Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-21
MYSTERIOUS DEATH
POLICE PROCEED ON THEORY
THAT CHILD WAS POISONED.
Woman and Two Children Drink Tea,
With Fatal Result in One
Case.

The local police have a case under inves-
tfgation which involves the death, under al
legged suspicious circumstances, of Mary
Hamilton, colored. three years old. Her
death occurred last night about T:45 o'clock
at the home of her parents, $50 18th street
northeast, after an Illness of several hours.
The mother and daughter two years old
were also made ill, they and the child that
died having partaken of tea about noon but
the mother and younger daughter recover
ing.
Because Of the nature Of their illness. and
the peculiar circumstances. 1t was suggest
ed that they had been poisoned. and it was
for the purpose Of solving the mystery that
Captain Boardman assigned Detectives
Helan, McNamee and Hartigan to the case.
Coroner hewitt had the body removed to the
morgue. where an autopsy was performed
this forenoon by Deputy Coroner Glaze
brook.
The autopsy showed that the child's lungs
were terribly congested and there was a
slight congestion of the stomach. Only
chemical analysis will determine the exact
cause OF death. The contents of the child's
stomach will be submitted to Professor
Hird- the health department chemist. He
will also make an analysis of the tea, but
the result will not be known for several
days. 1t Is not regarded as likely that the
police will make an arrest until 1t Is def
nitely known that the child's death was the
result OF poison.
Mrs. Smith Makes Charges.
George Hamilton. the father Of the de-
ceased. has been employed by Attorney
Campbell Darlington for nearly twenty
years. He was sent for yesterday afternoon
when the three members of his family were
taken sick. Drs. Price and Scott were sum-
mored but 1t was some time after the child
became Ill that they reached the house.
Shortly after the death occurred the cor
oner and detectives were at the house max
ing investigation.
The home Of the Hamltons is two doors
from the Israel Baptist church. The house
adjoining the church Is occupied by Joseph
Stephen Smith, colored, and his wife and
child Several weeks ago Mrs. Smith sent
Hamilton a lengthy letter in which she
made numerous charges. Hamilton looked
upon the affair as joke. but later when the
woman sent letters to the police about his
family he called on Prosecuting Attorney
Mullowny and made complaint against her.
When Mrs. Smith and her husband were
seen by Star reporter this morning. the
latter told of the letters she had written to
Hamilton and the police. She says she has
had trouble for nearly two years.
Afraid Of Night Doctors.
I'm a seventh daughter she stated,
land while tell fortunes I don't like to be
called fortune teller. While have power
to tell fortunes without cards. I'm Chris
tian woman. and It's only the fear Of God
that has saved my life"
Her husband shares her belief that they
were selected as intended victims by might
doctors" more than year ago. and claim
that the doctors have been after them
number of times Undertakers' wagons have
been in the nelghborhood many nights, they
say. and their lives have been made mis-
cradle
Smith and his, wife tell of the former
having been pursued by mysterious men
at all hours Of the night. Mrs. Smith says
that chloroform and ether have been used
for their benefit, and many nights she
burned feathers to counterfeit the effects
was on fire a number Of times, the wo-
man stated, and on account of the annoy
ance she and her husband had remained
awake many nights.
Unable to Explain.
Mr.. Hamilton says he has no idea why
Mrs. Smith should have thought he was
q might DOCTOR" He never had anything
to say to her, nor did he even answer her
letter. Mrs. Smith said she thought she
had reason to complain because Hamilton
had ignored her about the letter. The
death Of the Hamilton child. she told q
Star reporter, had a bad effect upon her,
but she did not feel that she should make
a neighborly call unless the Hamil.ons
made the first advances. She concluded
by saying she had been in their house only
once in many months.
There was no poison kept in the Hemil-
ton house. The teapot was not in its ac-
customed place yesterday. and Mrs. Ham,
iltOn thinks 1t was tempered with by some
person outside of her household.