Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-08
Slayer of Mrs. Mary E. Hami|-
ton in Court Today.
NO DELAY IN SECURING JURY
Accused Is to Plead Insanity and
Self-Defense.
CHARGES DELIBERATE MURDER
Assistant United States Attorney
Turner Outlines What Govern
ment Expects to Prove.

| Ducky Holmes. otherwise known as
Henry l.. Schrifogle. indicted for first
gree murder in connection with the killing
Of Mrs. Mary F.. Hamilton November %
| 1907. at 142s Duncan street northeast. was
| placed trial this morning in Criminal
| Court No = before Justice Barnard \
| plea Of insanity and of self-defense. it is
understood will be made by counsel for
| the accused.
Only six of the twenty peremI'tory chal
/ lenges were used on each side before
/ twelve men satisfactory to the govern
/ mcnt and the defense were secured to
| az. as jurors. Those accepted are. Louis
| Kramer. a2J Westminster street north
! west. Herhert Crans.er 1..n MaSSachu
Setts avenue northwest: Elias Hutchins.
~ eth street southwest: William c.
/ Rowling 90 New York avenue: William
| Smith. I'll LIST street northwest: Henry
| Bradshaw. sol & stree: northeatS: ID. NJ.
| Woodland. ST. nth street northwest
| Henry F.. Bi;tinger S14 r street south
west; James r. Rras shears. 1919 Mime
sofa avenue: Joseph \. Lynn. 800 Mclean
avenue southwest; Ellsworth chappell.
! Chesapeake" stree. northwest. and Michae!
| Is. Scanlon 4OS 9th street northwest.
Assistant United States Attorney Tur-
ner outlined the case for the government.
| He told the jury he eXpeced to prove n
case of premeditated murder. He eX-
company with Mrs Hamilton and had
often mportuned here to marry him. but
she was already married, although not liv
1 ing with her husband. He declared the
! Testimony would show that some time pre-
| NiouS to the killing Holmes and the WON
| an had Il quarrel and at that time the
defendant had threatened to fix her.
He expected also to show. he said. that
Holmes shortly before the killing made
u statement that he was going to kill his
/! girl
! Mr. Turner then detailed the shooting
and told of the death of the girl and the
4 escape of the prisoner to place near
Baltimore. where he was apprehended a
few days later.
Attorneys ]. S. Easily Smith and ?. r.
| billiard for the defense, reserved its
opening statement.
Mother of Deceased Testifes.
After Acting Coroner Baker had de-
scribed the autopsy and Fred Sanherg.
the police photographer. had identified
certain photographs of the house where
the tragedy occurred. Mrs. Amy F.. Grove,
mother of the deceased. was called to the
stand Mrs Grove testified that the de-
PENDANT wanted to marry her daughter.
and she informed him she was already
married. Ducky said he would get her a
divorce. Coming down to tn" night of the
tragedH M Mrs. efsn"dant wer sn ner aaush,
the dining room of her house wher
Holmes whispered TO Mrs. Hamilton
The latter >then began to cry. the W.T.
ness said. and declared her intention If
leaving home The mother asked her no,
to go. Then Ducky followed Mrs. Hamil-
ton from the room. the witness said. and
| throwing his arm about her. fired pisto
at her. The witness stated at the report
! of the pistol she swOoned and when she
was revived her daughter was dead.
| During the cross-examinatiop by Attor-
| ney EasbySmith as to the details imme
diately preceding the killing. Mrs. Grove
broke down and wept bitterly. 1t was
several minutes before she could resume
her testimony. The prisoner sat with his
head resting on his hand and his elbow on
a chair AS the mother weepingy detail
ed the cry Of her daughter. oh. mamma
! am shot. and her answer. II know 1t,
but | cannot help YOU the defendant
kept his eyes turned to the floor. only
casting furtive glances at the witness. lie
seemed much moved at the recital, but
with an effort suppressed his emotions.
Incidents of the Shooting.
Holmes killed Mrs Hamilton at her home
in East Washington the night Of Novem-
Der ri asst At the time of the homicide the
cause for the crime was given as insane
| ealousy on the part Of the man. Mrs
| Hamilton. who was twentN-three years oi
age had b. n Informed that her husband
Clarence Hamilton. died in the Philippine
Islands bat as she had not received Of
| fetal notification OF his demise. the wo-
/ man declined to marry Holmes.
! Holmes was formerly member of the
Marine Corps and at the time Of the
| murder was boarding al the home of
| Mrs w. II. Grove. mother # Mrs. Ham
| lton He is said to have been desperately
| in love with the deceased AIRS. Holmes.
| about g:4l o'clock November 2t who had
been out. reached her nome. where
! Holmes was awaiting her coming 1t
was claimed that he,was under TIE in
] fiuence of liquor. and began to quarrel
with her "A, the front door. Together
| they entered the house and he II ged
| her not to go to her work that night al
the cafe. S,h and X streets southeast
where she was employed waitress.
Declines to Marry.
Mrs. Hamilton declared she would g
I" work that evening and is said 10 have
threatened Holmes that she would ''pu,
| the police him about a watch. She
also declined to entertain his request that
she marry him.
! volver. il is alleged. and began firing
| at Mrs. Hamilton. Two OF the bullet,
flew wild. but the third entered the
] woman side and pierced her heart She
| fell TO the floor and expired almost in
! stantly.
Holmes then attempted 10 shoot him
| self, eyewtnesses declare. but the weap-
! on refused to work. He then made his es
| cape and Capt Daley and the entire po-
! lice force of the ninth precinct searched
| for the man all night without avail
| Holmes was captured the following nigh,
! AT GlenbGrnie Md. Il small town about
/ fourteen miles from Baltimore He is
1 said 10 have admitted the shooting of Mrs
| Hamilton. adding that his mind had since
/ been a blank He was held for the grand
/ jury by the coroner following the inquest
/ and has been in Jail since