Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-17
The Testimony.

Charles Dolfis, the keeper of a lunch room
in the rear of sol 1872 street northwest, was
the first witness examined. He testified
that he saw the body of Becl6with on the
sidewalk at 18th and B streets Sunday
morning Between 1890 and o'clock Sun
day morning he stated, Beckwith entered
his lunch room and got order of ham
and eggs Then he ordered chicken. His
customer, he told the jury, was under the.
Influence of liquor at the time. Beekwlth
pulled several bills and small change from.
his pocket and paid witness a quarter
How many bills did he have?' the wit
ness was asked. -
Il can't say" he answered, but he must
have had three or four.
Witness said he knew Fred. Cole, out
could not say he saw him in front OF
George Reeds house Sunday morning.
A IL Beckwith. colored, brother of the
deceased. testified that he last saw his
brother alive about o'clock Saturday
night at their home No. 4 South street,
Georgetown. His brother, he stated, ate
supper at home that night.
did your brother have any money when
you saw him Saturday night?' the witness
was asked.
Il don't know"
Witness said his brother had not been
drinking when he (witness) left him. Albert
was at the house when witness left
Was your brother a drinking man?
Not to say to get drunk, he answered,
hut he took a little liquor sometimes
III
northwest gave the jury the information
that he last saw Beckwith alive about ,
o'clock Saturday night at Both and M
streets, where they went to have their
shoes shined. Beckwith, he stated, con-
sumed about one-half pint of whisky, but
did not appear to be drunk.
Discovery of the Body.
William E Thomas, lveryman, testified
that he found the body of the man about
q, at 14t1 and Is
streets with the head on the grass and feet
and body on the sidewalk. At first he
thought the man was sleeping off a drunk,
but when he noticed part of the clothing
he thought there was something more
serious. Taking hold of the right hand OF
the man witness remarked: Hes a dead
one"
Witness said there was nothing near the
head of the man against which he could
have fallen so as to injure him. He did
not see brick near the body. witness
did not remember having seen a hat. WIT
ness saw no bruise or blood spot.
Edward Maher of 100 c street southwest
was on his way to work Sunday morning
about 615 o'clock when lie saw the body
Thinking the man was intoxicated ne
kicked his feet and shook him, but couid
not arouse him. The body, he said, was on
the grass plot between the sidewalk and
curb He said the dead mans hat was COW
ering his face as if it had been placed
there by some OtneT person. MS Hdei Se1iu
witness. could hardly have gotten IN thal
position had the man accidentally fallen
What was the condition of his pocketsE
1.-The pockets of his overalls were turned
inside out" was the response of witness.
About five or six inches from the colored
mans head, the witness stated, was
whole brick.
Policeman's Statement.
Policeman Petersen testified that he went
tn 14tb and 3 streets and saw the body of
Beckwith.
THE body was just as cold as it could
have been" he said, "and there was frost
on his overcoat"
Witness called attention to the condi-
ton of the dead mans overcoat which,
he said was twisted as if the man had
fallen on his face and then been turned
over. The brick near the body. he said,
was "A new one. but he saw no blood upon
it, Witness told of the condition of the
rockets of the oVerallS as described by
the witness Maher A square from where
the body was found said witness, there
is pile of bricks similar to the one
found near the body
William Schoenberger, superintendent
of the morgue. testified that when he
reached 14th and b streets Sunday morn
ing the police and others were there
Witness noticed the condition of the
pockets of the overalls. as already de-
scribed There was only small pool OF
blood unuef the WOuHu anu HtlHlIS
about the place to indicate there had been
q struggle 1t seemed to him more like
case of the man having been carried there
than his having accidentally fallen Wit
ness searched the pockets of the mans
clothing but found nothing except a
pocket book, in which there was no
Sergt. Hartley described the condition
OF the body and clothing and told of a
brick about two feet from the body Near
the fence he saw piece of brick.
Saw a Blood Spot.
Witness sad lie was of the opinion that
| the man had fallen on his face where his
| body was found There was blood spot
| about one foot to the right of the head.
Nina Green, colo ed told of Beckwth' s
visit to the house at 1919 street at 10
| O'Clock Saturday night. He had been
| drinking. but was not drunk He went away
| and returned an hour later, going 10 the
| dance hall, where there were several other
| men. Beckwith visited the house three
| times before midnight. The third time he
| called he had piece of chicken in his hand.
| When witness last saw him it WAS about
| 80 o'clock Sunday morning, when she let
| him out.
Witness said she is acquainted with Will
| lam Landon and Frederick Cole. but she
| had not seen them in the house That night
| until after the departure of Beckwith the
| last time 1t was then about 2;3o O'Clock
| and they went in the dance hau, where
| they remained until 3:30 or o'clock Fred.
| Cole, she said, occupied a seat back of the
! stove and she said something to him about
| being cold. She did not see either of the
| men treat. When witness let Beckwith
| out the door there were several men on the
| Sidewalk.
Florence Coleman, colored testified that
| she was on street about 3:45 o'clock Sun
| day morning when she met Cole and Lam
| don. who were walking east. Cole, she
| said. asked her not to tell Ella Sinallwood
| that she lwitness) had seen him.
George Reed testified that Beckwith came
| to the house about II O'Clock Saturday
| night. Some men from the race track
! entered at the same time, but Beckwith
| did not seem to know them. Fred Cole
| and another man, she stated were standing
| on the sidewalk at that time. The man
| who was with him she knew as kid"
| Agnus Patterson, colored testified that
| he saw Frederick Cole and William Lam
| don in the dance hall between 2 and )