Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-02-20
MRS. DUNCAN
HELD FOR
MURDER
SENT FLOWERS TO BE PLACED ON
COFFIN OF THE MAN THAT
SHE SHOT AND
KILLED.

At the inquest over the body Of Jaroes
Duncan, the policeman shot by his wife,
the coroner's jury made verdict
that Mrs. Duncan be held for further in
vestigation. The coroner's commitment
warrant will charge Mrs. Duncan with
murder.
Mrs. Duncan, after a sleepless night,
was told of her husbands death just as
the morning light first came streaming IN
through the prison bars. All night long
she had paced the floor or groaned aloud
as she lay Off few minutes on her pea
Mrs. Bohneheld. the police matron, VINO
has cared tenderly for the prisoner since
she was carried to police headquarters,
was with her all night and neither or the
women closed their eyes. When Duncan
died his wife was informed that he could
not get we'll II was feared the sudden
shock. II she were told the whole truth,
might kill her. After the long, weary
night, Mrs. Bohnefield led up to the sub
ject gently and at last said: You Know
Mr.. Duncan is dead, now.
oh my God, my God! rang out
through the prison halls and the woman
mourned herself almost into frenzy Then
slowly, gradually she became more CAIN
and talked gently, sweetly OF the dead.
II loved him more than any man 1 ever
knew" she said. He was good man.
good to me. A bit rough, but he was al
ways tender with me except when drink
ing" -,
Mrs. Duncan is now really seriously Ill.
Her nervousness and the excited strain 10
which she has been subjected have tod
upon her terribly. DR.. j, w. Hurt the
prison physician, was called to her SIDE
early in the day and remained with her
for some time. For the present Mrs. Dun
can will not be transferred TO the ROVER
as there is no woman attendant there ana
the doctor besides has recommended that
she shall not be moved during the dis
agreeable weather. A cold In her present
condition might prove disastrous.
The scene at the inquest was not alto
gether different from similar investiga-
lions. and vet there was more OF the ORA
matte more of the pathetic, more OF the
worlds sorrows laid bare at that inquest
Monday than the average man VIII
encounter in a score of years. There was
the bent old father of the dead man, the
SON and the relatives of the wife, together
with her attorneys, all mixed In with po-
lice officials and detectives. The body OF
the dead, during the first part of the in
vestigation, was laid out in view Of the
Jury. and then taken on to the depot to
be carried to it's last resting place. AS
the jury paused and officers hats came OH
the body was borne out to the hearse.
On the casket rested "a single offering Of
flowers. a bunch Of white carnations with
maiden hair ferns The only person of all
the hundred thousand people in Atlanta
who had remembered to send flowers for
the dead policeman's bier was the wife
who had slain him. All the others, those
who knew him intimately those who were
us relatives. those who were his associ-
ates. all had forgotten, but the woman in
the CELL the woman who had loved al
though she had killed him, remembered
the flowers he loved and had them sent
for him. There is the whole epic of a wo-
mans strange heart in the perfume of ev-
cry one of those carnations resting now on
the breast of the man she killed.
The inquest brought out no testimony
that hah not already been given to the
public. Sergeant Abbott was the first witt
ness to take the stand. He had been
among the first to arrive on the scene Of
tho tragedy. He had Mrs. Duncan taken
In charge and proceeded at once to the
room where Duncan lay shot. The wound
ed man could not be induced to talk. he
testified. He was lying on the floor with
HIS head toward the mantel. There was
a pool of blood at the foot of the little
bed, between the two beds. His pistol,
Sergeant Abbott swore, was partially out
of his pocket, like 1t might have slipped
as he FELL the officer suggested; but At
torney Austin was on his feet at once.
You don't know THAR" he said quickly.
'No, don't know, of course" said the
sergeant. 81 was not there. said 1t looked
like It might have been that way"
This part OF the sergeant's evidence Is
considered strong for the defense, as it
has been contended all along that Duncan
tried to draw his pistol.
No post norton was held to find the
exact location of the bullet as a probe
showed the ball to have penetrated in a
directly straight line for about four
inches, which places the ball at the base
of the skull. A hard smooth substance
can be felt there with the probe and
about IT some shattered pieces This Is
believed to be the bullet, though IL may
be the bone. The fact that the bullet
went in straight. though. and penetrated
in a direct line for four inches is certain.
This places the ball we'll behind a line
drawn from ear to ear before the bone
was struck. Whether the ball stopped
there or glanced is a matter of no conse-
quence as far as the jury is concerned
The body of the policeman was carried
to Flowery Branch on the noon train, ac-
companied by the family and a special es-
cort of policemen appointed by Chief
Ball. The four appointed by the chief to
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