Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-09-09
THE McCUE MURDER.
Coroner's jury Return a Verdict
Charging McCue with Numbering
His Wife.

! Coroner's jury Return n Nerdic'
Charging McCue with Numbering
His Wife.
The coroner's jury in Charlottesville
concluded its long investigation OF the
murder of Ms. Fannie NJ. McCue, and
Yesterday evening returned verdict
saving that her death resulted from a
gunshot wound inflicted by j. Samuel
McCue.
/ When visited in Jail yesterday morn
/ ing by a newspaper man the accused
was very cordial, but refused to talk
about the case except in the most incl
dental way He protested his innocence
and his ability to prove it,
4 Interest in the murder is still at a
i high pitch, but all symptoms of resort
to popular vengeance have disappeared,
although the guard around the Jail has
been nearly doubled.
An unexpected branch Of the case
which is now being investigated is Mr..
/ McCue's visit to Washington, from
which he returned a few hours before
the tragedy. 1t is in evidence that he
told Mrs. McCue he was called to the
national capital to take dispositions in
a murder case, a thing he was rarely
employed to do, as he had no criminal
practice. Mrs. McCue, it is said, got in
formation in her husbands mail that con-
WINGED her he had gone to Washington
on a different errand, and when she up
braided him on his return 4 quarrel re-
suited which was continued when they got
home from church. AT church Mrs, McCue
begged a friend to 90 home with her and
spend the night, saying she had had a
quarrel with her husband. She showed
fear of the result.
The testimony of Ernest Crawford, a
brother of Mrs. McCue, before the coro-
ner's jury let in q flood of light on the
McCue home life. at was the most I'M
happy household ever saw" he said to
the jury. "Mr. McCue' treatment of his
wife was cruel and inhuman, and / have
heard him curse and abuse her in the
most brutal manner. She appealed TO me
frequently, but | knew it was family
matter and that to interfere meant blood
shed. His outbreaks of temper usually
took place when my sister criticised him
for his relations with other women Once
when he went to Richmond TO see woman
and she rebuked him he threatened her
life, drawing a pistol. We all treated
Mr.. McCue with the utmost considera-
ton, as we did not want to make it worse
for our sister She not only appealed to
Us, butappealed to Mr.. McCue's brothers,
telling them of the unfaithful life their
brother was leading"
The testimony tending to show per-
sstent immoral conduct, while following
upon neighbOrhood rumors ahOat at diff
ferent times, but generally discredited,
has occasioned much surprise, as the &C.
cused has long been an officer in the
church and liberal in his support of
religious and charitable enterprises. A
newspaper writer, visiting him in Jail,
yesterday, found a Bible lying on his
bed. God bless you, boy" he said,
with emotion, as the reporter left. He
refused to say anything on the important
features Of the case which so closely con-
cerned him. al am innocent, can prove
it and will prove it," he said. He is
very much depressed, in view OF the fact
that with the exception Of DR.. McCue,
a brother, the physicians who examined
Mr.. McCue's wound on the face, result
lug, as he claims, from the knockdown
blow Of an assassin, declare il wholly in
There is much curiosity as to the ma
ture of the defense, DR.. Charles S. Ven
able said 81 do not believe the wound
would make a child five years old uncon-
scious. 1t might have been caused by
hairbrush."
DR.. J. f. Early found no wound or
bruise on McCue except slight con-
fusion on the right cheek. 1t would not
have rendered a child unconscious, he
said
1t is believed, though the lawyers have
not given any intihatiun OF 1t, that
the attempt to save the accused Will be |
based on a plea of insanity, which, 1t IS
said, manifested itself in one of his an
cestOrs.
The accused has employed Daniel
Harmon and Walker & Sinclair as coun-
gel. and prominent lawyers have been
by the Crawfords, brothers
IF the murdered woman, to assist
he Commonwealth Attorney in the
prosecution, but they have not yet ac-
;epted.
A preliminary hearing has been
waived by McCue's counsel. The grand
ury will hear evidence on September
10, and the trial will commence in
he Corporation Court Immediately after
ward.