The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-05-29

! facts OF the case. They have all failed.
What dark secrets might have been
brought to light had anyone ever been
able to catch the thread of truth that
must lead to the solution of the mystery
no one can say. Only when such SOM
Der tragedies are being discussed does
the Dennis case. that for month held
the attention of a continent, receive
the tribute Of even a passing thought.
Then II is newfoundland forgotten.
The Soothsayer's Death.
On Christmas Eve. 1902. Kate Jordon.
Irophetess and soothsayer, stumbled
out Of the old house in Anacostia, in
which she made her home. and clutched
frantically at the gate posts.
I'm stabbed, she almost screamed,
and sank to the ground.
AT the same time three children, pla--
ing in the vicinity, saw a negro mflI
running hurriedly away from the house
and in the direction of the Anacostia
Bridge. Running rapidly, the man van
ished in the distance, and from that
moment TO this no trace of the muir
derer has ever bS en- found.
For the woman was dying. Attracted
/ by her frantic appeals for help her
neighbors rushed to her assistance, and
she was carried back into the house.
She expired in a lew moments, without
ever having regahied sufficient con-
seriousness to give the name of her as
sailant. TO describe him, or to give any
account of the manner in which she
! had been assailed and stabbed.
In Kate Jordon's breast n gaping
wound. from which the blood had ebbed
until IL stained her garments red. ex-
FIained the cause and manner of her
death. great dirk. still stained with
the woman's blood. was found just
within the doorway Of the house. where
It had been thrown apparently by the
murderer in his fight
An immediate investigation of the
/ tragedy was made by the local police
ana detective departments. large forces
o. men being kept on the case for sew
eral weeks. Several arrests were
made, notably that OF George Brown,
who was known as 1.-THE lieutenant,
and had been the active agent Of the
fortune teller in bringing business TO
her establishment IN "a way he an
swered the meager description of the
murderer that had been furnished by
The children who witnessed the escape
from the scene OF the crime, but moth
/ Ing else ever developed TO connect him
IT, any way with its commission. After
a few days detention he was released.
Expert in Love Affairs.
The woman had piled her trade at
AnacGsiia for many years and acquired
"a considerable competency. she charged
well for her services-when she thought
her clients could afford TO pay-and, If
rumor for once speak truth, was not
hampered by any unwillingpess TO face
! dlmculties. She read the future with I'M
erring certainty. indicated beyond ques-
| ton the foreordained fate Of anyone
! who applied for the information. poured
oil upon the troubled waters Of love. and
managed to very large extent the af-
/ fairs of her ignorant neighbors
But not all of those who came to the
little house in Anacostia were Of the
/ Ignorant neighborhood type. There were
many from the city. drawn by the fame
and reputation of the prophecies, who
I sought her advice, the never-ending
! credulity OF human nature furnishing
/ either reason or excuse
/ There can be little doubt that Kate
Jordon's efforts TO read the future or to
/ interfere in love affairs or marital in
felicities or disagreements cost her her
life. Whether 1t be assumed she was
Vaccinations had wrecked or whose
hopes she had encouraged only 20 blight.
or whether the actual murderer was the
blind emissary of some superior intelli-
gence. the correctness of basic hypothe-
sis can scarcely be questioned. She
wrought her own fate
Probably the murderer gained admis-
sion 10 the house on the pretext that he
sought the fortune teller's professional
services and she was perhaps outlining
his future when he inflicted the fatal
thrust However 1t was, the murderer
remains unknown. nor IS there reason
able chance the mystery will be solved
until. from some criminals death bed
| from which he seeks to Danish the dread
specter of remorse. comes the grim story
OF the crime.
Russian Emigrant Killed.
The death OF the AnacostIa prophetess
was followed In less than a week bv the
murder of Lazier Gozman, a Russian
who had been only year in the country
and conducted a little shop at 61s Cor
dcn Avenue northeast. The man was
found on the floor of his shop. quite
dead, with fifteen Ratchet wounds on his
head and face. His accumulated saw
ings. amounting TO about $50 i'm money
had been stolen.
The apparent motive in this case was
obvious. but the detection of the murder
or proved TO be another matter. If ne had
come 70 the store torob its owner.a frenzy
] OF desperation swayed him, and he at