Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-17
HARRY RANDALL HELD
Must Face Inquiry by the
Grand Jury.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
CORONER INVESTIGATES DROWN
ING OF STEAMBOAT HAND.
Witnesses Tell Of Happenings at tho
Wharf Friday Night-Verdict
in Detail.
WILLCROWLEY'S DEATH

afternoon held for the grand jury by a
coroner's jury sitting In inquest over the
remains of William Crowley. colored a
former fireman on the steamer Estelle Ram
dali of the Randall line of Potomac
steamboats,. The allegation was made that
Crowley either sprang overheard or fell
ever while being pursued by Capt. Randall,
who sought to chastise the colored man.
Several hundred colored people congre-
gated about the morgue. where the inquest
was in progress. and some of them excited
ly discussed the case. Many OF them stood
about the gray building of death and gazed
curiously at IT long after the verdict had
been rendered. The inquest room was also
crowded and the prisoner. who sat with
his father and counsel, was the cynosure OF
all eyes
Capt. Randall did not betray any ex-
citement, but seemed to accept the situa-
tion philosophically. He was cheered by
his friends by the assurance that he would
not long remain in Jail.
The verdict is as follows:
we. the jury. find from the evidence
submitted at the coroner's inquest that the
deceased William Crowley. came to his
death through drowning as the result OF
his having jumped overheard from the
steamer Estelle Randall into the Potomac
river; and we further find from the eY-
dence that he leaped overheard in fear Of.
or to escape punishment al the hands of.
Capt. Harry Randall.
I'VE further hold Capt. Harry Randall
for the action of the grand jury"
After being allowed to consult with lis
attorney and friends Capt. Randall was
this afternoon conveyed TO Jail by Detec-
tive Sergeant Tyser, who has had charge
of the prisoner and the case since Capt
Randall's arrest at Alexandria.
1t was said at the city hall this afternoon
that soon as the official papers are re-
ceived by the district attorney Capt. Harry
Randall will be released on 5000 bail pend
ing an investigation.
Delayed by Juror.
Some delay was caused in beginning the
inquiry by the late arrival of Juror Karr,
and it was nearly 1880 o'clock when the
first witness called. The jury of in
quest was composed of Messrs T. A. Rover.
Rudolph Eichorn, A. b. Burrows. Frank j.
Acker, Henry Karr and Horatio A. Garron.
After viewing the body of the drowned man
the jurymen were sworn by Deputy Cor
oner GlaZebrook.
Another slight delay caused by the
late arrival of the accused Capt. Harry S.
Randall, who came into the hearing room
with Sergt. Dean of the harbor police pre-
cinct and Detective Tyser and took a seat
facing DIR. j. Ramsey Nevitt. the coroner,
and Deputy Coroner Glazebrook Capt.
Randall was represented by Attorney AM
hrose, while Attorney John w. Patterson
appeared for the family of William Crow
ley, the deceased coored fireman of tho
steamer Estelle Randall.
Sergt. Russell Dean of the harbor police
force the first witness. When asked by
Coroner hewitt what he knew about the
matter under investigation he said
About $50 o clock Saturday morning a
coored man named Stewart came to the
office of the harbor police and said he un-
derstood Crowley had been chased over
board by Capt. Randall and had been
drowned Friday night
Sergt. Dean said he asked Stewart why
he thought Crowley was drowned. Stew
arts reply was because nobody had seen
him since he had trouble with Capt. Ran
dali. Sergt. Dean then went to the steam
er Estelle Randall and found William JEFF
ferson He was Informed by Jefferson that
Capt. Randall had trouble with VIII Crow
ley and had chased him, and that Crowley
had jumped overheard
Il was then satisfied" said Sergt. Dean.
that there was something in it, Thomas
Dorsey, another colored steamer hand told
me about the same thing. and | telephoned
my information to Capt. Boardman and
sent a police boat To drag for the body L
then left on the police steamer for AlexaD-
dria before the body was recovered" There
he was informed that Capt. Randall had
been arrested telegraphic order from
Capt. Boardman, chief of detectives.
Sergeant Dean found Captain Randall
prisoner at the Alexandria police station.
He expressed his willingness to return 10
Washington on the police steamer and was
brought here, accompanied by Detective
Sergeant Tvser.
The next witness WAS Detective Sergeant
William T. Tyser. He testified that he was
instructed by Captain Boardman to investi-
gate the drowning of Crowley. He de-
scribed his visit to Alexandria and the trip
to Washington with Captain Randall in
custody. on the way back Captain Randall
talked to the detective about the occur
renee He said he was the steamer
Wakefield Friday night preparing to retire
for the night when he heard some profanity.
accompanied by the use of his name. This
swearing was the deck below and Cap
tain Randall went down there with a white
man named Dodson. He looked for the col
ored man who had been cursing him and
was informed that he had gone over TO an
other steamer. Accompanied by colored
boy named Mahlon Diggs, the captain found
Crowley.
1t was Captain Randalrs intention. he
said to dismiss Crowley from his employ
when he found him. When he finally To-
Gated the colored man the latter hit him on
the ear and started TO run.
And that" concluded Captain Randall
in his statement to the detective, lis all
know about the matter
The curse words that Captain Randall
heard Crowley use about him were;
IT don't care a for the white
William Jefferson, colored, who lives In
St Marys county. Md. was next called.
Hu said he was asleep aboard the steamer
Harry Randall. The steamers Harry Ran
dali and Estelle Randall were lying side by
side at the wharf. Between IL and IL
o'i,lock Friday night Captain Randall came
aboard with the cook and asked: rs VIII
ahoard?'' meaning VIII Crowley. Captain
Randall also said, according to this witness,
..If / find him we will have fight" He
toDk q lighted lantern and went aboard the
steamer Estelle Randall. The captain
found Crowley and started toward him.
Wien the colored man ran to the midship
gangway and jumped overheard between
the steamers Estelle Randall and Harry
Randall. Witness did not hear any words
passed between the two men.
Crowley was down in the hold when
Capt. Randall came aboard the steamer
Estelle Randall. He sent two men into the
hold with lanterns to find him. Witness
saw Crowley jump overheard. II was his
opinion that Crowley tried TO jump over the
intervening space from the steamer EBtello
Randall to the steamer Harry Randall but
thu distance was too great and he went