Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-15
RESULT OF QUARREL
JURY IMPANELLED AND AWAITS
RESULT OF AUTOPSY.
Defendant Accused of Killing John
Green-Preliminary Hearing
Before the Mayor.



death John Green, also colored. In upper
Queen street Saturday night. The evidence
before the mayor was taken at O'Clock.
and II o'clock a jury summoned by d1rec-
ton of Coroner William r. Purvis met at
the undertaking rooms of w. Domaine q
Son, in King street, to hold an inquest over
the remains of the victim of the shooting.
1t was expected that the inquest would
be concluded about noon, when the pris-
oner was to have been taken back before
the mayor at the police station for the final
disposition of the case, so far as the police
court is concerned. but after all the wit
nesses, with the exception of the physicians
who made the autopsy. had been examined
by the coroners jury 1t was deemed neces-
sary for that body to adjourn until o'clock
in the afternoon in order to hear the testi-
mony as to the manner In which the bullets
which were fired into Green's body had
brought about his death. At noon the au-
topsy. which was being conducted at the
late home of Green, in Oronoco street be-
tween Pitt and Royal streets, by Drs. Will
lam NJ. Smith and Martin Delaney, had not
been completed. Blanahan was therefore
remanded to his cell in the station house.
The following composed the coroner's jury:
George Bryan, foreman: Richard Gibson,
l.. Ruben, R. e. Knight Frank Warfield
and E. Warfield. jr.
full capacity with colored men and women
when the case called this morning
Lizzie Ford. also called Williams. the wo-
man over whom. it is said. the quarrel
which led to the shooting occurred, testified
that both men had hold of her sleeves, one
on the right side and the other on the
left and each man was endeavoring to
take her by force with him. The contro-
versy. she said. became more violent, when
Blanahan drew his pistol and commenced
to shoot at Green. Just before Blanahan
drew his pistol she said. William Thomas.
colored, stepped up to him and advised him
to shoot Green.
William Porter, colored. testified that his
attention was attracted to the vicinity of
Queen and Henry streets by the sound Of
pistol shots. He ran to the place, and
when he approached saw Blanahan in the
act of kicking the PROSTATE form of Green.
An Eyewitness.
A colored woman named Ella Henson was
an eyewitness to the shooting. She saw
Green make no demonstration of hostility
toward Blanahan. but heard the two quar-
reling over the woman. She said she did
not see Green with a knife in his hand.
Ernest Keith, colored, who also saw the
killing. gave similar testimony. Green
made no demonstration that he saw during
the whole of the trouble. The testimony
of several other cOOred people was about
the same in substance. One witness said
that Blanahan appeared to be angry
throughout the controversy. but that Green
was smiling.
The testimony heard in the Police Court
was repeated before the coroners jury. It
was stated positively by several witnesses
that Green was running away when Blan-
ahan fired the last three shots at him; that
he made no demonstration toward Blana-
nan, and that he had no weapon in his
hand.
Blanahan escaped from Alexandria soon
after the shooting Saturday night. He
killed Green near the corner of Queen and
Henry streets. and went out into Alexan-
dria county after evading Officers Smith
and Mayhugh, who arrived on the scene
soon after the shooting. After arranging
for the care of the dying man, who was I'M
conscious when the policemen arrived, they
went Immediately in the direction of the
home of the fugitive. By strange CO.
incidence the officers passed close to Blana-
han, who was standing on the street near
there, with several friends, protected from
Identification by the darkness. He, how
ever. recognized the uniform of the officers.
and when they had gotten a short distance
away he made off. Officer Smith caught
sight of the fleeing figure. and suspected
that 1t was that of Blanahan. but 1t was
then too late to apprehend him.
The Washington department was at once
notified and yesterday morning the local
department was notified of his capture in
that city. officers Beach and Gill, who had
been seeking him In Alexandria county
went to Washington and brought Blana-
han back with them in the afternoon.
Escaped to Washington.
The prisoner stated that he stopped in
Alexandria county last night and proceed
ed to Washington over the turnpike early
yesterday morning. He said he joined an
other colored pedestrian named Charles
Thomas, to whom he related the circum-
stances of the shooting. 1t was through
statements of the latter to the Washington
police that the arrest of the fugitive was
accomplished. Thomas notified Lieutenant
Moore at the sixth precinct station, and
the arrest of Blanahan followed at the
home of Samuel Garry, old Alexandria
negro, who lives at 1913 Loves court north
west. Lieutenant Moore went to the place
in company with Detective ODea Sergeant
Elliott and Policemen Mullen and Hood.
The arrest was accomplished without trou-
BILE.
William Thomas the colored man who
was incriminated by statements made at
the hearing this morning. is under arrest,
charged with being an accessory.
The Prisoners Story.
Blanahan, in his cell at the station house.
talked about the trouble with a reporter for
The Star The prisoner said that Green in
terfered with him in his attentions to Liz
zie Williams Saturday evening. Green met
him and the woman, Blanahan stated, out
side of a saloon near the corner of Queen
Suade the woman to leave her companion.
A contention followed. the prisoner said,
and Green seized the woman and tried to
carry her away by force. Blanahan strenu-
ously objected. he said, and asked Green
to step aside that they might talk the mat
ter over.
This invitation was declined, the prisoner
declared, and Green then made a hostile
move against Blanahan. The prisoner said
he saw him reach into his hip pocket and
draw a knife, which he held in front of him
as he advanced toward his opponent. Blan-
ahan said he saw a knife blade CLEAN
when the man was only a few feet from
him. Blanahan then drew his pistol and
fired. He thought the first shot did not
take effect. but the second one did, and
Green lodged behind another colored man
who was standing nearby. The prisoner ad-
mitted firing two more shots He said he
then moved off from the crowd which soon
gathered and made his way into Alexandria
county, where, he said, he stayed all night.
reaching Washington Sunday morning,
where he was arrested
Green was about thirty years old and
was married. Blanahan is about twenty
five years old and Is single
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