Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-21
.DASTAROLY Assault I
Merchant Stricken Down in
His Own Store.
CRITICAL CONDITION
coLoRED MAN SEEN IN THE
STORE AT EARLY HOUR.
Robbery Believed to Have Been the
melting Cause of the
Attack.
CONDITION

| Jacob Lavine, twenty-eight years old,
proprietor of grocery store at 213 Sd
| street southwest, where the wife and child
| of his predecessor were burned to death
few months ago, was found in his store
| this morning with a terrible injury to his
| head He was unconscious and when re-
moved to the Emergency Hospital the sur
| geons found that his skull had been frac-
| tured. The first report of his condition re-
eeived by the police at headquarters was
| that he would probably die. So serious
| was the depressed fracture of the skull
| that the surgeons found it necessary to
| operate upon him later in the day.
The case is similar to several cases that
| have occurred in this city In recent years.
Lazler Gozman, who kept a store on Cor
don avenue northeast, was murdered in the
same manner about fifteen months ago. AS
| soon as it was realized this morning that
| Lavine had been dangerously wounded sew
/ eral detectives were put on the case. De-
| tectiyes Warren, Pratt, Miller and Corn
| we'll visited the store and obtained infor-
| nation enough to satisfy them that the
assault had been committed by colored
| man. The motive undoubtedly rob-
berry, although nothing was apparently
| taken. is believed that the grocer's
| saiant was frightened from the place be-
| fore he had an opportunity to take any
/ thing of value.
Witnesses IN the case differ as to the
+, probable time the assault was committed,
| but it is believed Lavine became uncon-
scious between $50 and o'clock He was
| married only about two months ago, and
! the house had been repaired and painted
| and put in condition to make the couple
| comfortable home. 1t had been the custom
| of Lavine to open his store a few minutes
/ before o'clock, and it had also been his
| custom to have more money about him
| Monday mornings than other days in the
! week, as he settled bakers bills and other
| debts incurred over Sunday. This morning
| fc ln6yy nr1t dnxx Stafr to bp
| store he left his wife and aged mother
/ asleep on the upper floor. They were not
| disturbed by any noise he may have made,
| nor did they hear anything of what hap
| pened when the probable fatal injury was
| inflicted. 1t was not until about thirty
minutes after the grocer was found that
| his wife called from her bed and adj
| vised of what had occurred.
| Discovered by Boy.
Frank Sachs, the fourteen-year-old son
| of Louis Sachs baker, made the CHASTITY
| discovery when he entered the store to de-
| liver bread
| Mr.. Lavine," the boy called. He en-
tered the store a few minutes after clock
| and saw nobody behind the counter
| There was no light in the store, but there
| was dim light in the dining room in the
| rear. The boy entered this ROOM and, see
| ing nobody, he returned to the store where
| ne was startled at the sight of the I'M
/ head in front of barrel of cider The
beverage was running from an open spigot
| Papa" he excitedly called as he ran
| from the store.
| What's the matter?" asked the father
| from the wagon.
The baker hurried from his wagon to the
store and looking over into the darkest
part or the room he saw the grocer. There
was a pool of blood the floor where
| the mans head rested, and a small stream
/ OF clder was making it's way to the rear
p, OF the store. Being unable to handle the
| wounded man without assistance the ba ker
summoned help from the street
John L. Warner of 800 Az street south
west happened to be passing the store on
his way to work and he responded. Lavine
was lifted from the floor and seated on a
| boX. Shortly afterward he was removed
| TO the dining room and placed upon a cot
His head was washed and the Emergency
Hospital surgeons summoned While he
was in the dining room an effort was made
| TO OBTAIN some information from him but
all ne could say was: Il was struck" This
statement was repeated several times.
Charges Colored Men.
| On the way to the hospital in the ambu-
lance the wounded man revived somewhat
! and said to DR.. Hussey that three colored
men had assaulted him with club For a
! rev minutes he seemed to be rational but
by the time he reached the hospital he was
only able to mutter something that no one
could understand. The surgeons at the hos
| p1tal concluded that Lavine's wound was
| extremely critical. and during the morning
| an operation was performed. large piece
| OF the skull had to be removed and the re-
| port from the operating room was that the
patent mad stood the operation fairly well.
| At noon his condition was no better and
the police were told that the patients
chances for recovery We're not bright
One Man Suspected.
| The 1afepfivaS
on the case were unable to find anything
to bear out the statement of the wounded
| man that three men had assaulted him, but
they succeeded in placing one colored man
under suspicion. This man was seen by
Mrs. Elizabeth Kelly. colored, who lives at
219 Sd street. only few doors from the
store She went there and bought loaf
of bread. 1t was necessary for the grocer
to go out of the store and get the bread
| from box. While In the store she noticed
| tail colored man standing near the cider
barrel with glass of the beverage In his
hand He wore gray coat. On the bar
| rel, after the assault had been discovered,
/ was found glass partly filled with cider
| Mrs. Kelly returned home as soon as she
| got the loaf of bread, and few minutes
later Martha Gordon colored, living at VIII
| low Tree alley, appeared at the store door
| II being her intention to purchase some tea
1 In this short space of time the grocer had
DeeH assaulted, and the heavy wooden bar
was placed across the door on the inside.
She thought 1t strange that her neighbor
had not opened his store. and was not will
ing to go away without making an EFFORT
to see him. She could see through the
store that there was light In the dining
room. and when she ratified the door
| tall man appeared. The man, she realized.
was too tall for the proprietor of the store.
He entered the store from the dining
| room and walked toward the front door
| Instead OF walking all the way to the door
he turned to the right and went to the
dark corner OF the room and stood near
where the wounded man was lying. Mrs
| Gordon thought the proceeding was
| strange. but she was in hurry to get
! breakfast and went to the grocery store
on the corner below and bought her tea
| She says she was Unable to see whether
| the man was white or colored.
Theory Of Police,
1t is the belief of the police that the man
| finished the glass OF cider he had In his
hand when Mrs. Kelly saw him ana that
he gave a second order for some Of the
apple product. Lavine. they think. was in
the act of drawing cider from the barrel
| when he received the blow There was no