Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-24
ALEXANDRIA AFFAIRS
INVESTIGATION INTO A CASE OF
SUICIDE.
Ferry Ordinance Passed by the City
Council-General and Per-
sonal Matters.
Special Correspondence Of The Star.

Burroughs, who resided at the house OF
woman named Eva Baker. 80 North Lee
street, was found in dying condition
about 1 o'clock this morning from pistol
wound in her right temple In her room AT
that place. She expired a few minutes after
the discharge Of the pistol was heard. The
police department was notified and OHcers
Young and Roberts arrived on the scene
few minutes subsequent to the shooting,
followed little later by Chief WEBSTER.
DIR. E. A. German had been summoned. put
before he arrived the woman had expired.
After hurried investigation the policemen
arrested William A. Dobson. first ser
geant OF the 14th Company, Coast Artil-
lery, u. S. A, who was found In the mouse,
on suspicion Of being criminally connected
with the affair. Other soldiers discovered
TO-. the coroner's jury. The remains Of the
woman were removed to the undertaking
establishment of B. Wheatley. on King
street, where an inquest was conducted this
morning at 10 o'clock. In the absence OF
Coroner William r. Purvis. Justice of the
Peace julius Pelton presided. The jury
was composed of the following: Messrs
John H. Trimyer, foreman; Robinson Mon
cure Julian Y Williams, Edgar Warfield,
jr., Claude M. Lennon and w. w. Cline
After an investigation. which lasted into
the afternoon and during which several
witnesses were examined, the jury rendered
verdict finding that the deceased came to
her death by pistol ball fired at l o'clock
this morning with suicidal intent. Sergt.
DobSon was forthwith released from GUS
tody.
Commonwealth Attorney Samuel G. Brent
was present at the inquest in the interest
of the state. The first witness examined
was Officer Young, who told OF finding the
woman dead after hurrying to the scene.
Life had been extinct but short time
when he arrived, and the heavy pistol
which had been used was still In her right
har, n ha harr nfrti npCa r1 hpr
DIR. E. A. German testified that he had
made an examination of the remains, find
ing that death was due to cerebral hemorr-
hage, caused by the pistol ball. Corporal
John Mcfarland, who was in the house at
the time, stated that no one was in the
room with the woman when the shot was
heard He saw Sergt. Dobson approaching
the room from downstairs after the report
of the pistol. Eva Baker testified that the
Griffith woman had been drinking heavily
in the evening and had taken a loaded pis-
toll to her room.
Heard Her Threats.
The witness had heard her threaten to
commit suicide and knew of several at
tempts she had made to end her life.
In his own behalf Sergeant Dobson took
the stand, and swore that he was not in
the room at the time the fatal shot was
fired He admitted having had a slight
quarrel with the unfortunate girl, but
stated that he was preparing to leave the
house when she shot herself. His evil
dence was fully corroborated by that of
the other witnesses. The jury was only a
few minutes in reaching the conclusion that
the woman had committed suicide.
Ferry Ordinance Passed.
An ordinance granting the Norfolk and
Washington Steamboat Company the right
to move its ferry house on the strand
thirty feet to the north, to construct an
Office building and freight sheds and to
carry out other plans for the establish
ment of a commodious terminus in this
city for the new ferry line of the COM
pany between Washington and Alexan-
dria, was unanimously passed by the city
council at it's regular Semi-monthly meet
ing last night. When the matter was
brought up Mr. Leadbeater, chairman of
the committee on streets, presented a COM
munication from Attorneys James r. and
H. B. Cation, stating that they represented
the owners of the wharf adjoining that
mentioned in the ordinance and protesting
that the passage of the measure would
result in serious damage to the property
of their clients. Furthermore the attor-
neys complained of having been unable to
inspect the provisions of the ordinance in
order to fully inform themselves of its in
fluence on the property in which they We're
interested.
1t was stated that City Engineer Dunn
had refused their request to see the ordi-
nance on the ground that it was not then
public property. In the communication the
attorneys urged council not to take any ac-
ton on the matter until they had had OPP
portunity to present their reasons in opposi-
ton. Commenting upon the protest Mr..
Leadbeater stated that the city engineer
had acted properly in refusing to permit the
ordinance to be examined, as 1t was not
at that time in the hands of the city coun-
Gil but was the property of the ferry COM
pany, having been drawn by the company
attorney. He said it had been placed be-
fore the street committee and had received
Endorsement
body, but he denied that any one else had
right to demand an inspection of it before 1t
came directly before council. AS to the al
legged damage of adjacent property, he said
that neither the city engineer nor the mem
bers of the committee believed that it would
have that effect. He said, however, that II
any damage should result the city would
be protected by the terms of the ordinance,
and that the Norfolk and Washington Com
pany was able to make all reasonable COM
pensat ion. He deplored that any obstacle
should be interposed to the passage of
measure which he regarded as SO essential
to the welfare of the city. Mr.. Williams
took the same ground. urging the passage
of the ordinance in a forceful speech. After
the city engineer had been questioned at
length regarding the rights of the city in
the premises the ordinance was unanimously
passed.
The committee on public property made a
report on the resolution providing for GER
tain repairs at the station house, and the
report was accompanied with plans for the
work drawn up by the city engineer. 1t
was explained that the changes outlined
would require an appropriation Of $780,
After lengthy discussion, in which objec-
ton was made on the ground that the de-
scrption of the work was not sufficiently
detailed, the matter was recommitted with
the understanding that a full report will
be made at the next meeting. A favorable
report was received from the committee on |
finance on the resolution appropriating $500
for repairs at the armory of the Alexandria |
Light Infantry, and the report was adopted. |
The resolution increasing the annual al |
lowance of the chief of the fire department |
for the keeping of a horse from s120 to |
$500 which was adopted at the last meet |
ing of the council. was returned by Mayor |
Pafr with the opinion that the terms Of the |
Endorsement were ambiguous. The clerk |
was directed to explain the exact intention |
of council to the mayor.
Annual Appropriation Bill.
The committee on finance submitted the |
annual appropriation bill, which was COM |
mented upon as showing a pleasing condi- |
ton of affairs. 1t was stated by Chairman
Bryan that the yearly estimates for the
ma at fifteen wears had been. the average