Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-18
ATTACKED BY WOMAN he SHOT
DUCKY HOLMES, ON STAND,
CLAIMS SELF-DEFENSE.
Says Mrs. Hamilton Was Approach
ing Him Armed With Butcher
Knife When He Fired.

Henry L. Schrifogel. alias Ducky Holmes,
late this afternoon took the witness stand
in his own defense Of the charge of the
murder of Mrs. Mary E. Hamilton. for
which he is on trial in Criminal Court
No. l, before Justice Gould and a. jury.
He related the de- ails Of the tragedy and
declared he shot the woman to save him.
self from bodily harm, which he believed
to be imminent.
He denied that he had ever threatened
to kill Mrs. Hamilton. He was testifying
when this report closed
The defendant explained that his real
name is Schrifogle. but said that he had
been dubbed Ducky Holmes by his friends
because of the similarity of his actions
and mannerisms in playing ball to those
OF the famous Sioux City player OF that
name.
Attorney J. S. Easby-Smith of counsel
for the defense made an explanatory
statement to the jury. He declared that
he would show that the fatal shots were
fired by the defendant to save himself
from serious bodily injury, which the de-
ceased was in the act OF infiicting upon
him with butcher knife.
Holmes, or Schrifogle. was in love with
the woman, the attorney declared, and
band in the orient he wanted her to marry
him. He had worked continuously and
had given her his earnings. counsel de-
clared.
The evening of the tragedy. Mr.. Easily
Smith stated. Holmes returned home. and,
not finding Mrs. Hamilton. went in search
of her and found her on Pennsylvania
avenue in an intoxicated condition and
with another man.
He prevailed on her to return home with
him. On their arrival the woman $
mother upbraided her for drinking. and
was about to chastise her when the de-
PENDANT interfered. This angered the
woman. counsel said. and she attacked
Mrs. Hamilton then visited a neighbor' $
house. where the defendant went and
found her conducting herself improperly.
Pursued Him With Knife.
Holmes reported the womans conduct
to her mother, and when Mrs. Hamilton
returned she became furious at the up
braidings of her mother for her conduct
and at the defendant for telling. She
then grabbed a butcher knife. counsel
said, and pursued the defendant through
two rooms In his flight Holmes saw a
revolver on the buffet and. picking it up,
warned the woman not to come closer.
She disregarded the warning, and the
fatal shots were fired.
The defendant was the first witness
called to the stand after the noon recess.
He told of his relations with the de-
cedSeo covering pSEIod Oh IouT years.
The defendant stated that because of
her actions he left her house about one
year before the tragedy, but that after
short while the deceased wrote him a
letter begging him to return. stating that
she and her mother were in destitute cir
cumstances; that he returned to the Ham
ilton home. remaining thsre until the
homicide.
The weapon with which the homicide
was committed was exhibited to the de-
fendant He identified the pistol, and
stated that it belonged to friend, from
whom he had borrowed it several months
before the tragedy.
Attorney P. r. Hilliard is associated
with Attorney j. S. Easby-Smith in con-
Quoting the defense.