Threat as Joke.
John Anderson, a negro cripple with a
deep scar over his left eye, who lives at
1907 Grace street, testified that Annie
Brown had lived in the house since June,
occupying the same room with William
Smith. Norman came there to see her.
Witness was at home Monday night in his
room between and o'clock, and Norman
called witness into the room where he and
Annie were to have some beer. Witness
went out with a tin can twice and got
cents worth of beer. After the second can
was brought Norman drew a pistol out of
his pocket and said: Annie, If you fool
me I'll kill YOU"
Norman took the pistol out of his left hip
pocket. He pointed it at Annie, and both
laughed. Norman let witness look at the
pistol
Witness thought the parties were joking
as they seemed to be on the best of terms.
Witness went to his room and went to bed
but heard nothing of the trouble said to
have occurred afterward.
About five weeks ago witness saw Law
renee Norman slap Annie Brown because
she had failed to keep engagement with
him, but had never known them to have
any other differences.
George Ray, also colored, and a Grace
street resident gave similar testimony
RNNnT n~U~~