The Washington times., 1901-07-19
A JEST LEADS TO MURDER.
Fatal Encounter Between Two
Negroes in a Stable.
Howard Dent Killed by Charles
Doyle After Joking Remarks Had
Been Mnde-Witncsscs to the Deed.
A Reward for the Mnn's Capture.

| Howard Dent a colored stableman. who
| lived with his wife and family at sos Col
fax Street, was killed in the stall lofts on
| the second floor of the United States Ex-
press Company's stables, Al Street
northwest, at 1880 o'clock last night, by
| Charles Doyle, forty-fiye years Old, ne
gro also employed there. Two other men
| We're witnesses to the affair. but they
| offered no resistance to the murderer.
After slashng Dents throat almost from
ear 10 ear with a heavy razor Doyle made
| a sensational thirty-foot leap from the
| second-story window of the room i'll
! which the murder occurred and escaped
| through the alley Immediately back OF
| Police Headquarters The murderer has
| not yet been apprehended.
The murder was committed without any
| apparent provocation. Thomas Grayson,
colored, Dents night partner, was one of
| the men present when the murder was
committed. Grayson started the trouble,
| it is said by asking Doyle to go to
nearby eating house and purchase him
something to eat. Doyle retorted that
| Grayson had no money. The TWO men
| engaged in good-natured negro repartee
| and Grayson remarked that he wouldn't
be afraid of Doyle if it were not for the
| latter's feet.
| Dent, up to this time, had taken no part
| in the controversy. He entered the con-
versation by telling Grayson to catch
| Doyle by the feet and trip him up, where
upon Doyle seemed to become enraged.
| He told Dent that if he didn't shut up
he would cut his throat.
| Marvin Jones, employed in the Street
Cleaning Department, was also present
but took no part In the alteration be-
tween the other men. No blows were
passed between Dent and Doyle. Grayson
and Jones. as well as the man who was
| killed did not take Doyle's threat Sc
riously.
Doyle, at this point, according to the
statements made last night by the Wit
| nesses of the affair. walked back from
the window in front of which the four
men had been jesting and entered the
| harness room, about midway down the
left side of the stable. Dent followed
| him and stopped in the centre of the aisle
between the rows of stalls. just opposite
the small hallway leading into the har-
| ness room.
BOYLE returned to the main stall-room
few seconds later with large razor
in his hand He lunged viciously at
Dent with the weapon. The blade struck
across the forehead. making deep cash,
and Doyle followed the attack with
second slash, which caught Dent fairly
in the throat, severing. the arteries Dent
staggered toward the front of the room,
followed by Doyle. AS the Two men
reached the front Of the big room, Dent
fell to the floor. and Doyle spfanS 1or
The heavy bars were fastened across
the opening, but the murderer, without
moments hesitation took the leap with
single bound. clearing the top bar.
| He landed on his feet in the alley, thirty
feet below, andsran north toward Indiana
Avenue. Many people saw the man, ana
| the police were afterward able to trace
him to the northern boundary of judiciary
Square. where all trace of lin was lost.
Jones and GraySon, the men who were
| in the stall room at the time Of the muir
| der. were the only witnesses to the muir
| der. Grayson informed Police Head
| quarters. Detective Samuel Burrows
| went Immediately to the stable, where he
obtained a description of Doyle, and
started Immediately in pursuit. A Times
reporter informed Inspector Boardman of
| the fact that Dent was dead, and gave
Within three minutes after the affair oc
CURED Lieutenant Moore, of the Sixth
precinct police station. had called out the
entire reserve force, and DingmanS 5
Court, where Doyle lived, at 29l, was be-
| ing searched thoroughly.
The house of Mary Simms with :. HON
! Doyle lived. was searched. but the man
was not found. The police then searched
! Oliver Court, where he is also known. 1t
! is believed by the police that Doyle went
! Immediately to EciIington. where he
would be able to catch q freight train
! out OF the citv.
! The stall loft in which the murder oc-
Cured is on the second floor OF the eX-
! press company's stables. Twenty horses
: were in their stalls last night. in charge
/ of Dent who was night stableman at the
place. When the police entered the room
! the Stanchions Were covered with clotted
/ blood. and Dent was lying in pool OF
| blood, where he had fallen. at the head
of the runway by which the horses are
! taken from the first floor to the floor
! above. His clothing was saturated and
1 his features were scarcely distinguishable
II. NJ Hanor. the superintendent of the
| stable, said last night that both Dent and
/ Doyle had been In the employ OF the com
| pany for long time. They bore good
regulations, and were always the best of
! friends. Dent was the night man, while
Doyle finished his work about Z o'clock
Doyie is about thirty-five years old. His
complexion is light, and his appearance
| similar to that of an Indian. He is nearly
| six feet in height. He was dressed in
| overalls or grey troiisers, wore a cap, and
was in his shirt sleeves.
The body of Dent was removed to the
morgue.
Fifty dollars reward has been offered
| by the police for Dents arrest.