The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-01
CLUBBED A WOMAN TO DEATH
Charles Williams. CeIOred. Charged
with Murder, Makes Confession.

A small four-room shanty at 102 Four
teenth Street southeast was the scene
of brutal homicide yesterday morning.
As a result. the body of Mrs. Mary V.
Brown now lies upon slab at the
morgue and Charles Williams. thirty
years old is locked up at Nc. police sta -
tion on charge of murder Prentis Pat
terson is detained as = Government wit
ness, and to await the action of the Cor
oner's jury at The inquest, which will b@
held at No. stationhouse this morning
at II O'Clock. Al the parties named are
colored.
Shortly after his arrest Williams made
q fun confession to the police. His state
meut was taken in writing and duly
signed and witnessed.
. Williams and the Brown woman had liv
ed together in the Fourteenth Street house
for several months. Lately. it is said.
the man had been drinking heavily. Sat
urday morning he drew a monthly al
Iowance of 81. which was assigned TO
the Brown woman by son who is an
electrician in TIE navy and stationed at
Cavite As was his custom. Williams
paid the rent due on the house with Il
portion Of the money received. When
he returned home fl was late. The Brown
woman. who was afflicted with rheuma-
tism. q is said, upbraided him for his
neglect Of her and his dissipation VIII
lams became enraged at the rebuke and
struck the woman with heavy cane
A struggle ensued in which the bed in
the room was wrecked. Williams finally
overpowered the woman and beat her into
About this time Prentis Patterson ar
rived on the scene. To him Williams
stated that he had had a struggle vilh tie
old woman aud thought she was dead.
That was about o'clock Yesterday
morning. Patterson, seeing tn, eondi-
ton Of the Brown woman. went iu ssarc:,
of physician. and fa''irr to find one
notified the poli"o - me Fifth precinct
a - . s.our later
To Stationkeeper Van Zandt he stated
that an old colored woman was dead on
her bed, at l02 Fourteenth Street and
that the Coroner was wanted as soon as
possible as the woman died without med-
cal attention.
just one hour later. or at the S o'clock
roll call, Policeman Howard was detailed
10 investigate the case. He found the
body OF Mrs. Brown lying on the wreck
ed bed IN pool Of blood. Evidences OF
q struggle We're everywhere apDarpn, in
he room. An unsuccessful attempt had
De-n made To erase some of the blood
stains on the floor, and the walls had
been washed Williams coat and trous-
ers had also been washed Policemen
howard notified both Williams and Pat
terson that they could not leave th.
mouse until the Coroner had investigated
the death coroner Neyitt. after viewing
the body and hearing the statements Of
the two coiored men. directed that both
be taken into custody. That was about
II o'clock
About an hour previous to the arrests
Of Patterson and Williams a police orr
cial called up the Fifth precinct station
ana was told that nothing more was
known Of the affair other than the state
nents made by Patterson at Z o'clock in
the morning. Police Headquarters first
learned that a murder had been commit
ted shortly before ? O'Clock In the after
noon, when Coroner hewitt advised them
of the facts in the case. Detectives Bruw;n
and Lacy who were detailed on tbe
case, secured the confession from WI