Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-17
MURDER IN A PRISON
Interest in the Recent Homicide
at M0undsviIIe.
FATAL STABBING ARRAY
Both Ada Cross and Lottie Hawkins
From This City.
MUCH TROUBLESOME CONDUCT
Rules Of the Penitentiary Relating to
Female Prisoners-Now in Sol
itary Confinement.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
MOUNDSVILLE, W. Va, February 49,
Washington prisoners in the pententiary
here are very much interested in the case
of the two colored women from that city,
Ada Cross, alias Gray, and Lottie Haw-
kins, who figured In the fatal stabbing af-
fray here this week. Ada Cross, the pris-
oner, is regarded as being one of the most
vicious prisoners who has ever served time
here. She is now serving her third term
and officials of the prison and the members
of the Washington colony in the prison
are now wondering what the county. court
will do with her. 1t Is said by the prison
officials and others familiar with the case
that the murder Of Lottie Hawkins was
committed without any provocation what
ever. Should the alleged murderess be SEN
fenced to death for the crime she has COM
m1tted the prison officials would not be
surprised. The killing of Lottie Hawkins
was the second stabbing affair in the prison
in which Ada is alleged to have been the
aggressor. Several months ago she had an
alteration with Ella Braxton, and, it is
stated, cut the latter.
Ada Cross has had to receive punish
ment for alleged troublesome conduct in
the prison number of times, being one
of the few women who has had to under
go treatment in strait jacket. One such
punishment is usually ABOUT as much as
a prisoner cares to stand, but it seemed to
have no deterrent effect upon Ada Cross.
The more She was punished, it is stated,
the worse she seemed to get. She seemed
as If she had simply made up her mind
that she was not going to abide by the
rules of the prison, and she was, there
fore, constantly in trouble. Seldom did q
month pass without Aua receiving severe
punishment, it is stated, and when she did
not have to be punished the guards thought
she was sick.
Was a Good Worker.
1t is said that Ada was good worker in
the pattern factory when she showed a dis
position to attend to her duties, but there
were SO many times that she showed q
contrary disposition that her work counted
for nothing. Lottie Hawkins, the victim of
Ada Cross, was regarded as a model pris-
oner. She was serving a sentence of TOUR
years for having thrown her child into the
river, and 1t was her hrst experience in
prison. She had not been in the habit of
associating with women of the Ada Cross
stripe, and she felt almost entirely out of
place with the latter and the other pris-
oners. 1t was partly due to the feeling that
she was out of place that some of the other
prisoners thought she was putting on
airs"
Lottie Hawkins, it is said, was really far
above the average female prisoner from
Washington or the state of West Virginia.
Her ofrense was not of the kind that
brought her case upon the level of that of
Ada Cross and others. She had been wrong
ed and it was because she threw her child
overheard in a fit of desperation that she
got in the trouble that caused her to be
sent here. Ada Cross was never satisfied
unless she was meddling with other pris-
onerS or doing something that was against
the rules of the prison. Last Tuesday, it Is
stated, she annoyed the Hawkins woman
while they were at work in the pattern
room, and pair of shears was about the
most deadly weapon she could get her
hands upon.
Feared Bodily Hae1.
Lottie Hawkins feared Ada Cross would
do her bodily harm and she appealed to
Mrs. Sophia Horn, the matron, to protect
her. The latter had hardly had time to give
any attention to the complaint and request
before Ada Cross turned upon Lottie and
stabbed her with the shears, severing her
jugular vein and causing almost instant
death. After committing the deed Ada
dropped the shears and walked to the yard
of the prison, where she surrendered to one
of the guards. There can be no 'unwritten
law defense in this case, but Ada claims
that the Hawkins woman provoked the as
Sault and that she did not use the shears
with the intention of taking life.
Ada has been excused from performing
manual labor in the shops and is kept in
solitary confinement 1t Is likely that she
Will IrOt De put III WOTk III the shops again,
but will be kept in close confinement until
her trial Is called for the murder of the
other prisoner. Under the prison rules fe-
male convicts are required to make and
repair the uniforms of the male convicts
when they are not otherwise engaged, and
it was while at that work that Ada Cross
was enabled to get possession Of the shears.
Rules Governing Female Convicts.
The rules relating to the female convicts
,inl1 xha ~ 4
the many other females from Washington,
as well as those from the state of West
Virginia, are as follows:
Rule !. The office gate night guard will
have charge Of the female department while
on duty during the day time, and the officer
Of the night guard will have charge of
the same department from the time he goes
the following morning.
Rule 2. The guard in charge of the fe-
male department will see that it is kept
clean and in good order that no cobWebs
or other dirt is allowed to accumulate
either in the rooms, halls or stairway, and
that the females keep themselves clean and
tidy in person.
Rule 8. No conversation or communica-
ton of any character will be allowed be-
tween male and female conyicts, and
neither will guards or other officers have
any conversation or communication with
convicts, either male or female, except such
as may be absolutely necessary in the dis
charge Of their duties.
Rule 4. No quarreling, loud talking, loud
laughing. profane or immoral language or
misconduct Of any kind will be allowed,
and neither will the females be allowed to
be at or about the windows Of the de-
partment during working hours or while
the men are in the yards, at their meals or
in the chapel, nor will they be allowed to
attract the attention of the male convicts
by loud laughing or talking or by word or
sign.
Rule 5. Visits by officers to the female
department will be as infrequent as possible.
Rule g. AL letters, papers. packages,
victuals, medicines and, in fact, every ar
ticle Of every character to be delivered
to the females that will go in the elevator
will be delivered by means of the elevator.
Rule z. All ministers Of the gospel will