Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-26
BOY HELD FOR MURDER
JAMES BUTLER ACCUSED OF KILL
ING HIS STEPFATHER.
The Deceased Had Assaulted Mother Of
the Youth With Broom
Coroner's Verdict.


this morning by jury of six men. who
assembled at the sixth precinct station and
heard the testimony of number of wit
nesses concerning the fatal occurrence.
James Butler. the seventeen-year-old step
son of the deceased, was held responsible
for his death. The fatal blow was struck
by the boy last Tuesday afternoon in the
yard in the rear of the home of the family,
14O5 Kings place southeast. Green be-
came angry with his wife because the lat
ter had sold some rags to raise money to
pay her way to picnic. He assaulted her
with a broom and the boy struck Green on
the head with an ak. The boy had seen
his mother abused on previous occasions.
it was stated. and he thought it was about
time for him to defend her. The coro-
ner's jury held the boy responsible. for
Green's death and he was committed to
Jail to await the action of the grand jury.
Attorneys Toomey and Chase represented
him at the inquest.
Policeman Cullinane's Statement.
Policeman Dennis Cullinane of the fifth
precinct was the first witness examined.
He was standing in front of the station
Tuesday afternoon when a man approached
him and said man had been chopped up
at his home. 1405 Kings place. Witness
hurried to the house on his wheel and
was bathing his head. She said her
husband was only little sick and denied
that there had been any trouble at the
house. The woman then admitted that her
son, James Butler, had quarreled with his
stepfather.
Mrs. Green objected to the removal of
her husband to a hospital Witness after
ward ascertained that the three members
of the family had participated in a row in
the yard in the rear of the family home.
Search was made for Butler and he was
arrested in Virginia the following night.
The injured man was removed to the
Washington Asylum Hospital Wednesday
morning and died later in the day.
Detective Peck explained to the jury that
he brought the youthful prisoner over from
the Alexandria county Jail and the boy
told him that he attempted to prevent his
mother from being injured at the hands of
his stepfather. The latter. the prisoner
told witness, was assaulting his (prisoners)
mother with a barrel stave and broom, and
he tapped him on his forehead with an ak.
Mr.. j. r. Welder. who was the first ply
stefan to attend Green. testified that when
he was called to the house the patient was
suffering from severe pains in his head.
Witness said the mans head showed no
external evidence of injury. He made an
examination after he had heard that an ak
had been used. There was strong odor
of LIQUOR about the man.
DR.. Bruce Mackell. one of the resident
physicians at the Washington Asylum Hos
pital. testified that Green was brought to
the hospital Wednesday morning. He was
totally unconscious and was frothing at the
mouth and nose. Witness made an exami-
nation of the patients head and found Il
slight depression on the side and front of
the head. The man also had Bright's dis
ease DR.. Hickling was notified of the Sc
robustness of the mans condition and he
took charge of the case when he reached
the hospital. An incision was made in the
side OF the scalp because the depression
there was more pronounced than the one
in front. There was no evidence of frac-
ture found. Witness said the case was a
typical one of uraemia outside the indefl-
mite history of assault.
Deputy Coroner Testifes.
Deputy Coroner Glazebrook testified that
he performed an autopsy on Green's body
at the morsue yesterday. He found
large hemorrhage between the scalp and
skull and two large fractures were con-
nected by two small fractures leaving a
square piece of the skull practically dis
connected. There was depression found
on the top of the head and an immense
blood clot between the skull and brain.
Witness found the mans kidneys were
normal and in splendid condition Death
was due to hemorrhage, following the in
jury to the skull.
Phoebe Campbell colored, 1903 Kings
place, testified that she heard Green and
his wife engaged in a quarrel Tuesday
don't go away I'll hit you in the head with
a stick"
Green. she said. struck at his wife twice
with broom. and James Butler came
from the house and struck him with an
ak. Green fell. and brother of the in
Jured man assisted him to the house. Wit
ness went to the house shortly afterward
and found Green was unconscious But
Ter said he did not mean to strike his step
father so hard a blow.
Mrs. Green. mother of the prisoner and
widow of the victim. was also examined
She said that her husband became angry
with her because she sold some rags. She
wanted money to defray her expenses on
a picnic. Her husband. she said, beat her,
and she was so much hurt and upset that
she could not tell what happened after
ward
He was an awful man." she said. land
1t was only last Easter that he gave me
a beating"
Her neighbors. she stated, did not tell
her what her boy had done, and at the
time DR.. Wilder called she did not know
her husband had been injured
The boy wanted to make statement in
his own behalf. but was unable to stop
crying long enough to do any talking. No
further testimony was taken.