Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-02
SUICIDE WAS BY HANGING
BODY OF CoLoRED WOMAN SUS-
PENDED FROM A TREE.
Rumors of Foul Play-Coroner Of
Opinion That Deceased Took
Her Own Life.

| Rumors of foul play were in circulation
| this morning shortly after the body of a
| colored woman was found suspended from
a tree on the property formerly occupied
| by the Casino Club. The woods in which
| the body was discovered are about two hun
dred yards west OF 14th street, between
Piney branch and Spring street. only a few
yards from the Hendershott dam. A silk
| veil had been placed securely about the
| neck Of the woman and the other end tied
to small beech tree, being fastened about
five feet from the ground The body was
| in an advanced stage Of decomposition, Act
! ing Coroner Glazebrook expressing the be-
| lief that 1t had been In the woods fully ten
days or two weeks.
1T looks very much like suicide" DR..
Glazebrook said, after he had made an ex-
| animation.
In order to permit a more complete in
vestigation, however. it was directed that
the body be taken to the morgue. Before
being removed from the woods the police
as 1t had been found earlier in the morning
William Watson and Joseph Lewis colored,
residing at 2331 Ontario avenue. found the
body. They merely glanced at the dark
object hanging from the tree. Policeman
T. j. Culf!nane was met and told that there
was something like dummy hanging in
the woods, but when he went to the place
indicated he was Mortified when he ascer-
tanned that the object was the body of a
woman.
Near Defined Path.
1t was regarded as singular that the body
could have remained SO near 18th street
and only few feet from a well-defined
path through the woods for so long a time
before being found Scores of persons pass
along the path-only about fifty feet from
where the body was found-every day, and
men have been working near the dam for
hiatt hi r,rx
blocks The two colored men who found
the body were employed by Dr. Hender-
shott. They were walking along the path
through the woods, when the attention Of
one of them was attracted by a dark OBJ
5ect. They were not curious enough to as
certain just what the object was. however,
and went in search of policeman, instead
OF stopping to make an investigation.
Detectives Hartigan and Berman were
assigned by Inspector Boardman to make
an investigation. When they reached the
woods they found number of curious peo-
pie there but only a few of them were
willing to venture close to the body. The
detectives made a careful examination of
the ground about the woods but were I'm
able to find anything which would assist
them in their investigation. The woman,
DR.. Glazebrook thought, was probably
about twenty-five years of age. She was
well dressed In a suit Of black. and not far
from the body the detectives found her
shoes and stockings.
0UIdS1Ou on ELBOWS.
There was an abrasion on her elbows
probably made at the time the woman
threw herself from the high ground above
the tree down the decided slope, the posi-
ton of the body making it appear that she
had taken her life.
1T is possible that the body was placed
there after DEATH" DIR. Glazebrook re-
marked. but it is hardly probable"
Some of the colored residents Of the vicin-
ity of the woods in which the body was
found were considerably agitated over the
affair.
Il don't believe it has been there all that
time" one colored man who visited the
woods remarked.
why not?' he was asked
Because 1 believe her spirit would have
| been at some of our houses
Identified as Estella Cook.
The body was identified late this after
noon as being that of Estella Cook
twenty-fOur years of age, who was for
merly employed as a domestic in the
house of Mrs. Robinson, 100 3th street.
and S14 o street.
About two weeks ago the young woman
borrowed % cents from her employer and
months ago and friends say her mind
seemed affected recently. Several weeks
ago she was away from her home for
three days. Relatives will attend to the
interment of the body.