Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-26
AN OFFICIAL INQUIRY
CORONER TO INVESTIGATE THE
DEATH OF MRS. JORDAN.
Mystery No Nearer Solution Than It
Was Yesterday-Arrests
on Suspicion.

Coroner hewitt will swear jury of in
quest tomorrow morning over the body OF
Mrs Catherine Jordan, colored, who was
so brutally stabbed to death at her home
in Hillsdale Wednesday night, stated in
Yesterdays Star. The hearing will be con-
tinued after the medical testimony has been
given in order to give the police and de-
tectives time to make a further effort to
apprehend the womans slayer. This al
ternoon the mystery seemed no nearer
solution than it did yesterday afternoon
Detectives and policemen made several ar
rests and examined a number of wit
nessses. but their efforts had not been
crowned with success this afternoon. A
colored man named George A. Brown was
arrested last night by Detectives Muller
and Baur. The officers had been looking
for man known as Lieutenant Brown.
1t is stated that the man who was arrested
Brown, but it turned out that he is not
the one who had been mentioned by people
in Hilsda!e. Another Lieutenant Brown
is now being looked for
Detective Trumbo did not take his hounds
back to Hllsdale yesterday or today. An
important witness in the case, Mrs. George
Tossett, declared that the dogs did not
follow the path of the murderer. She went
to the upper front window of her house
when she heard the dying woman scream
ing. She heard Mrs. Jordan ask that a
policeman and doctor be sent for. as she
had been stabbed to death. On the way
from the house of the victim the man and
woman seemed to be walking together. and
the man left her near Mrs. Bundys house
and ran. Mrs. Tossett says he ran all the
way to Nichols avenue and turned the
corner at the grocery store instead of going
through alley way in rear of the store.
The dogs went through this alley.
No Motive Developed.
If the authorities could find a motive
for the crime they might be able to make
better Roadway. A number Of motives
have been suggested and the detectives are
doing what they can with all of them.
I'm afraid it's going to be another Den
mis- case" one of the officers remarked.
This woman lived life about which her
nelghbors knew little. and they are Of but
little help in the Investigation
The colored man Daggs, who called at
Mrs. Jordan's house Wednesday night with
a turkey for her to cook for him, is sat
isfied that the murderer was in the house
when he called The woman entered the
house by way Of the froot door, while he
was rapping at the rear Of the house. He
gave her the fowl and left There was no
light in the house when he reached there |
he says. for he looked through the shut
ters to see If there was anybody there. He
had been away from the house only a
short time before the woman was killed.
Evidence Of Struggle.
The blood stains in the house make it
apparent that,the woman made desperate
struggle in her efforts to save her life.
From the place in the rear end of the hall,
where the attack was made, to the home of
Mrs Bundy, where the victim fell, there are
a number of stains or pools. The condition
of the interior Of the house shows that the
woman made several stops between the rear
end of the hall and the front door. Then
IF
gate in front of the Bundy house. The
man who Is SO badly wanted by the police
was within several inches of Mrs. Bundy !
when he passed her at her front gate.
Dave Smith. the young colored man who
has lived in Mrs. Jordan's house for more
than FIVE years. told the police that man
who resembled an Italian had been In the
habit of calling upon Mrs. Jordan at inter-
walls. None of the nelghbors has ever seen
such a man about the premises. Letters
found In the house show that Mrs. Jordan
had corresponded with some of the people
who had consulted her in the matter of
telling fortunes. The writer of one letter
told of having used all the sprinkling ma
terial she had given her
The clarvoyant, it Is stated, had fur
nished charms to some of her more super
stitious patrons. A number of small pack
ages containing hair were found in the
house. 1t has been suggested to the po-
lice that the crime may have been COM
mitted by some person who had a griev-
ance on account Of disappointment in the
fortune telling business. A separation may
have been caused, it is supposed and the
husband committed the murder to avenge
the wrong.
Possessor Of Property.
Mrs. Jordan had property interests and
some of the officers are inclined to believe
that the murder was committed in order
to bring about certain transactions which
might follow her death. Many people who
frequented the house Of the murdered
woman were white. and were 1t not for
the positive statements of those who saw
the man the police would not feel alto |
gether certain that the woman's slayer |
was colored. Sergeant Anderson Of the |
police force, who has been identified with |
Hiilsdale and Anacostia for many years, !
says he thinks the woman was never mar |
ried. Nobody about the vicinity of her |
house recollects that she ever had hus- |
band. She figured in a scandal several |
the notice and the white |