Evening star., 1902-02-15

slackened and he limped and dragged his
crippled member along with him. announcer
| bullet struck him between the shoulders
and sent him sprawlng to the earth, pio"-
ing up the deep dust of the avenue
"A big crowd, attracted by the noise OF
the shots, gathered quickly. Several Will
ing hands picked him up. He was con
sciOus but died a few days afterWard. ilis
assailant was a matchmaker in the employ
of John Calf, sr., founder Of the present
firm of Galts, jewelers., next to Ihe Even
ing Star building. He was lost IN the
! of the hour and was never heard of after,
wards 1t was a case OF suspected marllal
infelicity and jealousy.
Bowie Knife in His Heart.
Captain Baggott who was then CHIEF OF
police, known as the auxiliary guard. kept
a saloon or tavern in E street northwest
between 10th and 11th streets. One night
some Of his customers they left the place
found man lying on his back on the front
porch He was drenched in blood and had
apparently been dead for an hour or more.
A large Bowie knife had been plunged m INTO
his heart and was still sticking there me
mans name was Martin Reagan. FRANK
Hamper, who 1t afterwards ascer-
tanned, committed the crime, made his es-
cape.
dead on the front porch OF residence III
9th street northwest, near New YORK ave
nue., at daylight one morning. 1t had peen
a biting cold night and the body was
frozen The investigation which followed
produced only one witness, who test1ned
that about midnight he had heard two men
Quarreling at the corner pump. "A scuine
ensued and one cried out:
"'Oh, SWiper, don't kih me-.
"A young fellow named Johnson, who
had the reputation or rough ana an out
law. and who was generally known as
'Swiper' johnson, was arrested and charged
with the crime. He was tried, but the case
was dismissed for want Of evidence.
"A rowdy, gambler stool pigeon, bar
room loafer. bruiser. woman beater and
beat generally by the name of Horatlo
Bolster filed away the barrel of mus
ket, hid it under his top coat, lay In wait
and assassfnated another fellow Of the
same kidney called Sonny James. II an
arrest was made no trial or punishment
succeeded the affair, which was brutal to
the extreme.
The Sickes-Key Tragedy.
'Then Dan Sickles killed Phil Barton
Key opposite the White House. That is an
old story to Washingtonians. Three muir
ders followed within two blocks Of VIII
lard's Hotel, all of them on Pennsylvania
avenue A certain John Day drew a pis-
tol from his pocket and when his young
and beautiful wife, terrified because Of his
i'll. treatment, tried to escape from his
wrath, threw her to the ground, pinioned
her with his foot and emptied the contents
Of all the barrels in her PROSTATE form.
She died instantly. The cause of this trag-
edy was infideIty and jealousy. Day fled.
it was said, to the indian territory, ana
was never heard OF.
John Essex son OF q rich butcher and
himself engaged In the same craft, killed
man with his bare fist. This occurred
near the site of the power house that was
n of and PENNSYLVANIA
avenue. He had before killed a man under
similar circumstances He was powerful
slugger and an all-round tough. His par
ents were wealthy and 1t was said that he
was spirited away, also to the Indian ter
ritory at that time a refuge for scoundrels
from all sections Of the country.
The famous street fight or revolver duel
between two gamblers John Mccarthy and
Dennis Darden, was fought all along Penn
sylvana avenue from the southwest cor
| ner of 18th street northwest across the pave
to the northwest corner of 18th street,
where Mccarthy sank down, fired a last
shot at his assailant and expired. Darden
was given a trial. 1t was proven that he
lay in wait for Mccarthy. Insanity was
the plea Of the defense. He was confined
in an asylum for short while and later
discharged I saw him only the other day
on the avenue.
Zeb Kendalps Sad Death.
Long years ago, when Amos Kendall
was Postmaster General, his son Zebulon,
or 'Zeb' Kendall as he was more familiar
ly known, was shot and killed at 18th street
and PENNSYLVANIA avenue in a street brawl,
which began in a pool or billiard room in
18th street, between Rufus Elliott, adopted
son Of Dr. Tobias Watkins; Josiah Bailey
and himself all old friends. Bailey fought
at great disadvantage and so did Kendall,
both apparently being unarmed. When
Kendall fell a few steps from the drug
store into which his body was carried, and
where as boy saw it, with little blue
wound about the size Of a black-heart
cherry looking like a deep bruse on the
right side Of the breast, but which penetrat-
ed quite through the lungs. Bailey tore up
cobble stones from the street and hurled
them at Elliott with his left hand, his
right arm having been broken at the elbow
by one of the bullets in the fusllade. Ell
lott, having emptied his gun, escaped into
the front door of Wizards. paving
stone struck with terrific force and rea
| bounded from the jamb as the door swung
to behind him. not an instant too soon.
Twenty, yes. thirty years thereafter.
and hectic flush upon his cheeks, crawled
into my fathers office. and with difficulty
said:
Haunted by His Crime.
"'Major, how do you do? You don't
know me? No wonder: am Rufus Ell
lott. Now you know me: what Is left of
me. Major. have never known happy
moment since that dRy, and cannot sleep
at night. I never sleep. Every night, as
1 am about to drop or into unconscious
ness he,' placing emphasis on that word.
comes into my room. I mean Kendall: he
comes in and sits at the foot OF my bed.
fastens his reproachfui. sorrowful eyes
upon me and stares with uncanny gaze
upon me until morning. Major, I wanted
to tell some one, and have come to you.
But must go. Tell no one you saw me.
Send your paper to the address I gave. No
one must know where am or that I am
living. Goodbye
"He left the office and has never been
seen in Washington since. Why, I have
often asked myself. did he not go and stand
trial? Then, maybe, the ghost would have
been exercised. But, perhaps, he feared the
power and influence OF the Postmaster Cen
erals family. However. poor 'Rufe' Elliott
suffered his nemesis.
Next came a duel en- regle. Fred MAY
uuarreled with his friend, John Cochrane.
at ball. A challenge passed and was ac-
cepted. Rifles were chosen as weapons and
| Bladensburg the place. They met the fol-
| lowing morning. and Cochrane fell dead at
| the first fire, the bullet penetrating his
| forehead. May fled to Mexico and distin-
guished himself by gallant charge Lead
] ing forlorn hope during the war. All the