The Washington times., 1902-09-08
ONLY FIVE MURDER
CASES TO Be TRIED
Work Scheduled for Term
( of Criminal Court.
DISTRICT ATTORNEY is BUSY
Tried Seven Murder Cases Last Term,
But Was Unable to Take Up Any
Now on the Docket-Other Serious
Umenses.

An idea of the amount of work to be
done in the criminal branches of the
Supreme Court of the District during the
coming term may be gained from the
statement that there are now five pris-
oners in Jail awaiting trial on the charge
of homicide. During the last term of
the Criminal Courts District Attorney
Gould disposed of seven murder cases
securing convictions in six of them.
The trial which resulted in an ac-
quittal was that of Hezekiah Coates, the
twelve-year- boy who was accused Of
numbering Annie Corbin, in Auacostia,
last winter. The testimony in that trial
showed that the gun which was held
by Coates was accidentally discharged.
and resulted in the death of the girl,
who was only about eight years of age.
The persons who are under indictment
for murder and who will be called to
trial during the coming term of court
are: John st. Clair, alias Saint Clair,
otherwise known as John Sinclair, col
ored, who is charged with the murder of
Daisv Maddox, in A B Alley, on April
II last; Forrest Pendleton, indicted for
the murder of Grafton Brown, both col
ored, ON February 25 last, Charles Thorn,
accused of numbering his wife Ida Thorn,
at their home on Missouri Avenue, May
last; Helene Sterne. indicted for the
homicide of Bessie Feldman, as the re-
suit of an unsuccessful unprofessional
operation, and Harriet Douglass. accused
of being responsible for the death Of
May Stewart, as the result Of similar
operation. The crimes alleged to have
been committed by Helene Sterne and
Harriet Stewart were in April and June
last, respectively. The former is out
on bail.
Was No Early Jury.
1t will be noticed that all of these
crimes were committed before the ad-
journment of the spring term of the
court, one of them as early as February.
For this reason it might be supposed
that more than one of them might have
been called for trial. But when it is
recalled to mind that there were no juries
serving in the Criminal Court during
ary last, it will be seen that District
Attorney Gould had his hands full, to
dispose OF the seven cases for murder
which had been reported by the grand |
jury previous to that time.
In this connection it may also |
be said that the defect in the law |
which invalidated the petit juries drawn |
for January, also made work by the !
grand jury, organized under the same
statute, invalid. So it was that some
of the persons now to be called to trial |
for murder were not indicted until very |
near the close of the spring term of |
court which ended June 80.
Besides the murder cases which will I
demand the attention of the District At /
torney there are numerous other impor- I
tant matters which will demand his at I
tention during the coming term, and |
which will occupy a great deal OF the |
time of the court.
There are twenty CT more cases upon
he criminal docket in which the defend
ants are accused of assault with intent
% kill. criminal libel. forgery, libel and
,ther serious offenses.
O'Brien Case Also.
OF these. the one which is just now at
racting the greatest attention is that
If eX-Corporal Richard O'Brien who is
indicted for perjury on account Of tes-
imony given before the standing COM
nittee of the Senate, in reference to the
conduct of officers and enlisted men in
he United States Army, while serving
n the Philippine Islands.
While not coming under the head of !
riminal cases, that of Miss Rebecca j.
Taylor, who is seeking to have the Gov
compel the Secretary of War
o reinstate her in a position in the War
from which she was dis
missed because of her alleged criticism
# the Presidents policy in the Philip
zines. will also come on for hearing be-
ore the Supreme Court of the District.
then there is the claim Of the Govern
nent against the Yeatman estate, the
,ostotfice cases and the Indian land
ases, all of which will be handled by
he District Attorney and his assistants.
Besides the calendars of the circuit
nd equity branches of the court are 4,
ull to overflowing with important is
ues. which will be pressed for consid- {
ration during the fall term.